by Alex A. Kecskes

No matter how you feel about birds, when they invade your property en masse, they can be a real nuisance. Consider the damage just a few bids can do to your gutters, rooftop AC units, skylights, air vents and solar panels. Over time, their acidic droppings eat into these areas and devices, which can be very costly to repair or replace. Bird droppings left on your car, van, boat or RV can ruin the finish, especially if you wait too long to wash off the droppings.

There’s also the problem of bird nests and nesting debris, which can cause fires when they are built too close to any electrical device, exterior wiring or light fixture.

Finally, if you fancy eating outdoors, there’s the problem of diseases that pest birds carry—they can transmit any of 60 known diseases. Unless you control pest birds with bird guards or bird barriers, they will land on tables, chairs, BBQs awnings, pool ledges and spa areas. And every time they do, there’s the potential for them to drop a disease carrying “load.”  

The solution, of course, is to install bird guards and bird barriers on your property. Two of the most popular bird control devices that fall into these categories are Bird Spikes and Bird Netting.

Bird Spikes Won’t Let ‘em Land

Whether you get stainless steel spikes or plastic, these deterrents are humane and highly effective.  Both are easy to install and essentially maintenance free. The plastic bird spikes cost a bit less and come in 3-, 5- and 7-inch widths and two-foot spike strips. A single row of bird spikes usually covers a 7-inch wide area. The best plastic spikes have a flexible base that adapts to curved surfaces. Each spiked strip comes pre-drilled with holes along the base. The strips can also glued in place by using a glue trough at the base of each spike strip. Concerned about how bird spikes will look on your property? Not to worry. They now come in a full range of colors--including white, tan, gray, black, brown, brick red and even crystal clear. Custom colors are also available.

Create a Bird-Proof Barrier with Bird Netting

Bird Netting creates a barrier that blocks out most pest birds. It can keep everything from sparrows to pigeons from invading the nooks and crannies of your property. What’s more, like bird spikes, netting is a humane bird deterrent that won’t harm birds.

For bird netting that lasts, opt for Heavy-Duty polyethylene Bird Netting. It’s made from a U.V. stabilized mesh and comes in various sizes and custom cuts. The key here is to choose the right mesh size for the pest bird you’re having problems with. The three most popular mesh sizes include 2-inch mesh, 1 1/8-inch mesh, and 3/4-inch mesh.

The most rugged netting is ISO 1806 protocol mesh tested, flame resistant and rot- and waterproof. This durable netting consists of 6 monofilaments, each12/1000s of an inch thick. The monofilaments are twisted together to create a tough twine with 160-200 twists per meter.  This high quality bird proof netting is frequently specified by architects.

To get the most deterrent effect out of bird netting, you must install it properly. Before installing Heavy Duty Bird Netting, thoroughly clean the area of bird droppings, nesting materials, loose rust, peeling paint or other debris. Improperly installed netting will sag or droop, leaving gaps that birds can work through. The one thing to remember here is that pest birds can be very resourceful when it comes to sneaking through netting. For best results in large installations, cables should be set up around the area and the net should then be attached to this cable.

By Alex A. Kecskes

You’ve got a pest bird problem, and the owner of the commercial building has instructed you to solve the problem--in other words, get rid of the birds! As an astute and experienced property manager, you’ve read about various bird proofing devices and methods. You also know that the owner wants you to use non-lethal means to keep birds away from the property.

Before we go into the various deterrents, you’ll need to walk around the property to determine what types of birds have invaded the premises and where they tend to perch, roost or nest. Note also, the likely places they could choose to move, were you to block access or bird proof these areas. Keep in mind that the most effective way to deter pest birds is to consider all possible perching, roosting and nesting areas.  Birds are clever and will quickly adapt to barriers and devices you erect. Sometimes, it helps to take photos of all possible areas bird might use, and to show these areas to a bird control professional.

Having evaluated your premises and determined the “what and where” of your bird problem, it’s time to consider some specific bird control measures. Let’s start with the most popular of pest bird deterrents, the Bird Spike.

To begin with, Stainless Steel Bird Spikes are the most durable. Ideal for deterring large pest birds like pigeons, crows, and gulls, they take away a bird’s ability to land and perch. Bird spikes should be mounted on ledges, I-beams, parapet walls, conduits and signs--wherever pest birds gather before the settle in to nest. Stainless steel spikes come in rows of spiked strips that are 3-, 5- and 8-inches wide. To help you determine the level of protection these spiked strips provide, the 8-inch spikes will give you 8 to 10 inches of deterrence on a 10-inch wide ledge. The best stainless steel bird spikes feature a “no-nest” design with no-gap spacing to keep birds from defeating them.

When installing bird spikes, follow these procedures: Use the staggered pre-drilled holes at the base of the spikes to nail or screw them into place. If you intend to glue them down, use construction-grade adhesives in the glue trough provided in better quality spikes. Better spikes will also feature breakaway notches to bird proof smaller areas. Leave no more than a 1-inch gap on either side of the spike to keep birds from sneaking around them. If you intend to mount bird spikes on a pipe or conduit, use a 1-inch spike to cover 1 to 2 inches and secure each spike with common hose clamps, nylon ties or wire.

Another popular bird proofing device used by commercial building owners is the Bird Spider. These deterrents feature spindly arms that whip about in the breeze to keep pest birds from landing anywhere near them. If you have birds nesting on AC units, water towers, electrical junction boxes and similar flat areas, mount a bird spider on top of these landing zones. They will keep pigeons, seagulls and larger birds from settling in on these areas. Bird spiders come in 2-, 4-, 6- and 8-foot models to provide increasingly wider areas of deterrence. When installing bird spiders, be sure the “tips” of the spider’s arms reach out several inches over the outside surface(s). Allow the arms to move freely with the tips no more than 2 or 3 inches above the mounting surface. When using glue to mount the spider, use the PVC adapter (provided by better bird spiders). If you’re installing more than one spider, position them 6 to 8 inches from arm-tip to arm-tip.

One last advisory note: Before installing bird barriers, dry up any water-damp areas and remove any loose rust, peeling paint, bird droppings, feathers and nesting materials. Birds will be drawn to the familiar scent of their species and regard the area a hospitable. Be sure to use commercial disinfecting cleaning agents to prevent installation crews from being exposed to the many airborne diseases carried by birds and their droppings. Use eye and respiratory protection if the area is heavily contaminated with droppings.