2009 Bird Guide
1 Mar, 2009 By: Gerry Wegner Ph.D. Pest Management ProfessionalChallenges of Commercial Bird Control
With the recent safety issues in the food industry, a question may arise regarding the affect of bird activity with regard to recalls and investigations related to the use of good manufacturing practices. Retailers are not exempt from the bird problems either. Many of us have been in a big box stores and witnessed birds flying around inside. To some, birds are not a bother, but to others birds are a significant concern.
Location makes a difference with regard to consumer reaction. In a home improvement store, the birds are usually viewed as a nuisance. Their feces potentially cover the exterior of the product, and this can be a deterrent for the customer. However, a bird landing on the meat in the meat case will cause a different reaction.
Here are some techniques that I have used to help retailers to get rid of those pesky birds.
Shooting
Removing birds with a gun has many challenges and can be rewarding. I use a Gamo .177 single pump rifle with a scope.
Before using a rifle, though, be sure to investigate the local laws. I learned this one the hard way. I was going to shoot some pigeons off a structure in a nearby town. I stopped at the police station to give them a courtesy notice of my presence and activity in an effort to prevent any problems with the local community.
The police asked me to delay my activity while they checked with the city attorney. Apparently, this particular city has a law that prevented the discharge of weapons within the city limits, therefore negating my ability to use this method of bird removal. An air rifle is a weapon, but not a firearm. I had to inform the customer that other methods would need to be performed.
The air rifle appears to do minimal damage to structure and is much quieter than other firearms. This is an excellent method to use if you have one or two birds in a structure.
You need to make sure you have sighted the gun before going to the jobsite. This is important so make sure you get the most out of every shot. The smaller birds bleed little and once they've been shot, they'll glide to the ground instead of dropping in a straight descent. This means you may need to do some searching to locate the bird to remove it.
We try to meet with the night crews to inform them that we will be walking around with a rifle. As I walk thru the store, it's broken down so it's less threatening.
Netting
Netting is an efficient and effective way to catch multiple birds in a structure. Birds have distinct and established flight patterns you can use to your advantage. You must spend time observing those flight patterns so you know exactly were to put your nets. You may wish to interview employees to get a target area. Then, you will need to do some further investigation on your own to ensure good net placement.
I use the saying, "Come big or don't come at all." I have seen 40-foot nets hung and not catch anything. I usually install 160 feet of net on a job site. I want to make sure the birds are not able to circumvent the nets. I want a large span because after you capture the first bird, the others will adjust their own flight patterns.
Here are keys to successful netting: First, hang the net correctly. Nets are intended to be hung with pockets in them. Second, the nets are to be hung tight. If the net sags in the middle, the bird will fly right over the top. Third, the net is wider than the heavy string. The net is intended to slide on the heavy string and have the slack to wrap around the bird. Lastly, hang the net as close to the top of the structure as possible. Birds will dart up when they come close to an object.
Birds are not harmed when captured in a net. The more they move around the more they get tangled up in the net. When entangled, birds will appear lifeless, so I try to remove as quickly as possible. Remove the legs first and then the wing and then the head.
Fogging
Fogging, with products such as Methyl Antrilate, is used to disturb the birds. The product gets under their feathers and as they preen, they become nauseous. The product is best applied with a thermal fogger. This form of application heats the molecule so the product will rise in air, reaching to where the birds are roosting. The birds become agitated, leave the roost, and will not fly through the fog.
You can also use the fog to drive the birds out of an area. This is a good application in large and dark warehouses where it's difficult to establish the birds' flight patterns. When using this application, you'll want to limit the number of employees in the area or even clear the area for a period of time, if possible.
The downside to this application is the machine is loud and can cause an echo effect inside structures. This can be disruptive to the employees. To the average observers, this application can resemble what cities use to manage the mosquito populations. Sometimes, employees may be nervous about the disbursement of a poisonous material. You'll need to educate your consumer about the product you're using so they can address any employee concerns, thus preventing further problems. Even if you're able to get the employees out of the service area, the odor from the fog lingers for a while. It will smell like burnt grapes.
Glue Boards
I came across a situation once at a furniture distribution center that required removing three sparrows and two starlings. In the middle of the warehouse was a break room with an open ceiling — vending machines and a pop corn machine were also in this break area.
