Birds can be more than just a nuisance.
And constantly dodging pigeons
and their droppings is like trying
to balance an egg on top of
your head.
Not only do unsightly
stains and droppings make
for an unpleasant environment,
they pose a slip-and fall
hazard. For example, the
New York Transit Authority
was ordered to pay a former
doorman from the Bronx
$7.67 million in damages resulting
from a slip on pigeon
droppings on subway stairs.
To avoid the liability factor,
it’s vital for building &
facility managers and property
owners to identify the
problem, find a long term
permanent solution and nip it
in the bud.
Don’t Add to the Problem
Pest bird populations have
developed because we have
supplied an abundance of food and good places to live. Bird lovers
feed them popcorn, stale moldy loaves
of bread and other scraps. They might
not understand or care that uncontrolled
bird populations cause huge problems,
high maintenance bills and serious damages.
Increasing the number of street
trash cans, cleaning up around garbage
bins, dock areas and picking up from
outdoor eating areas are key to keeping
litter and pigeons away.
This helps eliminate their food
sources and creates an environment that
excludes them from affected areas. If the
so called “flying rats” are not fed, they
will congregate elsewhere where they
can find ample food supply. OSHA or
other governmental agencies can cite,
fine, or shut down companies for bird
mess problems. And who wants that?
Do It Yourself
Why clean? Bird droppings are no
laughing matter to city managers, and
cleaning costs can add up to a financial
disaster. Their droppings cause hundreds
of millions of dollars in damage to property. Their droppings are acidic, which
eats through surfaces and devaluates
property. It can carry over sixty diseases,
including histoplasmosis, encephalitis and
salmonella, some of which can be lethal.
Once droppings dry, they become airborne.
Removing it immediately off the
surface/structure is the ideal thing to do
to prevent deterioration and other damages.
Proper disinfecting is extremely
important, too. Protective clothing and
use of a respirator is recommended.
It boils down to an educational effort.
Doing nothing to treat the area will attract
new birds. It is important to keep
buildings and other areas free of pest
birds and their debris. Research the
problem. Identify the birds. See where
they come from, what’s attracting them,
and where they feed.
After gathering this information, prepare
for cleaning. Remove the infestation,
which carries unpleasant fleas,
ticks and mites and discard all evidence
that will make the facility/site undesirable
and unappealing to stubborn birds.
Take action! Nesting areas can be prop blocked
off with physical barriers, bird
spikes, holographic tape, netting or
sticky gels, causing no harm to the birds.
Visual deterrents, sonic and ultrasonic
devices and taste aversions are great humane
alternatives and are recommended
to be used in conjunction with physical
barriers for more effective results.
Birds are smart, so be selective in
your choices, as there are many different
solutions. Make sure you implement
an effective long term “green”
bird control system that will save time
and money spent on clean up of bird
droppings and damages.
A winning plan in this effort can
make quite a difference in economics,
a cleaner environment and safety.
Deny the birds access and you will be a
success!
