Top 3 Most Destructive Birds to Your Property

All property owners and managers have had their fair share of bird pests. Airports, commercial, retail, industrial, and municipal venues spend millions annually repairing and disinfecting buildings, structures, and properties. There are certain birds that cause the lion’s share of problems. Here are the top 3.

Pigeons: Property Enemy Number 1

These grayish-blue birds, often called “rats with wings,” are without question the number 1 bird nuisance in urban areas. Failure to deter or repel these prolific birds with effective bird controls will result in extensive damage and contamination.

Damage from Pigeon Droppings

Pigeon droppings are composed of an acid that is highly corrosive and can eat away plastic, wood, metals, vinyl, and even stone. The acid in pigeon droppings will also eat into many tar-based roofing substrates and eventually perforate a roof, leaving it vulnerable to leaks. Bird droppings can also block exterior security cameras and "freeze up" their motion sensors.

The Nuisance of Nesting

Pigeons often nest in areas you don’t want, causing quite a handful of problems. You’ll typically find pigeons nesting along the roofs and in the rain gutters of businesses and apartment complexes. The nesting materials pigeons use can quickly clog rain gutters, drains, and roof corners. As a result, many industrial buildings with flat roofs can suffer water buildup and can even collapse during rains due to clogged gutters and spouts.

Nests can also be found under clay roofing tiles, which can cause leaks when the tiles are displaced. When pigeons choose chimneys and ventilation systems to build their nests, the toxic materials can create potentially lethal air blockages.

Damage to HVAC Systems

Pigeon nesting materials and acidic droppings are often the culprits of severe damage or blocks to HVAC and other systems:

• AC systems
• Vents
• Compressors
• Rotating air circulation vents
• Skylights
• Solar panels

A Fire Hazard

Pigeon nests make ideal kindling for fires and will ignite at the slightest spark, which is why nests inside of electric signs or other machinery pose an extreme fire hazard. Pigeons also love to invade warehouses, loading docks, and storage areas, where they chew their way into packaged food products and contaminate them—at a costly expense.

Woodpeckers: Turning Wood into “Swiss Cheese”

With their sharp beaks and persistent pecking, woodpeckers can severely damage most wood surfaces. They particularly love cedar, redwood siding, plywood, pine, fir, and cypress.

Woodpeckers commonly drill into many of the following areas:

• Eaves
• Window frames and trim boards
• Metal gutters
• Downspouts
• Chimney caps
• TV antennas
• Rooftop plumbing vents
• Metal roof valleys

Their goal is to feed on insects and attract mates. This leaves no surface safe. Without effective bird deterrents, woodpeckers, as territorial birds, will continue to drum and drill creating more and more damage.

Geese: Laying Waste on a Grand Scale

Geese pose a nuisance, especially to a property that is close to lakes, ponds, or other open bodies of water. Without proper bird controls, geese can create all sorts of costly problems.

Lawns Destroyed

Geese are particularly drawn to long stretches of lawn. Here, they can digest grass, and the manicured lawns found on golf courses, airports, parks, and corporate greenbelts are prime targets. These areas not only provide food, but give these birds an unobstructed view of approaching predators. With so many golf courses and parks to feed on, geese often remain year-round instead of migrating.

The Dangers of Droppings

Geese are also drawn to boats and marinas, where the waste they lay is both unsightly and destructive. Their droppings can contain deadly E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Cryptosporidium germs. On average, geese produce about 1/2 pound of droppings daily, so it doesn’t take long for a few geese to contaminate a pond, water feature, or pool.

Bird B Gone is the world’s largest manufacturer and distributor of bird repellents and bird deterrents, providing effective and humane solutions to a bird-free environment. We provide advice, training, and installation services for those who need help with these and other bird control measures.

If one of these 3 birds is wreaking havoc in/on your retail store, office complex, golf course, or high-rise apartment building, give us a call. Bird B Gone can offer solutions and help provide you with the appropriate preventive measures.