I placed 25 large glue boards, baited with popcorn, throughout the break room. All three sparrows were caught within the hour (I shot the two starlings.)
To get the best results with glue boards, pre-baiting is essential. Spending time establishing a food source will increase the chances for catches and eliminating the problem. The best applications are above drop ceilings where the food source is concealed and then the trapped bird is hidden.
Challenges and Obstacles
One of the biggest obstacles we face are not pesky birds, but meeting the need of the customer. Typically, the bird is just a nuisance.
I see a large increase in calls for bird removal the few weeks preceding a major holiday. Popular big box stores are either 24-hour operations, or they close and have a crew in to restock and clean. Stores that have 24-hour operations have been willing to close for a few hours in order for us to shoot the birds. Their expectation is that we can close the store at 2 a.m. for 30 minutes and that will take care of the problem.
This is a misunderstanding of bird behavior. Most of the time, birds are not flying around at 2 a.m.
Taking time to explain some basics about bird activity/patterns to help educate the customer will help them realize their request may be unreasonable.
Discuss up front that the bird might be harmed. Even though employees and customers may be complaining about the presence of the birds, they don't wish the bird to be destroyed, just relocated. Efforts to use humane methods of removal may be employed, but harm can still occur.
You can reach Ramsey, general manager for Varment Guard in Columbus, Ohio, at dave.ramsey@proguardcommercial.com.
Lasers are the Future
One of the best advances in bird control in the last 10 years, without a doubt, is laser harassment. Lasers have been proven to be effective in urban, suburban and rural settings for individual bird and flock displacement.
One benefit for implementing lasers in a bird harassment program is the absence of physical objects such as effigies, streamers or balloons that normally draw attention to the management efforts. Since no birds are harmed in the harassment process, it can be presented as a safe and humane approach.
Understanding why lasers are so effective is much harder than using them. Birds, as a whole, are visual creators and the majority being able to see in color. Unlike humans, who only see in three color phases, birds see in five color phases. Laser harassment allows a bird management professional to exploit an advantage birds have over humans into a disadvantage.
When choosing a laser to perform bird harassment work, there are several primary factors that should be considered. One of these factors is to consider what time of day the laser will be used. By far, the most effective timeframe to use lasers is after dark. If the laser is going to be used in semi-dark areas, a more powerful unit may be needed.
Another factor to consider when shopping for a laser is the standard distance the laser will be used from — the father from the source the laser beam travels to get to the birds, the larger and less intense the beam becomes. The less intense the beam, of course, the less of a threat the birds perceive it to be.
Just like other tools in the professional's toolbox, it may be necessary to have several different models for different occasions. Learning how to use this tool is more about reading the birds reactions than relying on specific instructions.
Lasers are one of the few tools that are effective on birds that range from English house sparrows to turkey vultures. They're inexpensive, quiet, humane, discrete and proven effective by the National Wildlife Research Center.
Lasers are becoming a necessary tool for any bird management professional.
You can reach Arnold, president-elect of the National Wildlife Control Operators Assocaition, at eric@batsbirdsandmore.com.
Pest Spotlight: Gulls
Larus species (Order Charadriiformes: Family Laridae)
About 21 gull species are associated with North America, depending on the time of year, but the two species most often reported as pests are the herring gull, Larus argentatus, and ring-billed gull, L. delawarensis. Adults of these two species share the following attributes: The plumage of the head, breast and underside is white. The back is light gray and the wings are mostly gray, tipped with black primary feathers, some of which are spotted with white. The tail feathers are black and gray.
The herring gull has a predominately yellow beak with a red spot just below the tip, while the ring-billed gull has the beak yellow close to the face but prominently ringed with black at the tip. Juvenile gulls (see photograph) have the body and upper wings speckled with brownish gray. Adult herring gulls range 22 to 26 inches in length and 28 to 44 ounces in weight. The somewhat smaller ring-billed gull ranges 17 to 21 inches and 11 to 25 ounces.
Aggregations of herring and ring-billed gulls frequent fields, airports, dumps, landfills, parking lots of shopping centers and restaurants, roofs of large buildings near food and water sources where they cause fecal contamination. Gulls at airports pose a hazard to aircraft during take-off and landing. Pest management professionals (PMPs) are restricted in their choice of methods for use in controlling these birds because gulls are federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, MBTA (16 USC.703-711).
