Whether it be seagulls at the beach, pigeons in the city or starlings at 4am in the morning, while many of us agree that birds are beautiful creatures, it’s difficult to deny that, at times, they can be a right nuisance.
If you’re currently struggling with a bird-related issue, it can be incredibly tempting to take action against them – but don’t. Most birds are protected under what’s known as the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, meaning you can’t touch them unless they’re a specific type of ‘pest’.
There are, however, a number of non-violent ways to control birds and prevent them from being such a nuisance. We have detailed these for you below.
Prevention
To avoid having a pest bird problem in the first place, prevention should be your first port of call. Here are a few key things we recommend doing in your home and garden:
- Cover your bins.
- Eliminate areas of standing water.
- Never feed pest birds.
- Add spikes to ledges where pest birds roost.
- Clean your gutters regularly.
Exclusion
If these preventative measures fail to address the problem, and pest birds are breaking through into your home to nest, it’s time to take things up a notch. Here’s what you should do:
- Go around your home and seal any openings you can find. Sparrows and starlings can enter through gaps as small as one inch so, to prevent access, you will need to block all gaps.
- Use netting, wire mesh or plywood to block any vents, eaves or loft openings in your home. Birds love nesting in rafters, so don’t give them the luxury of access.
- Hang plastic strips from doors. This will limit access to birds without closing the entryway to people.
Products
We’ve already touched on a few products you can use to eradicate pest birds, but there are several others you can use as well. Here are a few of our favourites:
- Using spikes is a humane way of letting birds know which areas are off limits. However, they can be difficult to fit, so make sure you contact a professional (like us!) for assistance.
- Nylon and plastic netting closes particular areas off to birds, limiting the likelihood of them nesting there.
- Non-toxic repellents discourage pest birds from landing and roosting at your property. They will, however, require maintenance to ensure they remain effective.
For more help and advice on eradicating your pest bird issue, contact our team today. We provide bird prevention systems to clients throughout the South East of England, and fit humane bird spikes to properties using our range of cherry pickers.