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| BIRDS CONTROL-PRIME PEST SOLUTIONS |
Birds Control
Please read Home Pest Solutions and you will soon be able to learn about Bird Control, Geese, Goose, Gulls, Seagull Control, Pigeons, and Wood Pigeons.
The control of Birds for all Councils and Property owners is a vast and often expensive operation, so it's good to be able to get more than an idea of what you might be letting yourself in for. Feral Pigeons, Wood Pigeons, Starlings, and Sparrows all have very different needs, thus different means of Proofing/shooting using Nets, Gel, and/or Spikes are deterrents that will work sometimes, but it's by no means foolproof as birds usually find their way around obstacles.
Canada Geese (Goose)
The Canada Goose (Canada Geese) has become a problem pest now. Their diet often includes green vegetation and grain, but they will eat a variety of grasses when on land and feed by grasping a blade of grass with the bill, and then tearing it with a jerk of the head.
Canada Geese will eat beans, and grains such as Corn, Wheat, and Rice which makes them a target for farmers as they create havoc in such a short period. On our beaches, they are suspected of being one reason for an increase in high fecal coliforms. Swimming in waters with high levels of fecal coliform bacteria can increase the chance of developing illnesses such as fever, nausea, or stomach cramps from pathogens entering the body through the mouth, nose, ears, or cuts in the skin. Diseases and illnesses that can be contracted in water with high fecal coliform counts include typhoid fever, hepatitis, gastroenteritis, dysentery, and ear infections.
Canada Geese have been known to attack humans when they or their Goslings are threatened. The Geese or Geese will stand erect, spread their wings, and produce a hissing noise before they charge at you, maybe then biting you and certainly capable of doing damage with their wings.
Prevention of disease, loss of crops/grasses, and annoyance factors are good reasons to control Canada Geese. Contact our Pest Control Company Registered Members on the pest control price comparison site to see how they can help.
Feral Pigeon Control
Breeding can occur throughout the year, but the peak occurs between March and July. Two white eggs are laid and incubated for seventeen to nineteen days by both parents. The young Feral Pigeons or squabs are fed on high-protein pigeon milk, but this is gradually replaced by regurgitated grain. The young Feral Pigeons are independent after thirty to thirty-seven days and up to four broods may be reared during the year. Some young birds can breed at six months.
Feral pigeon nests are built in or on buildings, bridges, ledges, or hollows such as gutters and roof gullies. Grass, twigs, feathers, and scraps such as pieces of wire are often used in their unusually flimsy nests. Feral Pigeons mainly rely on spillage or scraps left by the public. Some pigeons fly to arable farmlands to feed on sowings and stubble and normally feed in flocks.
Common Wood Pigeon
The color of the Common Wood Pigeon is grey, with a pink splash of color on the breast. The wing span can range from approximately 25 to 30 inches. The Wood Pigeon is gregarious, often forming very large flocks outside the breeding season, that create havoc for farmers by devouring large areas of different crops throughout the year.
Shoots are carried out to both kill and deter the Wood Pigeon, which are to some extent sought after by restaurants that serve Game. Realistically their numbers are great, and additional measures such as Gas Guns are required to help keep them away from new crops, especially as the seed is sown and new growth appears. When the crops are harvested the Wood Pigeon will often be seen in huge flocks clearing up any spillage.
The Wood Pigeon will happily breed in woodland, parks, and gardens laying two white eggs in a simple stick nest, which will hatch over a two to three-week period. That said, I have known Wood Pigeons to lay two more eggs if the original two have been removed.
Their nests are vulnerable to attack from other bird species and weasels. In days long since gone I would collect Wood Pigeon eggs to eat for my breakfast, which is how I happen to know that they will produce more than one pair of eggs per season in the same nest.
Gulls (Seagulls)
Gulls, more commonly referred to by the public as Seagulls are a nuisance, but especially so throughout the UK coastal resorts, as well as inland waste disposal sites where they will scavenge for food scraps. Some of the species are protected and any control measures needing to be implemented have strict rules of engagement.
Please contact a Professional Pest Control Company Registered Member for advice when it comes to Bird control, in this case, Gulls, or Seagulls.
Gulls, often informally called Seagulls are birds in the family Laridae. Gulls are typically medium to large birds, usually grey or white, and often with black markings on the head or wings. They have harsh wailing or squawking calls, stout longish bills, and webbed feet. Gull species range in size from the Little gull at 120 grams (4.2 oz) and 29 cm (11.5 inches) to the Great Black Backed Gull at 1.75 kilograms (3.8 lbs) and 76 cm (30 inches).
