by Alex A. Kecskes

Pigeons, sparrows, crows, gulls—they can become costly headaches to commercial warehouses. For starters, they create a dangerous distraction to employees operating forklifts and other machinery. And lest we not forget that bird nests, feathers and other debris are ideal kindling for starting fires near electrical equipment, wiring and hot lights.

Then there are the bird droppings, which create a whole slew of problems in warehouses. Not the least of which are slip-and-fall hazards. There’s also the contamination factor--birds can carry any of 60 known diseases. And the cost of damage to products on shelves and in loading docks can be severe. Finally, the acid in bird droppings can eat into packaging, obscure labeling codes and other shipping information. This can create all sorts of problems for inventory control and expediting personnel.

Rather than resorting to poisons or BB guns to clear your warehouse of pest birds, you should consider using non-lethal, humane bird deterrents.

One of the most effective bird deterrent systems on the market is the Automated Avian Fogging System. This advanced hazing system releases a fine fog into the air to deter pest birds from large spaces. It’s been proven highly effective in driving out pigeons, sparrows, crows, gulls, even vultures from warehouses, factories, airline hangers and many outdoor areas.
 
This powerful bird control tool is the first fogging unit to offer programmable components and a computerized touch screen. It works by dispensing a chemical known as methyl anthranilate--a grape extract proven to be effective in repelling pest birds. The extract irritates birds’ trigeminal nerve and mucous membranes through entry in the eyes, nose or mouth. Birds find the sensation very annoying and will seek the nearest exit the minute they get a healthy whiff of the chemical.

There’s plenty of flexibility in how the system dispenses the fogging chemical. For example, a control unit lets you attach up to 64 fogging “drop” units, and each unit can be controlled individually. An adjustable nozzle system lets you direct the chemical spray to areas where pest birds tend to flock and roost. A unique nozzle design delivers a 5-micron particle size spray, which leaves no chemical residue. What’s more, each drop station covers approximately 6,000 to 8,000 square feet. You can also control the dispensing times, so that the spray units will begin dispensing fog all at once or at alternating intervals. A convenient control panel monitors liquid levels, and notifies you when to refills are necessary.

Another effective pest bird deterrent for use in warehouses is No-Knot Bird netting. This low-profile netting creates a barrier that physically excludes pigeons, sparrows, gulls, starlings and crows. The netting is available in two mesh sizes to deter various size pest birds. For example, there’s a 2-inch mesh for pigeons and crows and 3/4-inch mesh for sparrows and smaller birds. No-Knot Bird Netting comes with a 10-year guarantee. It's fabricated of flame resistant, multi-strand polypropylene fiber and is highly resistant to many chemicals. It’s also ISO 1806 Protocol Mesh tested, and it won't rot, absorb water, or mildew. Another advantage of No-Knot Netting is that it is very light and easy to handle, yet it has a break strength of 50 pounds.

Before using any bird deterrents, be sure to remove bird droppings, feathers and nesting materials. (Birds are attracted to this debris and will regard the venue as “friendly.”) Use commercial disinfecting cleaning agents to prevent exposure to any of the 60 known airborne diseases caused by birds. You should also use eye and respiratory protection if the area is heavily contaminated with bird droppings.


 
 

by Alex A. Kecskes

Almost everyone has heard about pigeons invading parks and monuments, shedding their disease-carrying droppings on statues and contaminating ponds and playgrounds. But pigeons also pose a problem to many businesses. And perhaps the least mentioned are the many problems pest pigeons pose to gas stations.

Take your basic gas station canopy, for example. Once pigeons have claimed them and decided to nest on them, it's just a matter of time before a flock of pigeons can ruin your average $25,000.00 canopy.

Why do so many pigeons like to nest on gas canopies? Simple. They provide a great observation point for pigeons. The resourceful birds like to sit along the canopy edges and survey the area. And if you've ever seen how these canopies are built, you know that they easily provide plenty of protected nesting sites on their undersides and gutter areas.

Unless you get rid of pigeons, the flat metal roof areas will soon be covered with pigeon droppings and nests. Both will clog the canopy's drains and eat away at the canopy's paint and metal. After a rain, one can't help but notice the brown residue and offensive odor caused by collected pigeon droppings and nesting debris. This debris and unsavory odor will collect on the covered paved areas of a gas station and create and unwelcome site for customers. Worse yet, left to gather in the wet, pigeon droppings can cause dangerous slip-and-fall hazards to customers and employees. After several years, gas canopies can even become structurally degraded to cause a possible hazard for motorists and workers.

So what to do? If high gas prices aren't enough to keep motorists away, do you really need pest pigeons? Fortunately, there are several humane and highly effective ways to get rid of pigeons.

Intimidating Bird Spikes

The mother of pest bird deterrents, the Bird Spike has saved more buildings and structures from pigeons than perhaps any other deterrent. Bird Spikes get rid of pigeons because they simply can't negotiate a landing around them. The spiked strips come in rigid U.V.-resistant unbreakable polycarbonate, or longer-lasting, slightly more expensive stainless steel, which you can get in a non-reflective metal finish. These days you can even get bird spikes in a full spectrum of colors--including white, tan, gray, black, brown, brick red and crystal clear. The spikes are easily glued or screwed to any surface. Choose the Girder Spike for keeping pigeons off girders or I-beams (they come with adjustable “C-clamps” to fit any size girder). To keep pigeons off rain gutters, there's the Gutter Spike. The best bird spikes are blunted, safe for birds and maintenance crews and GSA approved.


Virtually Invisible Bird Slopes

Install these in the 90-degree nooks and crannies of your gas station canopy and pest pigeons will never be able to land. Bird Slopes are angled, slippery PVC panels that pigeons can't seem to get a grip on. The panels come in a variety of colors to blend in with your gas station's aesthetics. U.V.-stabilized polycarbonate panels are best as they stand up to years of inclement weather.

Wobbly Bird Wire Systems

This is a great way to get rid of pigeons. They'll wobble and shimmy off these Bird Wire Systems like Bozo on a banana peel. Pigeons, like most birds, prefer stable landing areas. And bird wire systems with their post-and-spring-wire set-ups are anything but stable. String these systems on the roofs of canopies or their undersides and forget about pigeons. The systems are easily installed, and even used on Federal and State government buildings. The best systems feature nylon coated stainless steel wire for lasting durability.

Barrier Pigeon Netting

Exclusion is the name of the game.  And Bird Netting keeps them out of the corners and recesses of your gas station canopies like few bird deterrents can. It gets rid of pigeons by denying them access to these areas. The best netting is made from ISO 1806 mesh test polyethylene fabric. If you want the netting to last, get U.V.-stabilized, flame-resistant and rot and waterproof netting. Non-conductive netting is available for installations where electrical conductivity or radio frequency interference could cause problems--probably a good idea in gas stations. You can even get netting in several different colors--like including white, stone and black.

Stick it to 'em with Bird Gels

Like most birds, pigeons can't stand walking on these sticky gels. They get that stuck-in-flypaper feeling and can't wait to leave. Bird Gels are easy to apply using a standard caulking gun. The chemical skins over and stays sticky for up to six months.