Biology
Commonly, gulls occupy widely-separated geographical areas at different times of the year. The northern range is frequented during the summer, when breeding occurs. The southern range is where winter months are spent and the middle portion of their range is frequented during migration.
Nevertheless, populations of gulls that find their needs met in mid- to southern-range urban settings may occupy those areas year-round. Both herring and ring-billed gulls have one brood of young per year. Clutch size averages three eggs per female. Gulls have a varied diet that includes fish, mollusks, crustaceans, insects, rodents and discarded food.
IPM Measures
Habitat Modification — Reduce the availability of food and resting space.
Mechanical and Electronic Control / Harassment — Temporary relief from gull activity can sometimes be accomplished by securing scare-eye balloons, which discourage aggregation and nesting.
Physical Control/Exclusion — Some gull aggregation problems can be solved by completely enclosing gull landing sites and portions of structures with bird netting, wire mesh or grid systems. Bird spike sections or barrier wire can be installed on strategic building surfaces.
Chemical Control/Repellents — Sprayable liquid repellents may prove useful for gull control in some situations, where the product label and local laws allow.
You can reach Wegner, technical director and staff entomologist of Varment Guard, at gerry.wegner@varmentguard.com.
BirdXPeller PRO, Terror Eyes Help Rid Birds from Airplane Hangar
Contemplate the beauty of nature for a moment. It often enhances our everyday lives — whether it's manifested by the numerous species of small, cute mammals that scurry around close to our homes, the colorful gardens in our parks, or the grandeur of a summer sunset. Bird watchers will tell you how beautiful their favorite creatures are, too, yet that beauty can be marred when birds become a nuisance or even a threat to life, health and property.
The threat that birds can pose to life was vividly demonstrated recently by the safe emergency landing of the U.S. Airways passenger jet in New York City's Hudson River. Birds were implicated in that mishap. And the threat was further emphasized in a newspaper article that cited the fact that over the past two years commercial airline crews reported more than two dozen emergency landings, aborted takeoffs or other scary incidents due to collisions with birds.
Turning to Bird-X
In Borden, Canada, not far from Toronto, the Canadian Forces School of Aerospace and Engineering experienced another sort of bird problem. Though not as dramatic, it was nevertheless significant. The Canadian military unit turned to Bird-X, Inc., the long-time Chicago manufacturer of bird repellent technology, to solve that problem.
"We're a Canadian Air Force school for aircraft technicians, and we train new servicemen and women who have completed their basic training and are beginning their military careers as airplane mechanics," explains Master Warrant Officer Ted Poper. "We have approximately 240 students going through the Aviation Technician course of study at any given time. We train about 800 aircraft technicians of various trades each year. The trainees here work on about 20 airplanes housed inside a massive airplane hangar, which encompasses about 40,000 sq. ft.
"Some months ago, a multitude of pigeons, purple martins, sparrows and other small birds found something about our hangar that was very much to their liking and began nesting there," Poper adds. "You can probably guess the rest."
According to Poper, the staff and trainees would come to work on a Monday morning after a weekend away from the hangar and unhappily find bird excrement all over the place, including the tops of the planes. Their complaints were immediate, loud and clear: The excrement posed not only a corrosion hazard to the aircraft and the hangar, but the health risks were there for humans, as well.
They school first hired a cleaning contracting company to come in and do away with the nests and clean up the excrement. "The contractor couldn't believe all the straw that they found," says Poper. "They cleaned all the rafters and the hangar doors.
"We then purchased and installed a BirdXpeller PRO, a tried and true Bird-X, Inc., sonic repeller. That's a digital, programmable bird repeller that uses birds' own natural distress calls and the squawks of predator birds to create a 'danger zone' that scares and keeps birds away.
The cleaning contractor undertook the necessary effort of installing bird netting to keep the rafters out of reach of the nesters: "It took them three weeks to stretch the netting across the hangar ceiling," Poper says.
The BirdXPeller PRO was created about 15 years ago by Bird-X as a single species repellent, according to David Kogan, the company's marketing director. "But over the years we've upgraded it by adding seven more different bird repellant noises — the cries and calls of pigeons, starlings and other pest birds and bird predators. And we've added electronic noises as well."
