by Alex A. Kecskes
Larger pest birds like pigeons, crows or gulls love to gather in the many nooks and crannies of a structure or building. They’ll land on signs, rooftops and windowsills to roost and nest, creating quite a mess. A single pigeon, for example, can excrete up to 25 pounds of droppings every year. Federal, state and local wildlife protection ordinances forbid the use of lethal or harmful bird control measures against many types of birds. So what can you do?
Increasingly, many facilities and property managers have installed one of the most popular and effective bird control measures on the market—the Bird Spike. These humane bird proofing devices are widely used throughout the world. And they’re now available in a variety of types, sizes and colors.
For example, there’s the Stainless Steel bird spike. It’s ideal for use in Light to Heavy Bird Pressure environments—in both enclosed or exposed areas. Bird pressure is basically defined as how determined a bird is to remain in the area. Heavy pressure areas will have lots of birds nesting or roosting at the site with a food or water source nearby. Medium Pressure is often a food or afternoon resting site, but not used for nesting or roosting. Light Pressure sites offer no food or shelter and birds stop only briefly during the day.
Bird spikes should be installed on ledges, I-beams, parapet walls, conduits and signs--on flat or curved surfaces. Stainless steel spikes come in rows of spiked strips in 3-, 5- and 8-inch widths and two-foot sections. The 3-inch spikes will provide 2 to 4 inches of coverage on a 5-inch wide ledge; the 5-inch spikes will cover 5 to 7-inches on a 7-inch wide ledge; and the 8-inch spikes will cover 8 to 10 inches on a 10-inch wide ledge. One manufacturer offers a stainless steel spike with a patented “bend-and-crush” design for permanent installations. It features up to 40 spikes per foot in a linear array. The unique “no-nest” design features no-gap spacing to deter birds from roosting or landing.
To properly install stainless steel bird spikes, the surface should be clean and dry. The width of the spikes should protect the surface leaving no more than a 1-inch gap on either side. To attach the spike, use glue, screws or tie it down to the surface. For pipes and conduits, use a 1-inch spike to cover 1 to 2 inches. To install them, use common hose clamps, nylon ties or wire lashings.
Bird spikes also come in rigid U.V.-resistant unbreakable polycarbonate and are ideal for deterring pigeons, seagulls or larger birds in Light to Heavy Bird Pressure areas. Plastic bird spikes can be used around cell phone antennas and other radio frequency aerials without concerns over RF interference. These spikes come in rows of spiked strips in 3-, 5- and 7-inch widths and two-foot sections. The 3-inch spikes will provide 1 to 5 inches of coverage on a 5-inch wide ledge; the 5-inch spikes will cover 5 to 7-inches on a 7-inch wide ledge; and the 7-inch spikes will cover 6 to 9 inches on a 9-inch wide ledge.
Another advantage of plastic bird spikes is that they come in 7 colors to match their surroundings. Like stainless steel spikes, poly spikes can be glued, screwed or tied down to most any surface. For gluing, apply construction-grade adhesives (available at most hardware stores) in the glue trough. Use the offset pre-drilled holes for screws or glue. And take advantage of the breakaway notches if you need smaller pieces.
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