The larger of the species can take up to four years to attain full adult plumage, but two years is typical for small Gulls. Large White-Headed Gulls are typically long-living birds with a maximum age of forty-nine years recorded for the Herring Gull.
Gulls nest in large densely packed and noisy colonies. Gulls lay two or three eggs in nests that are generally composed of vegetation. The young Gulls are capable of moving around on their own soon after hatching and are born with a dark mottled down.
Most Gulls, particularly the Larus species are ground-nesting carnivores that will take live food, or scavenge opportunistically, including your fish and chips as you walk along the seafront! Live food often includes crabs and small fish.
Gulls have prophylactic unhinging jaws which allow them to consume large prey, and apart from the Kittiwakes, Gulls are typically coastal or inland species who rarely venture far out to sea. The larger species of Gulls in particular are resourceful, inquisitive, and intelligent birds demonstrating complex methods of communication and a highly developed social structure. For example, many Gull colonies display mobbing behaviour attacking and harassing potential predators and other intruders. Not all Gulls are considered pests so correct identification is of utmost importance.
Seagulls (Control of): The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects all wild birds. It is an offense to kill or injure any birds or their nests or eggs unless acting under a license and only in compliance with the conditions of that license.
A General Licence allows "authorized persons" to undertake certain actions which would otherwise be illegal under the Wildlife and Countryside Act but only to certain birds in certain circumstances. 'Authorised person' means the owner or occupier or any person authorized by the owner or occupier of the land on which the action authorized is taken.
All non-lethal methods must be considered first and only if none are thought suitable can lethal measures then be considered. The General Licences will allow Herring Gull (Larus argentatus), Lesser Black Backed Gull (Larus fuscus), and Great Black Backed Gull (Larus marinus) to be killed and their eggs and nests to be damaged or destroyed for the following reasons only:
1). Preserving public health or public or air safety.
2). Preventing the spread of disease.
3). Preventing serious damage to livestock, foodstuffs for livestock, crops, vegetables, fruit, growing timber, fisheries, or inland waters.
Noise from birds; that they leave droppings, or the fact that they open rubbish bags are not reasons under the Act and therefore, killing or injuring birds for these reasons is an offense and offenders can be prosecuted.
There are limited public health grounds for Seagull control and surveys undertaken by various institutions have shown that the culling of Seagulls is mainly unsuccessful and that the numbers after a cull will shortly increase back up to the original optimum number.
If the Gulls have built a nest on your roof, they may return year after year and as they live up to 30 years the problem could persist for a considerable time. We would therefore recommend that you erect deterrent devices, that prevent the birds from building their nests, such as birdproofing measures. Preferably, this work should be done outside the nesting season as interfering with their nests may be considered illegal. Because the Gulls are powerful and determined, proofing can be a difficult and dangerous operation and is best undertaken by a responsible specialized Pest Control Company.
For a quote from a Professional Pest Control Company Registered Member, you can click on the Compare Prices Now tab on any page.
Sparrows
Sparrows require a Professional Pest Control Company to deal with them effectively. There are good reasons to employ the services of a contractor, not least the Wildlife & Countryside Act which determines which Birds can be controlled, and when! Best advice? Contact our Professional Registered Members.
Starlings
We have all seen them, thousands upon thousands of Starlings that blacken the skies making an awful noise, but if you are the unfortunate soul that owns the trees or property where they eventually settle, they suddenly become your problem! Their droppings will cause damage to paintwork, and smell if not dealt with and of course, they carry bacteria, let alone the noise factor.
Often the Scandinavian Starling has a lot to do with the numbers involved, but it's not an easy task to solve the problem so it might be the right time to consider Professional advice from our Registered Members.
Bird Prevention is normally taken to mean you want to stop Birds getting into your property, usually after it's too late I might add, because the damage will have been done unless the infestation is dealt with correctly.
Given the opportunity Birds will find a way into your Loft or Attic Space and build a nest where they look after their young generally uninterrupted, but you need to know that they can be responsible for the problems found a year or two later when the Carpet Beetles are eating their way through your clothes, specifically your woolens stored 'safely' away in your drawers. Yes, Birds are known carriers!
So the removal of the Birds and/or Nests will need to be timed correctly. The building needs to be 'Proofed' meaning the entry/exit points will need to be blocked and/or repaired and the Loft or Attic Space will need to be either fumigated or treated with an insecticidal spray.
Reference for Guidelines: Before undertaking any action (except proofing out of the nesting season) we recommend that you seek expert advice on current legislation from DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) Telephone: 0207 904 6000 or visit their web pages at http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/vertebrates/gen-licence.htm .For more detail regarding the law please contact the Police Wildlife Liaison Officer - Telephone: 0845 6070999.
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