Most birds exhibit flock behavior, and it’s one of their most potent weapons. Flock behavior provides protection, learning opportunities, and guidance—when was the last time you saw a migratory bird flock get lost? The bad news is that flock behavior makes birds more of a threat to your store, warehouse, or building.
What flock behavior is
In the animal kingdom, it’s not unusual to see predators work alone and prey animals move in groups, proving the maxim that there’s safety in numbers. This is especially true of birds. A large flock dilutes the danger for each bird, and the sheer number of eyes means predators have a hard time taking prey by surprise. Additionally, certain bird species will exhibit “social mobbing”—the harassing of predators. Social mobbing can involve distracting a raptor with coordinated cawing or even physical attacks.
Another way flock behavior manifests is through shared learning. We’ve witnessed house sparrows, starlings, and grackles “tell others” where food can be found. Trial and error sometimes yields surprising results. Some customers report birds “teaming up” to open automatic doors—one bird will fly into the electric eye while others fly inside.
This is not to say birds are “intelligent,” but like all animals, when they discover a behavior that provides food, they will repeat that behavior. In a flock, one bird will share this finding with others.
How Many Birds Are in a Flock?
Although there’s no hard and fast definition, the US FWS recommends counting birds in a flock by 10s to estimate the size.
What you can do to lock out the flock
Flocking behavior is more prevalent in the fall. That’s because birds are done nesting and rearing juveniles. For migratory species, flocking is vital to ensure they get to their winter home.
That means you should expect to see more birds in larger groups. As we ramp up to the holiday season, customers often report seeing more droppings near entrances and increased noise levels outside entrances. If you have perch areas (for example, ledges or signs) or overhangs, customers will notice an increased number of birds there. More birds outside means more birds inside, especially once one bird finds the seed or cookies merchandised near the entrance.
To minimize potential problems, first move the edible or attractive merchandise away from the doors. As we touched on last month, birds are sight feeders. A display of fall fruits looks beautiful near the entrance, but it also attracts birds.
The second thing you can do is keep the exterior areas around your building as clean as possible. Sweep up food crumbs and empty trash bins regularly.
Third, watch for shared learning. If you see birds gaming the automatic doors, you will need to take action.
Meridian offers an exterior population reduction service that will help decrease the size of the flock near your building. A reduced flock means less flock behavior.
Meridian can help as we approach the holidays
In addition to exterior population reduction, Meridian can do a full facility inspection to recommend other changes that will decrease the chances of bird incursions. And of course, our proven interior bird removal service guarantees a bird-free inside or you don’t pay.
- Five holiday tips for fewer birds
- A Bird’s Eye View of the Year
- Pigeon Removal Program Successfully Removes the Entire Flock
Meridian Bird Removal is more than a service provider. We are your partner in keeping your building clean and safe from bird problems. That kind of teamwork beats flock behavior any day.