Birds and associated diseases are hot news right now. People worry and wonder about bird flu jumping species — but in fact there are already over 60 different human diseases associated with birds and their droppings, some of which can be fatal.

Pigeons, starlings, sparrows and crows roosting on the rooftops and nesting on your property are creating problems every day. In addition to carrying diseases such as salmonella, histoplasmosis and cryptococcosis, the birds are creating costly property damage. Everything from unsightly stains to the actual deterioration of structures. Metal and wood can be eaten away by the acid in their droppings. The birds can also be a liability. Homeowners or guests can slip and fall on droppings, and the dropping-laden premises certainly won’t increase your property value!

Want to put an end to the problem once and for all? There are simple and inexpensive things you can do — none of which will harm the birds. Here are some effective strategies for dealing with some of the more common problems associated with pesky birds:

Problem #1 Preventing pigeons or other birds from roosting on specific surfaces on your property

When birds congregate on rooftops and ledges, it makes for a terrible mess. “Not only do they leave droppings on the surface, which can cause stains and structural damage, but people walking below their favorite resting spot run the risk of getting splattered. The easiest way to keep them away is to put up a physical barrier,” says Mona Zemsky, a technician with Bird-X, a Chicago-based company that since 1964 has been offering humane, environmentally friendly bird repellent products.

To keep them away, she recommends property owners get a set or two of Bird Spikes — think “barbed wire for birds.” Made of heavy-duty stainless steel or polycarbonate plastic, they come on a bendable base that mounts flat or on concave or convex curves. They can be installed right side up, upside down or on an angle on rooftops, ledges and window sills, and offer a permanent, maintenance-free solution. “A no-brainer for a busy homeowner who has better things to do than think about birds,” says Zemsky.

Problem #2 Scaring birds away from a wider-range area, more than just a ledge or roof perimeter

To keep birds away from your property altogether, the goal is to make the area undesirable to birds. The spikes, already discussed, make the area undesirable physically. There are several effective repellers to make the area undesirable visually, or to make it an unappealing sound environment.

“Birds are smart and stubborn. If you just put a plastic owl in the yard, they’ll quickly realize that it isn’t really a threat since it never moves. There are much more successful methods of chasing birds away without harming them, or the environment for that matter,” says Zemsky. To work long-term, a repeller must involve change, movement and options.

* Visual scare devices

You can use Terror Eyes, which are big orange spheres that have holograms on them that appear to move when the bird looks at it from different angles. In addition to the eyes moving, it’s mounted on a spring that causes the entire predator to move and bounce in the wind.

Another visual tool to scare birds away is Irri-Tape iridescent bird deterrent foil. It is available in a 100 foot roll and you simply cut off strips and attach them to fence posts, trees or rooftops to scare the birds away. As the strips blow in the wind, they catch sunlight, producing constantly changing colors and patterns. And the tape itself produces a metallic rattle, unnerving birds with the sound too.

* Sound deterrents

If you prefer a simple electronic device, you may want to try using the Bird X-peller Pro, a programmable device that plays back the sounds of both birds in distress and predators looking for food. You can set it to go off intermittently throughout the day. The basic model is effective for up to an acre, and larger models cover up to 6 acres. The sounds play at different times, in random order, and with changing frequencies so birds cannot get used to a constant sound environment.

Problem #3 Keeping Canada geese from eating your grass

The best way to deal with geese on your lawn is by targeting their taste buds. Spray some Goose Chase on the grass and around ponds and marshy areas. When they taste it, they’ll be so disgusted, they’ll fly away. Made from a bitter, smelly component of Concord grapes, it’s biodegradable and won’t cause the environment any harm. In fact the compound, methyl anthranilate, is food-grade, and has been used to flavor grape candy, soda and gum for years.

“If you have an especially bad problem, or the birds have been returning for many years, you may want to use a combination of methods to scare the birds away. Whatever it takes to give the impression that your property is not a fun, relaxing, inviting place to stay,” says Zemsky.

For more advice on how to deal with bird problems, log on to www.bird-x.com/ara or call (800) 662-5021.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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