As a nuisance, birds aren’t exactly the top concern on most people’s list. That is, of course, until they are, which is usually around the time bird deterrent technology is in great demand.
As we distance ourselves from nature, we can’t seem to leave all of it behind. And while some of that is welcome, there are some wild nuisances that we’d rather not have to deal with. Here, we’ll discuss how birds can cause problems ranging from inconveniences to physical danger, and how to deal with them.
What Is Bird Control?
Bird-proofing, or bird control, usually means any set of measures taken to reduce or prevent the interference of birds. There are a few ways in which birds can be an annoyance, and therefore a number of ways to deal with them, provided they are safe wherever possible.
Physical bird-proofing methods include rooftop spikes, netting, metal spiders, light beams, and electrified perches. Chemical deterrents include scented oils, sprays, fog machines, and (in extreme cases) avicides. Generally speaking, bird control isn’t always foolproof. However, different methods can be more or less competent at repelling birds than others
When Are Bird Repellents Needed?
In most areas, birds don’t normally pose a significant threat to people. Wild birds are generally fearful of us and avoid contact for the most part. However, there are a few cases when they need to be kept at bay.
General Health and Safety
This is a more general area where proximity to birds becomes a problem. There are many examples, like flocks of birds tripping or damaging power lines, pigeons nesting inside homes, woodpeckers destroying wooden structures, an aggressive magpie protecting its nest by attacking passers-by, or the looming threat of being charged by an angry goose at your local park.
While these are specific cases, one major threat is due to bird droppings. The more birds there are in an area, the more likely your car or solar panels will be stained with bird wastes. Apart from being hard to clean, this can speed up the spread of infectious diseases like salmonella.
In any of these cases, it might help to have light beams, spikes, trapping systems, or chemical deterrents to keep these feathered pests at arm’s length.
Protecting Crops
Protecting grains, planted seedlings, and other valuable agricultural produce from attacking birds is important for farmworkers. To do so, they have a number of options like rotating scarecrows, metal spiders, electric deterrents, or trained dogs to keep the birds away.
Beachgoer Safety
You might be familiar with viral videos on the internet where gulls and other seabirds snatch the food out of people’s hands. It’s certainly not as funny when it’s your finger that gets between a hungry gull and your sandwich. This is where safety measures like noise machines and laser deterrents prove to be a godsend at beach shores and harbors.
Bird Strike Prevention
Air travel has certainly made things a lot easier for us, but it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. And while some fears aren’t as rational, it turns out that being brought down by accidents involving birds is actually how many planes end up crashing.
A “bird strike” is where an aircraft’s engine breaks down when an unfortunate bird flies into it. While most bird strikes cause minimal damage, it’s much more difficult to prevent a deadly crash if something big like a swan or pelican is sucked in by the propellers.
To prevent such instances, pilots avoid flight paths taken by migratory birds, whereas places like airports and landing strips today can benefit from anti-bird procedures like physical, chemical, or noise deterrents, dogs, or population control methods.
Final Statement
Birds certainly can be more trouble than we thought. Fortunately, controlling them can be easy, safe, legal, and surprisingly affordable depending on who your bird deterrent supplies are. That way, you can go back to admiring birds from afar rather than resenting them up close.