Wish You Could Get Rid of Birds?

by Alex A. Kecskes

The ancients believed that birds represented the souls of the dead, and that a bird attacking a window or trying to enter a house was thought to be the soul of a dead person coming to lead the deceased's body into the afterlife.

While a few still believe birds to be souls on the wing, most consider them to be either friends or foe, sans the mysticism. As friends they cheer us up with song. As foe, we simply want to get rid of birds, since they so often cost us time and aggravation. Their droppings can destroy rooftop ventilators, solar panels and air conditioners. They can ruin the paint on our homes and cars, cause us to slip and fall on their slick poop. And even make us seriously ill.  In the past, birds were simply killed--shot, trapped or poisoned. But today, fortune favors the kind. And we now have a variety of humane and highly effective ways to get rid of birds.
Bird Ridding Devices That Work

Bird Slopes--What a great idea. Combine bird deterrence with aesthetics and presto, no more birds. These slippery angled panels fit easily into all those 90-degree nooks and crannies birds love to nest in. Birds try to land on these panels but they just slide right off, never to gain a solid footing. The panels are easy to install on almost any surface and will successfully deter a wide variety of pest birds. The best bird slope panels are fabricated of U.V.-protected PVC to make them sun and weather resistant. And some manufacturers even make them in different colors--stone and grey--to match your building's aesthetics. Which makes panels a beautiful way to get rid of birds.

Bird Gels--If pest birds are landing on your conduit, pipes, ledges, and parapet walls, you need Transparent Bird Gel to get rid of birds. Designed to deter pest birds from virtually any horizontal surface, birds land one foot on this sticky stuff and they'll make tracks to get off. These gels work in temperatures from 15F to 200F and usually remain tacky for up to six months outdoors. Applied in a zigzag pattern using a caulking gun, these non-toxic gels are safe for humans and animals. Gels are ideal for deterring crows, gulls, pigeons, sparrows, starlings and many other species of birds.

Bird Spikes--These devices took off like iPhones for teens. Rows of spindly spikes that keep birds from landing wherever you don't want them to land, nest and roost. What's not to like? Now they're as ubiquitous as pigeons in Rome--on rooflines, parapet walls, I-beams, window ledges, signs traffic lights, the list goes on and on. The blunted spikes are a harmless way to get rid of birds. They come in long-lasting stainless steel or rigid unbreakable polycarbonate. Installation is a snap on any flat surface or ledge. Some spikes come in two-foot long strips for easier installation. One company even offers plastic bird spikes in a spectrum of colors--including white, tan, gray, black, brown, brick red and even crystal clear.

Mega Spikes--To deter really large birds like gulls, cormorants, vultures and raptors, there's the Mega Spike. Its 7-inch tentacles, fabricated of marine-grade stainless steel, will convince any bird to move on. The best spikes are crush-proof with a non-reflective metal finish. Another nifty feature is a U.V.-protected polycarbonate base that allows spikes to be bent around curved surfaces.

Gutter Spikes--Perfect for keeping seagulls, crows, and pigeons from nesting and clogging up rain gutters, the best Gutter Spikes feature adjustable clamps at the base that make it easy to install the spikes to the lip of a gutter.

Bird Spider--If your boat covers, awnings, or patio covers are being rained on by bird droppings, it's time you looked into a Bird Spider. Ideal for deterring pigeons, crows, gulls, cormorants or raptors, these devices will get rid of the birds that make your life so miserable. The spider's spindly arms wave constantly in the breeze to make birds feel uncomfortable. Bird spiders come in several arm lengths to scare away a wide range of pest birds.

Air Treatment Systems--Ideal for open spaces that have been invaded by pest birds, air treatment systems release a non-toxic mist, fog or scent that irritates a bird's trigeminal nerve and mucous membranes. This is one effective way to get rid of birds in airports, golf courses or parks. One commercially available system features a control unit to which you can attach up to 64 misting “drop” units. Each drop unit can cover an area of about 7,000 square feet. Better still, each unit can be set to go off simultaneously or at alternating times for more flexibility. For enclosed or semi enclosed areas (like a "big box" retail store), you may only need an "always-on” air treatment system that maintains a constant low level of “pleasant to human” scents--but is really annoying to birds.

Bird Netting--Another way to get rid of birds is to simply exclude them. And that's what Bird Netting does so well. Perfect for deterring a wide variety of pest birds from groves, vineyards, enclosed courtyards, patios and similar open or semi-open areas. Bird netting comes in various mesh sizes to exclude pigeons, sparrows, starlings and seagulls. For lasting durability, choose bird netting that has been U.V. stabilized, and is rot and waterproof. Non-conductive netting should be used where electrical conductivity or radio frequency interference might cause a problem. Netting is even available in different colors--including white, stone or black to blend in with its surroundings. The best bird proof netting meets ISO 1806 protocols.