Kogan explains that Bird-X research and development studies found that birds react more to bird distress cries and predator noises than from the blasts of shotguns.
"The whole idea was to create a behavior modifcation tool that doesn't harm birds, but rather scares them away," he says. "Our company's philosophy is to take a humane approach to pest bird abatement rather than to kill them. You can cull a few from the flock, but that doesn't work. The survivors keep coming back unless they're scared away. The idea is to make them leave of their own volition. If they do that, in their own way they teach other birds, by example, to stay away from the area."
Poper had used another Bird-X product with success when he was posted in Victoria, BC: the ultrasonic Quadblaster QB-4. He used it to get rid of the birds that had developed a special affinity for a hangar at a Maritime Helicopter Squadron.
This time, after consulting with Bird-X representatives and describing the situation at the training school, Poper decided to purchase and install a second BirdXpeller PRO, along with eight Bird-X Terror Eyes.
The BirdXPeller PRO comes in a green, rectangular sealed box with a Plexiglas-hinged door in front. Inside is a switch offering a choice of low, medium and high frequencies. It comes in three different versions, according to Kogan. Version 1 emits noises that repel pigeons, starlings, sparrows and gulls. Version 2 repels crows, blackbirds, grackles, ravens and cormorants. Version WP repels woodpeckers.
Users can customize the BirdXpeller by selecting the frequency, volume, direction, and hours of operation. Its variable settings enables the product to be adaptable to many bird control situations.
The Terror Eyes, Kogan explains, are shaped like big, orange beach balls prominently decorated with the image of a giant horned owl, a predator of smaller birds.
"The image's eyes are holographic, so it always seems like the "owl" is glaring at the birds from different angles. Because they are suspended in the air, winds blow and spin them around, which freaks out the pest birds," says Poper.
"Now, about six months after we first confronted the bird problem by putting the netting, BirdXpeller PROs, and Terror Eyes in action, we can report great success," he says.
Poper advises users of the BirdXpeller PRO to change the sound frequencies often. "Otherwise the birds might get used to the noise. We change the frequency daily — from high during the day to low at night. The low frequency noises are heard by both birds and humans, and are especially disturbing to both. The high frequencies are only heard by the birds."
800-860-0473 / www.bird-x.com
Avitrol Pest Bird Management
Since 1971, Avitrol Pest Bird Management's proprietary formula has been unmatched in the control of unwanted pest birds. Its restricted-use pesticide products are available to pest management professionals to assist them in their efforts to protect airports, hospitals, schools, prisons, commercial feedlots, and numerous other locations from unwanted birds and the accompanying bird-borne illnesses.
Avitrol offers a variety of grain baits to effectively control certain pest bird species, including pigeons, sparrows, starlings, crows, cowbirds, grackles and certain blackbirds.
Avitrol provides personalized service to answer all of your technical questions: "Our goal is to do our best in serving you, the pest control industry."
800-633-5069 / www.avitrol.com
Bird-B-Gone Inc.
Responsible pest control calls for Action. The motto of Evansville, Ind.-based Action Pest Control is being lived up to daily, and in a very visible way, just across the state line in Grand Rapids, Mich. A new 4,800-vehicle, four-level parking structure, site work and a glass-encased "Grand Canopy" entry area are currently under construction at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport. The approximately $115-million project began in September 2007 and it is expected to be completed in October 2009.
The netting is attached to a cable system that is installed along the main trusses of the canopy. Action rented four 85-ft. man-lifts, plus a 135-ft. man-lift for the peaks.
The Grand Canopy is a glass structure attached to the parking garage covering the roadway and two skywalks to the Gerald R. Ford International Airport terminal. Whether you are walking or driving, you will be protected from the elements.
Of course, with all these upgrades come the potential for a lot of interested birds, looking for new places to loaf and roost. That's where Action Pest Control comes in.
"Back in 2007 we were working with a contractor who was bidding on the job, and he really liked our bird work," recalls Perry Lutz, Action's Preventive Pest Management (PPM) consultant. "We put in a bid, and by January 2008 we learned we got the job."
The airport was placing particular focus on bird prevention because a similar canopy structure at the Portland (Ore.) International Airport experienced an influx of literally thousands of pigeons. When Action got the bid, the team knew they had to hang approximately 180,000 sq. ft. of netting on the canopy's underside to offer protection against pest birds.
