Ah, springs’s in the air – but wait, so are the birds and their mess!

Facility managers have been planning for the usual tasks that spring cleaning brings, but what about birds? As nuisance birds’ activity gears up, so do cleaning costs.

The number of urban birds increases dramatically around buildings and other facilities, making some areas impossible to walk through. It is difficult for some of us to think of birds as pests, but pigeons (and geese) have adapted well around facilities.

They find their way into places where some people don’t want them resting, nesting and roosting. Their presence might be enjoyable, but their droppings are not. Their behavior becomes a menace and cleaning up their “after dinner mess” is a costly, toxic endeavor.

In some instances, professionals are hired to pressure wash affected areas, which is a temporary and expensive fix. Not only is it a short term solution, which in most cases is repeated several times a year, but also costs thousands of wasted facility maintenance dollars. Therefore, implementing an effective bird management system, without washing dollars down the drain, saves money in clean-up costs, labor, city fines and even lawsuits.

No Stroll in the Park

Birds can be more than just a nuisance. And constantly dodging pigeons and their droppings is like trying to balance an egg on top of your head.

Not only do unsightly stains and droppings (Canada goose, pigeon, etc) make for an unpleasant environment, they pose a slip-and-fall hazard. For example, the New York Transit Authority was ordered to pay a former doorman from the Bronx $7.67 million in damages resulting from a slip on pigeon droppings on subway stairs.

To avoid the liability factor, it’s vital for building & facility managers and property owners to identify the problem find a long term permanent solution and nip it in the bud.

Don’t Add to the Problem

Pest bird populations have developed because we have supplied an abundance of food and good places to live. Bird lovers feed them popcorn, stale moldy loaves of bread and other scraps. They might not understand or care that uncontrolled bird populations cause huge problems, high maintenance bills and serious damages.

Increasing the number of street trash cans, cleaning up around garbage bins, dock areas and picking up from outdoor eating areas are key to keeping litter and pigeons away. This helps eliminate their food sources and creates an environment that excludes them from affected areas. If the so called “flying rats” are not fed, they will congregate elsewhere where they can find ample food supply. OSHA or other governmental agencies can cite, fine, or shut down companies for bird mess problems. And who wants that?

Do It Yourself

Why clean? Bird droppings are no laughing matter to city managers, and cleaning costs can add up to a financial disaster. Their droppings cause hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to property. Their droppings are acidic, which eats through surfaces and devalues property. It can carry over sixty diseases, including histoplasmosis, encephalitis and salmonella, some of which can be lethal.

Once droppings dry, they become airborne. Removing it immediately off the surface/structure is the ideal thing to do to prevent deterioration and other damages. Proper disinfecting is extremely important, too. Protective clothing and use of a respirator is recommended.

It boils down to an educational effort. Doing nothing to treat the area will attract new birds. It is important to keep buildings and other areas free of pest birds and their debris. Research the problem. Identify the birds. See where they come from, what’s attracting them, and where they feed.

After gathering this information, prepare for cleaning. Remove the infestation, which carries unpleasant fleas, ticks and mites and discard all evidence that will make the facility/site undesirable and unappealing to stubborn birds.

Take action! Nesting areas can be blocked off with physical barriers, bird spikes, holographic tape, netting or sticky gels, causing no harm to the birds. Visual deterrents, sonic and ultrasonic devices and taste aversions are great humane alternatives and are recommended to be used in conjunction with physical barriers for more effective results.

Birds are smart, so be selective in your choices, as there are many different solutions. Make sure you implement an effective long term “green” bird control system that will save time and money spent on clean up of bird droppings and damages. A winning plan in this effort can make quite a difference in economics, a cleaner environment and safety. Deny the birds access and you will be a success! ❑ Trunita Robinson is a media relations correspondent for Bird-X, Inc. a Chicago-based company that specializes in green and humane bird control. For more information, call 800.662.5021 or go to www.bird-x.com.