by Alex A. Kecskes
If your home is being invaded by pest birds, you need to take action now to prevent your home from being seriously damaged. But wait, they’re just little birds, you say?
Did you know that pest birds cost homeowners millions of dollars every year? That the high concentration of uric acid found in some bird droppings can crumble stonework, discolor paint, stain wood, and turn decorative metal into Swiss cheese? If you take great pride in your home, fencing, patios, metal or cloth awnings and patio furniture, pest birds can leave you crestfallen. Not to worry, high quality bird spikes can keep these pests away from your property.
Consider, too, the health risk of bird droppings. They contain disease carrying bacteria, fungi and parasites. Your pool, spa or BBQ grill can be easily contaminated by birds “dropping their loads.” One homeowner woke up one morning to discover that pest birds had “bombed” his new car 100 times with bird poop. Needless to say, it was quite a chore to clean his car that day.
Pest birds come in all types and sizes. The most common are pigeons, crows, and gulls. They won’t hesitate to make your house their home. Starlings and grackles can invade structures by the thousands, leaving a huge mess. Imagine your AC unit, pool pump, BBQ, dish antenna or solar panels literally covered with bird droppings. Besides leaving you with a huge clean-up job, you could be faced with expensive repairs.
You can discourage pest birds from invading your property without resorting to BB guns, poisons or banging pots and pans at them (a temporary but entirely useless deterrent).
Bird control companies have spent years working with ornithologists to develop humane and highly effective bird deterrents. Chief among these is the aforementioned bird spike. It has saved many a home from damage and defacement.
The best bird spikes are made of flexible, marine-grade stainless steel and feature a U.V.-protected polycarbonate base. If you’re concerned about the appearance of bird spikes on your home, patio or garage, they come in a non-reflective metal finish. You can also get slightly less expensive plastic bird spikes, which come in a variety of colors--like white, tan, gray, black, brown, brick red and crystal clear. These strong, eco-friendly spikes are made of durable polycarbonate to last many years.
Steel bird spikes come in 3-, 5- and 8-inch widths to cover areas up to 8 inches wide. Plastic bird spikes come in 3-, 5- and 7-inch widths to protect areas up to 7 inches wide. For pigeons, a 3-inch wide spike makes an effective pest bird deterrent. For larger birds—like cormorants, turkey vultures or raptors—you’ll need a bird spike called the Mega Spike, which boasts 7-inch long spikes. To keep pest birds out of your rain gutters, you’ll need some Gutter Spikes. These spikes have adjustable clamps at the base, which attach easily to the lip of your gutter.
The best bird spikes are blunted at the tips to prevent injury to birds or pets. These spikes have been approved by humane groups worldwide, including the U.S. Humane Society and PICAS (Pigeon Control Advisory Service).
Installing bird spikes is fairly straightforward. High quality spikes usually come in 2-foot strips with pre-drilled holes and glue troughs, so they can be easily glued, nailed, or screwed into any surface.
Before you install bird spikes, prepare the area by removing any loose rust, peeling paint, bird droppings, feathers and nesting materials. This is especially important when installing gutter bird spikes. Use commercial disinfecting cleaning agents to prevent exposure to any of the 60 airborne diseases carried by birds. If the area is heavily contaminated with bird droppings, use proper eye and respiratory protection.
