Birds, what are they good for? Absolutely nothing. When birds decide to make your place their home, then it is the time to act. We want to be your allies in this war to keep birds away from your home or property.
Remove bird food sources
The first step to keeping birds away is to eliminate the reasons they are on your property in the first place. In most cases, birds like pigeons, seagulls, and sparrows are there because of access to food and nesting grounds. Therefore, to get rid of birds, you should first get rid of their food sources and block off their nesting grounds.
Common bird food sources include open trash containers, food left outside, such as after a barbecue or party, and food intentionally left out for the birds. These food sources should be removed as much as possible. Open trash cans can be replaced by closed trash receptacles, food can be picked up after being eaten, and people can stop feeding the birds intentionally.
Without a source of food, birds will lose a major impetus to be in the area.
Block birds’ nesting grounds.
The next step is to block off the birds’ nesting grounds. If birds nest in an area, the tendency is for the bird problem to get worse. The loud noises increase, the bird droppings increase, and the birds are more difficult to get to leave. Birds like to nest in covered, enclosed places like under solar panels, in the rafters of buildings, and on ledges in parking garages. These covered locations can usually be netted off with bird netting.
Bird netting goes over the opening to the enclosure where birds typically nest, such as between solar panels and the ground or covering the rafters of the interior of a warehouse. If installed properly, bird netting blocks out birds with 100% effectiveness.
Call a bird control service
If birds have already nested, your best bet is to call in a bird control company for help. Moving the nests of most species is illegal in North America. A bird control company like AviAway can help you solve the problem within the bounds of the law and also help you keep birds from coming back.
Removing bird food sources and blocking off bird nesting grounds are the top solutions to solve a bird infestation problem. They are the most foolproof methods of getting rid of excessive numbers of birds.
If the bird problem is light, there are other methods that can work to help keep birds away. Examples of these methods for bird control are bird spikes, bird wire, and electric shock tracks.
Install bird spikes
Bird spikes are medium-sized rods that stick out from the surface they are installed on. They stop birds from being able to perch or roost. Bird spikes can be installed on places like rooftop ledges, fences, signs, and any basically flat surface. In spite of their name, bird spikes are in no way meant to harm birds. They are just there to block birds from landing. They work best on medium-sized birds and larger, as smaller birds like sparrows can still land and nest between the spikes.
Use the bird wire method
Bird wire is the next ledge deterrence method. Bird wire is a wire that spreads out across a surface like a rooftop ledge or a facade sign. It creates an uneven surface that prevents birds from being able to land, similar to bird spikes. Bird wire is usually lower-cost and also lower-visibility than bird spikes. If aesthetic concerns are a consideration, bird wire is sometimes a better option than bird spikes.
Electric shock tracks are another similar option for deterring birds from ledges. Electric shock tracks give birds a small electric jolt if they attempt to land on the surface where they are installed. The shock does not harm the birds but does warn them to stay away from that surface.
Summary
The top methods for keeping birds away are removing bird food sources and netting off their nesting grounds with bird netting. If birds have already nested, we recommend calling in a bird control company to assess the problem. If the bird problem is light, ledge modification methods like bird spikes, bird wire, or electric shock tracks may help alleviate the problem.