The team turned to Bird-B-Gone, the largest manufacturer of bird deterrent products in North America. "Bird-B-Gone wanted to do business with Action, and they proved it — they were informative about their products from the start and have since been supportive every step of the way," Lutz says. "They are great to work with."
Action Pest Control is installing netting to protect a new addition to the Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, Mich.
The bird netting system is being installed under the infrastructure of the Grand Canopy. Under the glass top is a network of beams that support the glass top; Lutz points out that these beams make perfect landing, roosting and nesting areas for pigeons and other pest birds.
The netting installation began in October 2008, and lasted until about December, when the glass installation crew could no longer work in the elements. With the glass work stopped, the netting work had to, also. Lutz says the team is ready to finish the job — which he estimates as being about 70 percent complete — in May.
A seven-man crew led by Action Service Manager Jeremy Jackson is comprised of four Action Pest Control Special Services technicians and three temporary workers is being used to install the netting in 12 different bays. Lutz, who is a former Special Services installer himself, stays in Indiana to lead a new crew to tackle the local bird jobs.
"Bird control is a growing service for us," he reports, noting that the combined bird and fumigation segment accounted for nearly 10 percent of Action's revenue last year.
Bird netting was specified for this job because it is an all-inclusive product. Installing it under girders of the canopy makes it impossible for birds to land on the infrastructure. It is also virtually invisible once installed, which ensures that the visual aesthetics of the canopy's architecture is not disturbed. Bird-B-Gone's netting also has a long guarantee — it should last up to, if not longer than, 10 years.
In addition to finishing the bird netting project in the spring, Action Pest Control will install Bird-B-Gone's Stainless Steel Bird Spikes along the airport's Welcome Wall to keep pigeons from landing and roosting there. The spikes, which are also available in polycarbonate plastic, are a long-lasting, low-visibility, economical bird control deterrent.
Lutz is pleased with both the products and the people from Bird-B-Gone, pointing to Sales & Training Specialist Mike Dougherty in particular who, despite the West Coast time difference, was always at the ready with answers to any questions the team might have.
"We used to work with a different manufacturer, but the big swing factor for us to switch to Bird-B-Gone was their support," Lutz concludes.
800-392-6915 / www.bird-b-gone.com
Technical Expertise + Superior Products = Success
The concentration of skyscrapers in this downtown district creates a wind tunnel favored by soaring birds during their migration south for the winter. The unique pyramid structure atop this high-rise offered an abundance of surfaces where hundreds of turkey vultures had taken up residence.
With its ability to harness solar power, low-profile Flex-Track complements Steritech's commitment to environmentally friendly solutions.
Todd Yoder, general manager of The Steritech Group, Inc.'s Tampa, Fla., branch, had noticed the birds while on his route last winter. He introduced himself to the building management and offered Steritech's services.
The building manager agreed that it was hard to miss the gathering of large birds on the building. Their presence was not only unsightly; it was becoming a maintenance problem. Feathers accumulated in the air intake system and clogged drains on the roof. He estimated that they were spending between $5,000 and $8,000 each year to clean the droppings and debris left by the birds. A televised event that would feature the downtown skyline prompted him to address the problem — and he invited Yoder to make a proposal.
During Bird Barrier's one-day training course, Yoder was introduced to some proposal techniques that he employed when bidding this job. He photographed the building and overlaid diagrams to illustrate where he would install bird control products. Several other companies submitted proposals as well, but Steritech won the job. The building manager explained that the diagrams Yoder included set him apart from the other professionals.
The pyramid structure at the top of the skyscraper posed a particular bird control challenge.
Several methods of bird control had been proposed in the past. Management decided that a wire shock system would be too costly to maintain. While water cannons would disperse the birds, the use of unpurified water causes cloudy windows.
Yoder determined that the patented Bird-Shock Flex-Track was the best solution. Because it is low profile and cannot be seen from below, Flex-Track was ideal for this iconic building. Because solar chargers can be used to power the system, it complements Steritech's EcoSensitive System and puts limited stress on the environment.
As the installation progressed, Yoder observed the changing behavior of the birds. After landing on the track, birds moved to the yet-unprotected ledges, while some would approach the track again only to change direction mid-flight and depart altogether.
