Birds can have their advantages: their variety and beauty can be a pleasure to observe and some help control pest by feeding on insects and rodents. But at times, they can turn into pests themselves and present serious economic, health, and safety concerns. For a business, they may even damage your reputation, cause a closure, and potentially lose revenue if stringent regulations, inspections, and standards are not met!


Property Damage

Pest Birds are most destructive with their droppings, which have a corrosive effect on most surfaces. Pigeon droppings are especially high in uric acid. Roosting in flocks, they can cut a roof life in half while damaging air-conditioning units and other rooftop machinery. Downspouts, gutters, drainage pipes, and air vents can also be clogged with droppings, nests, and feathers, which further attract insects like beetles and moths. Pest birds increase maintenance costs and liability risks. Millions of dollars are lost each year due to the contamination caused by bird droppings, feathers, and ectoparasites.


Health Concerns

Pest birds can carry many disease organisms and parasites. Over 60 transmittable diseases can be passed to humans from infected birds. Additionally, diseases can be passed to stock animals through bird droppings. Effective bird management is often necessary for the safety of those in a building. These health concerns are why business can be closed down if they have even a minor bird issue.


Common Pest Birds

  • Feral Pigeon—Today, they are the most serious urban pest bird. Before there were tall buildings, pigeons were more commonly called rock doves because they roosted among rock formations. They now roost in large numbers in virtually every city throughout the country.
  • House Sparrow—These birds often flock around warehouses, stadiums, and airport hangars, but also in gardens and yards, where they displace desirable songbirds. Sparrows usually build their nests in, on, or near buildings. They are one of the most challenging bird issues to deal with.
  • Starling—These birds are well adapted to urban life, which offers an abundance of food and nesting sites. They will nest almost anywhere including commercial buildings, lighted signs, and billboards. Starlings will drive native birds out of their territory and are well known for their flocking habits. They are known to fly from 1 mile away from their nesting spots to a food source.


Dodson Integrated Pest Management

Our team has the knowledge and experience to assist you with bird management. Our avian specialists will evaluate your concerns and develop a customized plan to provide effective protection from pest birds. Our goal is to manage pest birds without harming them, using exclusion and deterrents as the foundation of our approach. Our objectives are to effectively and humanely prevent birds from roosting, reduce exposure to the building’s occupants, and maintain the appearance of the structure.

Our bird control methods include:

  • Habitat Modification—Birds can be dramatically reduced in numbers by eliminating food sources, standing water, shelter and nesting sites
  • Exclusion Netting—Netting is installed in protected areas to block the roosting or nesting of birds on rooftops, ledges, overhang areas, docks, warehouses, and signs
  • Deterrents—Adhesive gels are spread on surfaces to make it unpleasant for birds to perch
  • Wire Deterrents and Spikes—Stainless steel or plastic wire and spikes are installed on buildings to discourage birds from landing there
  • Baits—These products are commonly used as effective avicides and frightening agents to most pest birds
  • Traps—Many pest birds are caught in traps and later released