For bird watchers, seeking out active and nesting birds is a joyful experience. But if you're a business owner or homeowner suffering from the damage caused by returning flocks of pest birds, discovering bird nests may feel more like a nightmare. The nesting habits and fecal matter of birds can cause severe damage to homes and commercial buildings. If you're seeking DIY or minor bird deterrence solutions, you may be left wondering why birds keep returning to nest on your property. To determine why birds return and effectively get rid of them, you need to learn more about birds' nesting behavior and why these pests fight harder for some nesting areas than others.
Why Birds Return
If you think you're getting rid of massive flocks of birds, but it seems like the same birds return a few days later, you're probably right. Birds will fight for a quality nesting area that meets their needs. In fact, migratory birds return to the same area — and sometimes even the same property — after migrating for the whole winter. As a homeowner or business owner being bombarded by bird droppings, you may be wondering what made your dwelling a target nesting area. While birds are complicated creatures, their nesting habits are fairly simple. It's all about their needs. If you're unfortunate enough to own a location that provides an attractive nesting area, you will likely need to work harder to deter birds and keep them gone for good.
Bird Pressure
Birds nest in a variety of ways. If you're attempting to remove bird flocks from a commercial building, you may have noticed that birds are easier to scare away in some areas than others. The importance of a nesting area to a flock of birds is referred to as bird pressure. It refers to how hard a flock will work to maintain a certain nesting area. Experts divide bird pressure into three categories:
- Heavy Bird Pressure: These are the sites that meet most of the needs of the flock. Heavy pressure areas almost always provide protection from the elements, as well as dependable food and water supplies. Birds fight the hardest for heavy pressure areas.
- Medium Bird Pressure: These areas meet many needs, like food and moderate protection, but they are more likely to be visiting sites. Birds will likely put up an effort to visit them daily, but they can be removed from these sites more easily.
- Light Bird Pressure: These areas are more like occasional resting spots. Deterrence techniques work best in these areas.
5 Common Bird Deterrence Mistakes Made by Residential and Commercial Property Owners
Many bird deterrence solutions are extremely effective when used properly. But without proper training, it's hard to use them for full effectiveness. Unfortunately, these items are often misused or underutilized, making long-term bird control difficult. Believe it or not, pest birds aren't trying to be pests. They're attempting to reclaim an area they believe is safe to create a home. As a property owner, the key to why birds return is what they're obtaining from your property. These common bird deterrence mistakes often mean birds keep returning to their favorite nesting spots on your property.
1. Seeking Cheap Solutions
If you're hoping to rid a large commercial property of several flocks of pigeons, then a single visual deterrent isn't likely to do the trick. Visual bird deterrents are often predator decoys or other decoys that provide visual disturbances for birds. They're very effective in some situations. However, you must move them frequently. In high-pressure nesting situations, you should also use them alongside other tools. Seeking the cheapest solution often means getting a solution that doesn't match the magnitude of your problem.
2. Failing to Assess the Pressure Level
Your property may have different bird pressure levels located around the same building. This means you'll likely need different solutions for different nesting areas. Visual deterrents may work in light pressure areas. But bird netting may be required in heavy pressure areas of the same building. A bird control specialist can help you determine if you have a high-pressure nesting spot.
3. Poor Installation
Whether you've opted to place bird deterrent solutions yourself or call in a pest control company, the products are only effective when used correctly. Improper installation can mean the products fail. In some instances, it can even lead to building damage. If you're seeking assistance from a professional bird control company, then learn about their history and past customer experience of the organization.
4. Providing Birds With Services
An important part of bird control is eliminating the attractants that keep birds interested in your property. If you're wondering why birds return, make sure you're not feeding them. Failing to clean away bird droppings, control a litter problem, or even keep garbage cans covered and clean can mean your habits are convincing the birds to stay. To keep birds away, you must thoroughly clean fouled areas before placing deterrents. Also, you must remove attractants from the area.
5. Underestimating Birds
Birds are intelligent creatures with excellent vision and problem-solving skills. If they know you're blocking an area where they can provide a safe home for their young, then they'll work hard to find a way to get back to the site. Birds can often roost on steep ledges. They can also access tiny openings to get back to the nesting spot that provides protection and food. Consult a bird control specialist to learn how to keep birds away from the areas they prefer to roost.
Professional Bird Deterrence Solutions
When large flocks of birds are causing significant damage to your home or business, you've already moved past the phase where DIY bird control will be effective. To avoid the damage birds can cause to buildings and the potential danger of diseases passed from birds to humans, it's a good idea to have the situation assessed by a professional bird control specialist. Professionals can determine precisely why birds return to your property and how to stop them. Attempting to solve a high-pressure bird nesting problem without the right tools and training can quickly become more expensive than using a professional solution the first time. To learn more about professional bird control solutions, contact Bird Barrier today.
About Bird Barrier
Bird Barrier is a leader in innovative technology designed to prevent birds from landing, roosting or nesting. We specialize in urban bird control to remove birds humanely and effectively. Our website, birdbarrier.com, hosts a wealth of content to help people understand and identify bird control solutions for various problems with pest birds. Please contact us if you need help with a bird related problem. You may also benefit from our free guide, Bird Deterrents: The Complete Guide.