Installing the track on corner caps was not an easy task, but is key to providing complete protection.
With the money saved on maintenance, the client determined that the Flex-Track system would pay for itself. In fact, they are so pleased with the outcome that they allow Yoder to bring prospective customers on-site to demonstrate the system.
800-NO-BIRDS / www.birdbarrier.com
Bird Doctor
As it has grown and evolved over the past 15 years, Bird Doctor now provides bird control subcontracting services to more than 10 pest management companies around the United States. Owner and Founder Stuart Aust invites PMPs to call him directly at 800-825-1151, Ext. 14, or e-mail stuart@bugdoctorinc.com to partner on any bird remediation jobs. Bird Doctor also performs consulting and designs bid specifications and requests for proposals.
"I always look at bird control assignments with an attitude of, 'If there's a will, there's a way,'" he says. "I feel that no job is impossible to do; you just need to figure out how to do it. For example, Bird Doctor technicians will rappel off a building, have scaffolding erected, or utilize the largest lifts to get a job done. A colleague once said about me, 'He is a make-it-happen kind of person. Stuart gets the job done.'"
With that positive "can-do" attitude, relationships with clients and pest management companies around the United States, and a superior Bird Doctor service team, there is no telling what projects Bird Doctor will be working on in the future.
800-825-1151 / www.bugdoctorinc.com
Reed-Joseph International Co.
With more than 55 years of excellence in bird and wildlife control, Reed-Joseph International Co. offers a wide variety of bird and wildlife control products, including pyrotechnics, propane cannons (pictured), electronic distress-cry generators, lasers and even a battery-operated scarecrow. Its trained staff continually tests new products to ensure customers have access to the latest technology — and because they know how time-critical these control products are, they offer same-day shipping.
Click here to view full-size graphic
800-647-5554 / www.reedjoseph.com
Rejex-It
Fog Force makes bird control simple. Customers now have many new and innovative application systems with which to apply Fog Force to bird-infested areas. These new systems release invisible droplets of Fog Force into the air, which cause birds to leave the area without drawing attention to the public.
Click here to view full-size graphic
These systems are designed for large outdoor as well as small indoor areas. Some of the large outdoor systems are BirdBuffer from GBS, Inc.; AviHaze by Feather Free, LLC; Bird-B-Gone Mist by Bird-B-Gone, Inc.; Hoot Hazer by Bird Solutions, LLC; and Bird Hazer by BirdTech.
For smaller problem areas, Rejex-it offers the new Fog Force AR, a handheld aim-and-shoot aerosol; Fog Force TR, a time-release system for use in fragrance dispensers; InvisiFogger; Fragrance Fogger; and Micro Fragrance Fogger.
"The key to any bird control problem is getting Fog Force to the birds when they are causing the problem," says Rejex-It President Devlin Reynolds. "These new systems allow the user to customize solutions to their exact situation, whether it's pigeons in warehouses, vultures in industrial areas or Canada geese striking airplanes. By combining the new larger area systems with our small area systems, you can customize the solution to fit the problem. No matter what your bird problem, Fog Force now is a solution."
Fog Force is registered as a GRAS (Generally Regarded as Safe) product by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and creates severe but temporary pain to all bird species. Fog Force is one of a family of bird repellents from Rejex-it.
866-53-BIRDS / www.rejexit.com
Repel Flying Birds with Nixalite's New Bird Barricade
Nixalite is happy to announce the release of its new Bird Barricade Fogging System. The Bird Barricade is a small, compact, self-contained fogger that has been designed to use Fog Force bird repellent. The Barricade is an affordable, easy-to-use automatic fogging system that effectively deters flying birds from open spaces. This new machine can be used indoors and out to protect property and equipment from pest birds.
The portable Bird Barricade does not require the use of any external compressors, controllers or air lines. There is an easy-to-use, built-in timer that allows the system to be cycled automatically — and it is very simple to attach 1-, 2.5- or even 55-gal. drums for extended operation. The Bird Barricade flow control adjustment allows the operator to adjust the output, from a dense fog to an ultra-light, almost invisible haze.
Nixalite offers an extensive line of bird and wildlife control products including fogging equipment from Bird Buffer, IGEBA and Curtis Dyna-Fog.
800-624-1189 / www.nixalite.com
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