Bird Proof Your Store with Bird Spikes

by Alex A. Kecskes

One small storeowner in New York complained that a ledge that runs 20 feet along the top of his storefront is typically covered with pigeons every day. The ledge extends out over the sidewalk and entrance to the store, giving pigeons a perfect place to drop their “daily loads.” Customers entering the store have to walk through or jump over this “gauntlet of guano” to reach the front door.

If you’ve had your store for any length of time, you’ve no doubt had to deal with the nuisance and expense of bird damage/defacement. These winged pests often build nests on your signage, rooftops, parapet walls, A.C. units, and rooftop vents. They can also create quite a problem in rain gutters and downspouts, filling these water runoffs with nesting materials, feathers and other debris. When that happens, water overflows and seeps under roofing tiles, causing leaks and, ultimately, very expensive roof repairs.
Pest birds can also literally drive away customers, swooping down on them from the elevated perches of your store. No one likes to visit a store where birds are dive bombing them as they try to enter or leave. There’s also the nuisance of bird droppings, which can cover everything from windows, awnings and canopies to signage, doorknobs and walkways.

The solution, of course, is to employ some sort of bird control. And one of the best bird control measures available today is the Bird Spike.

Recommended for pigeons and other large birds, bird spikes have been used by thousands of storeowners nationwide. They are easy to install and, in some cases, blend in with their surroundings to make them practically invisible.

Bird spikes remain an effective pest bird deterrent because they prevent pest birds from landing.  No bird wants to get its wings tangled in a splay of nasty looking spikes. Better to simply find another, more bird-friendly landing area. Rest assured, the blunted spikes are safe and won’t harm our fine-feathered friends--they have been approved by a number of humane groups worldwide, including the U.S. Humane Society and PICAS (Pigeon Control Advisory Service).

Bird spikes come in strong, rigid unbreakable polycarbonate or flexible stainless steel. Steel spikes are available in 3-, 5- and 8-inch widths to cover areas up to 8 inches wide; plastic spikes come in 3-, 5- and 7-inch widths to protect areas up to 7 inches wide. The best spikes will provide many years of dependable deterrence, for they are made of marine-grade stainless steel and feature a U.V.-protected polycarbonate base. Some bird spikes come with a non-reflective metal finish, which means they won’t stand out on your roofline or parapet wall. You can even get spikes in a variety of colors to match your store’s signage, awnings or fixed canopies. Available colors include white, tan, gray, black, brown, brick red and crystal clear.

Knowing that pest birds often gather in rain gutters, one bird control manufacturer now offers a Gutter Spike. These specially designed bird spikes will keep pest birds out of your rain gutters. The best gutter bird spikes feature adjustable clamps at the base, which makes it easy to install them to the lip of a gutter. If you’re being plagued by really big pest birds like cormorants, turkey vultures or raptors, you’ll want to look into the Mega Spike, which features long, 7-inch spikes no bird would ever want to approach.

No matter which type of bird spike you get, better designed spikes are easy to install. They require no assembly and some have a flexible base that readily adapts to most flat or curved surfaces. Look for spike strips that feature pre-drilled holes and glue troughs along the base. These can be quickly nailed, screwed or glued onto any surface.

Related articles

• How to Install Plastic bird spikes Keeping your Home Pigeon Free! (bird-spike.com)
• How Bird Spikes Can Protect Your Home from Pest Birds (how-to-install-bird-spikes.com)
• How to Install Plastic bird spikes Keeping your Home Pigeon Free! (birdcontrolspike.com)

How to Install Mega Bird Spikes

by Alex A. Kecskes

Some warehouses, airplane hangars, marinas, dumpsites, and other structures or buildings near lakes and coastal areas are acutely vulnerable to very large pest birds. Without proper bird control measures to deter them, these large birds can cause considerable damage to rooftop A.C. units, skylights, sliding doors and rooftop ventilators and many other areas.

If your property is being besieged by really large birds like larger pigeons, seagulls, cormorants, vultures, raptors and the like, you may want to look into getting the Mega Spike. Like Gutter Spikes, these marine-grade stainless steel spikes are built into a U.V. protected polycarbonate base. The big difference is that these bird spikes have long, 7-inch spikes and will cover a 3- to 7-inch area.

Mega Bird Spikes can be used in light to heavy pressure situations. 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.

Before installing Mega Spikes, make sure that the surface is clean and dry. When cleaning out bird droppings, feathers and nests, be sure to wear Proper Protective Equipment (PPE) like eye and respiratory protection, as bird debris can carry any of 60 known diseases.

Install the spikes on ledges, I-beams, parapet walls, conduits and pipes--on flat or curved surfaces--wherever pest birds are most likely to gather. Mega spikes come in convenient 2-foot lengths to make installation simple. When installing the spikes, 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 using common hose clamps, nylon ties or wire lashings. If you intend to glue the spikes in place, apply construction-grade adhesives (available at most hardware stores). And make sure you use a high elasticity U.V.-resistant sealant that stands up to weather extremes (40 to 170 degrees F). You can get this sealant in a variety of colors—like black, gray and white.

For additional advice on how to properly install bird spikes, consult an expert like the folks at Bird-B-Gone.

Related articles

• How to Install Bird Spikes (how-to-install-bird-spikes.com)
• Effective Pigeon Control Methods (birdcontrolproducts.blogetery.com)
• Bird Proof Your Strip Mall with Bird Spikes (birdspikesnow.blogetery.com)

Brainy Birds Get the Point

By Terra Anders

Being called a “bird brain” is not necessarily an insult.  The proper response might be, “Which bird?”  Scientists have studied this very topic; the size of birds’ brains in relation to the intelligent behavior that they exhibit.  Those who are waging a battle to get rid of birds on their roofs or rafters should take heed.  They may not be dealing with idiots. 

While admittedly the definition of intelligence itself is still controversial among the scientific experts, the study of how birds display intelligent behavior is based almost entirely on observational conclusions.  Still, observing is one of the fundamental scientific tools for any scientist, so it does seem to hold at least some weight.  Anyone considering bird prevention on property and structures must take into account the kind of bird that is causing the problem.

In his efforts to further define exactly what intelligence is, behavioral scientist, Louis Lefebvre, spent some time on researching birds and their ability to innovate.  In this case, he defined innovation as the ability to adapt to changing or different challenges.  Most of the studies revealed that birds seem to be most innovative when it comes to where to live and how to get their next meal.  Bird lovers around the globe have reported amazing bird behavior, and Lefebvre studied these reports to determine if we could learn anything new about human intelligence from these so-called “bird brain” activities. The information from this study also helps us understand how to more effectively adapt our own bird removal techniques.