Why Bird Poop is a Problem

Tens of millions of dollars go out of individuals' pocketbooks and companies' profits each year for pest bird clean-up costs, damages, and repairs. Bird poop can ruin home rooftops, ventilation systems, air conditioning units, paint, wood, and just about every other structure. This also includes machinery, metals, and just about anything else the feces lands on. It is a constant battle between pest birds and humans. The birds may look cute and sound like a morning song, but they can destroy property and be a health risk as well.

Bird Poop Destruction

Bird poop is very acidic. Most birds have a very low water level in their bodies because water is heavy to transport by air. The white component of bird poop is a thick white paste of uric acid, with very little water content. A bird's waste is both digestive and urinary, which is what makes it so concentrated and damaging. Also, birds have a high metabolic rate and need to eat large quantities of food, meaning large amounts of poop.

When there is no bird control method in place and droppings accumulate over time, the trouble gets worse. Droppings can accumulate rather quickly when there are large roosts. Birds will roost on your roofs and eaves, in trees, or find the entrance to your attic. When you see the first splattering of white from the birds, action is needed to protect your home or business.

Health Hazards of Bird Poop

Aside from the costly damage pest birds create on buildings, there is also a health risk to be concerned with. Proper bird control will eliminate the damage bird droppings leave behind, not just structurally. Most health concerns for humans are associated with accumulated bird droppings. Most people would never tolerate living with a colony of rats in their home, and the same standard should apply when it comes to birds. Bird droppings can harbor over 60 transmittable diseases, including histoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, salmonellosis, and E. coli, to name just a handful. Birds are also associated with over 50 kinds of ectoparasites that can work their way through structures to infest and bite the people inside. A few of these include bed bugs, mites, and ticks. The common diseases transmitted to humans cause upper respiratory illnesses; histoplasmosis, for instance, is a respiratory disease that can be fatal and results from a fungus growing in dried bird poop.

Interesting Fact

Bird poop, namely pigeon poop, was highly sought after in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. People used the chemical properties in the feces to make gunpowder, and coops were protected by armed guards stationed outside to ensure the prized bird poop was not stolen. We have come a long way...

Effective bird control can keep bird droppings away from homes and businesses. When using economical bird deterrent methods, costly repairs and clean-up become a thing of the past.

If you need assistance selecting the right deterrents for your property, call Bird B Gone at 800-392-6915 or email us at nobirds@birdbgone.com.