Too Many House Sparrows Around Your Restaurant? Time for Bird Netting!

House sparrows are typically about six inches long and will have black bills, black breasts, and white cheeks. They will often hop around tables, benches and chairs of open-air restaurants to scrounge for leftovers and dropped crumbs. The birds will look for convenient nesting sites and open trash containers. If they have already started to move in, you should wait until there are no young present to remove the nesting materials. As the seasons change, you may also need to consider other preventative measures, such as learning when swallows are coming and how to get out the garden bird netting.

The Health and Sanitary Risks of Sparrows

House sparrows are not tidy or clean birds. They commonly roost in small flocks and their droppings are both unsightly and unsanitary. Nesting sparrows can be disturbingly noisy, too. And their disease-carrying droppings around your restaurant can lead to health code violations. Diseases carried by house sparrows include chlamydiosis, salmonellosis, Newcastle disease, toxoplasmosis and transmissible gastroenteritis.

Most house sparrows strongly prefer to nest in the vents, attic vent louvers, crevices, and under eaves of buildings. Some restaurant owners have tried stuffing their dryer, attic and fan vents with screens, but when these become blocked with leaves and other debris, they can eventually create serious venting problems. For a more comprehensive approach to home and business protection, read our guide on how to bird-proof your home with bird netting.

Effective Bird Netting Solutions

The solution is to use a bird deterrent that is both effective and humane. Here's what today's bird control experts recommend:

Block Out Sparrows with Lightweight No Knot Netting

Bird-B-Gone No Knot Bird Netting is made of a multi-strand polypropylene fiber that's lightweight with a burst strength of 50 pounds. It's a durable UV-protected netting that's flame resistant so you can use it in temperatures as low as -250°F or as high as 338°F. It comes in two different mesh sizes—2" and the smaller being more suitable for house sparrows. It's ISO 1806 Protocol mesh tested, backed by a 10-Year Guarantee, and is virtually invisible when installed.

Bird Control is Easy with Bird Net 2000

Ideal for overhangs, rooftops, eaves and vents, Bird Net 2000 Heavy Duty Bird Netting is a durable UV-stabilized polyethylene mesh. It's rot-proof, water-proof and flame-resistant. It's also ISO 1806 and 9001 Protocol mesh tested and can be used in temperature extremes from -250°F to 270°F. It's also non-conductive, so you can use it around electrical equipment and wiring. The netting comes in stock sizes, custom cuts up to 200 ft., and three different mesh sizes: 2", 1 1/8" and 3/4"—the smaller being ideal for house sparrows. Like No Knot Netting, it's backed by a 10-Year Guarantee and comes in black, stone or white to blend in with its background. To learn more about general application, review the overall usefulness of bird netting.

Bird Control is Humane with Bird-Scape

If you use bird control netting, birds can become trapped in the mesh. Bird-B-Gone's Bird-Scape solves this problem, preventing birds like sparrows from being permanently trapped behind netting. Sold as a netting accessory and installed into the bird netting using hog rings, Bird-Scape allows trapped birds to fly safely out of a funnel.

For additional advice on how to protect your restaurant from pest birds like house sparrows, consult an expert like the folks at Bird-B-Gone.