Bird Control

Our feathered friends in the garden that we feed are a joy to behold, but when birds congregate in public places, they not only become a menace but a disease spreading one at that.

Why birds are pests

Whether you live in a rural or urban area or indeed beside the sea, large congregations of birds can become pests.

From pigeons who love nothing more than to nest in old (and new) buildings, windowsills and as a result are the most commonly controlled species of bird, to aggressive flocks of gulls who can distribute rubbish and can attack pets and sometimes people, birds are not always the ‘fluffy’ types that we might imagine.

Most worryingly, they can also spread diseases including encephalitis, Histoplasmosis, salmonellosis, E. Coli and cryptococcosisto to humans. The most usual way for birds to spread disease is through their faeces either from direct contamination – especially in places where there is a heavy avian presence and through spores from the faeces which can enter homes and businesses through air ducts and settle on food or water. Birds, in fact, carry as many health hazards as rats.

How do I know if I have a problem and what can I do?

Apart from seeing flocks of birds and hearing them, their faecal deposits will be the biggest giveaway.

Prevention against birds can include making sure there are no broken windows in buildings or gaps where birds can enter and nest. Chimneys can also be protected from nesting birds and in the case of more public buildings, spikes can be placed on windowsill and roof edges. In the case of gulls, make sure that rubbish is disposed of in gull proof bags or lidded dustbins as they can be very good at rubbish extraction!

However, if you do find that you have a bird problem then it’s best to leave them to the experts due to the diseases that they can carry. It may also be that there is a combination of methods necessary to fully eradicate the problem and Hillbans have all of those methods ready to deploy and can advise you also about deterrents.