Exploring Methods of Bird Control

Nuisance birds (also called pest birds) can be a significant problem in urban and rural environments alike. From pigeons perching on rooftops to seagulls raiding garbage bins, their presence can lead to property damage, health concerns, and an overall unpleasant environment. There are several methods to deal with these birds, some of them more effective and ethical than others. Some methods that may work in a more rural area of Palmdale, may not work in the more congested areas of Los Angeles and vice versa. Let’s explore the different methods available and why we feel a combination of trapping and falconry-based bird abatement is your best bet in almost any situation.

Physical Deterrents

Bird Spikes

A semi-safe way to deter birds is using bird spikes. These are typically strips of pointy metal rods that make it uncomfortable for a bird to rest. They are placed anywhere that birds would normally try to rest such as on the edges of roofs or balconies. These can be effective but they are not visually appealing. They can also be uncomfortable for people trying to hang out looking over a balcony and for roofers. In addition, many birds will learn to adapt to them over time, even using them as bases to build nests!

Bird Spikes can be a good solution if placed out of reach of humans and where they might be hidden from view. Spikes made to deter smaller birds may not deter larger birds and vice versa.

Bird Slides

One way to deter nuisance birds from hanging out is to reduce smaller flat surfaces. By adding small metal panels at increased angles, you can make birds slide right off of ledges. Birds will instead look for other flat surfaces. This can be a good solution in certain situations where the design allows. Again, this can be ugly if not done correctly.

Bird Shock

Think of this as an electric fence for birds. It is effective because birds will learn to stay away or suffer pain. As with any electro “therapy”, there are ethical concerns with this. An electric shock can make a bird disoriented for a while and can lead to other physical harm. Installation of an electric shock system may be complex. You would also need to maintain and repair the system periodically. Can be an expensive solution and may cause harm to other wildlife such as squirrels. We do not recommend bird shock.

Sensory Deterrents (Annoy the Annoyer)

Vinegar, WD-40, or Other Aromatic Deterrents

Despite what some sources on Google and elsewhere might suggest, using strong-smelling substances like vinegar, WD-40, or other spray-on products as a bird repellent is not a technique we recommend you try. The articles we read suggest that birds, like many animals, use their sense of smell to avoid danger or spoiled food. However, most birds actually have a very poor sense of smell, casting doubt on the efficacy of scent-based repellents.

Products like vinegar, citrus oils, cinnamon, garlic, and peppers might be touted as natural bird repellents, and they may seem appealing due to their low cost and ease of application. However, their effectiveness is likely minimal, and they require frequent reapplication, which can become laborious and costly over time.

Moreover, the effectiveness of these scents can vary greatly among different bird species, particularly those accustomed to urban environments, which may have developed a tolerance to chemical smells. Therefore, while you might consider using these methods, it's important to approach with caution. Not only is their effectiveness questionable, but strong odors can also be unpleasant for people, potentially making them "friend-repellants" as well.

Noise Repellents

Just like your neighbors, you can disturb a bird's peace and make them leave by making a lot of noise. There are different types of noise that can work such as

• Predator calls

• Distress calls

• Ultrasonic (they can hear it, but you can’t)

• Explosive sounds/booms

The effectiveness of noise deterrents can vary depending on the bird species, their tolerance to sound, and the persistence of the deterrent method. Birds may become habituated to continuous noise, so it's often recommended to use intermittent or unpredictable noise patterns to prevent habituation.

Additionally, noise deterrents should be used with care to avoid causing undue stress to wildlife and to comply with local noise regulations and wildlife protection laws. As with smells, noises also affect humans so be aware of how it may affect those around you. Loud booms are typically only used by airports.

Visual Repellants

Birds will usually stay a safe distance away from human beings and predator birds. For many ages, people have been using scarecrows, fake owls, and other objects that may frighten birds. These can be somewhat effective. Birds may stay at a safe distance for a little while but if they don’t see any movement after a while, they may start getting closer and closer. Having a scarecrow or an owl may require you to physically move it around so that birds don’t get too comfortable.

Shiny, reflective objects can also be used to create a disturbance to the birds. Preferably, something that moves around so that the light is inconsistent and moving. We’ve seen people using old CDs hanging on string to annoy birds. Every time the birds see a change in the light, it distracts them and keeps them from resting comfortably.

The effectiveness of visual deterrents depends on the type of bird. Some birds just are not bothered by lights. Many city birds are completely accustomed to fake owls and other visual fake-outs. Some of these may not be visually appealing to humans.

Population Reduction

We are not recommending population reduction as a solution but we still want to mention them.

Poisons

Sometimes people will place poison where birds like to hang out to reduce the size of their population. This is not an ethical solution and is not environmentally friendly. Rodenticides are one of the lead causes of death for raptors and even our own team of hawks are at risk due to its prevalence in urban environments. A poisoned mouse or bird can be an enticing target to a hawk or other predator, which can then get sick and die after consuming the tainted meat. Here at High Desert Falconry, we are very against any kind of poison use.

Air Rifles

In some places, it may be legal to shoot down problematic birds with proper permitting. For invasive species like pigeons, collared doves, and starlings, this is legal year-round. However, this is not an option for people in big cities like Los Angeles or suburbs like Palmdale.

Stop encouraging them

An obvious way way to get rid of nuisance birds, is to remove their source of food, water, or shelter. That’s typically why they like to hang out in certain places - because they have found a valuable resource. Although it may be tedious work, keeping your surrounding areas clean and uninviting will encourage them look elsewhere.

Trapping and Relocation

We use a variety of traps to capture birds. Large cage traps are the most common way to capture pigeons, smaller cage traps are effective for sparrows, and mist nets can be useful in situations where cage traps are not feasible. For cage traps, birds are lured into the cages with bait and are unable to escape. The design and bait for these cages may vary depending on the species. Our nets consist of a fine mesh that is nearly invisible to birds. We place them in areas that birds frequent and they become entangled in the webbing. We monitor the traps and make sure that the birds are promptly and safely removed from the netting. Once captured, we take the birds to a safe location where they can be released and won’t be a nuisance to someone else.

When starting a new contract, we will often start with trapping and then bring in the hawk to finish the job and prevent birds from coming back.

Falconry-Based Bird Abatement

We have a team of raptors that often works together with a team of highly trained dogs to scare the nuisance birds away. Birds have been conditioned through ages to avoid predators. This makes hawks the natural and best way to deter nuisance birds. We have seen that Falconry-based bird abatement is much more effective than poisons, spikes, or fake owls. It does require working with someone who knows how to handle and train a bird to effectively scare away birds.

Conclusion

The method you choose to get rid of nuisance birds should depend on various factors, including the type of bird, the severity of the problem, and ethical considerations. While physical deterrents offer humane options for bird control, they may not always be sufficient for larger bird populations. Bird killing methods, though effective in reducing populations, come with significant ethical and legal concerns.

Bird trapping is a humane option but requires careful management and may not be suitable for all scenarios. In addition, bird populations often rebound over time when trapping is the only method used because new birds will fill in the gap left by the previous occupants. Trapping can be used in combination with falconry-based bird abatement to effectively get rid of pest birds long term. It's essential to consult with professionals in the field who can help assess the situation and determine the most appropriate and ethical approach to managing nuisance bird populations.