Pests » Birds

Birds

Birds add charm to the environment and play an important role in maintaining the ecological balance. But they can quickly become a menace when they start breeding and populations increase too quickly making it an expensive exercise to eradicate the problem. Currently, pigeons, starlings, sparrows and the occasional sea gull are the main bird pests found in this region. Another species, namely the Indian Myna, can also be added to this list however populations are more likely to be found in Woodville. As yet they have not settled in the Kapiti -Horowhenua - Manawatu regions. 

Birds use homes and businesses as their habitat. Problems begin to occur when there is a disbursement of bird droppings. Droppings are of an acidic nature, and this acidity causes an accelerated corrosion to a variety of materials including roof sheeting and masonry surfaces. Permanent staining to structures may also be seen. Then there is the issue with nests which block guttering's, chimneys and drains. Nests are also known to harbour a variety of insects and disease causing pathogens, an example being fungi. Fungi produce spores which once airborne can be inhaled by humans and cause influenza-like symptoms. Whilst an annoyance, this is not a ‘big’ problem for healthy people, however in persons with a compromised immune system, there is potential to cause more serious health problems.


Double under roof starling proofing

A regime of continuously cleaning up droppings or removing nests from buildings takes time as well as resources. Attempts at ‘do-it-yourself’ methods mean added costs that perhaps could have been avoided. Likewise if you are involved in any food related industry either as a grower, manufacturer, or exporter, and/or involved in storage or freight you may find the exercise of eliminating birds from your business a tiring and costly one for birds can be extremely tenacious and your eradication attempts may temporarily result in birds leaving your property - only to return eventually to their old nest site and begin to roost all over again. 

To ensure permanent removal it pays to have extensive knowledge and understanding of bird behaviour as well as knowledge of different species because what works for seagulls does not necessarily work for sparrows. At Nature’s Way we provide an individualised service that is safe, reliable, and cost-effective tailored to suit your needs. Rather than harm or kill birds our methods focus on bird exclusion solutions that include a range of environmentally friendly products such as netting (usually the most effective method), spikes, sticky gels, anti-landing surfaces, obstruction wires and electrical deterrent tapes – all especially designed for bird proofing. If you have a bird problem, contact us at Nature’s Way.