Best Solutions for Safeguarding Food Production Facilities from Birds

Birds represent a significant but often underestimated threat to food processing facilities and warehouses. These seemingly innocent visitors can introduce serious contamination risks, cause extensive physical damage, and create regulatory compliance issues. This article explores the specific challenges birds present to food production facilities and how targeted technology can address these challenges. 

The Hidden Threat: How Birds Compromise Food Safety 

When birds infiltrate food processing environments, they create multiple layers of contamination risk that can compromise product safety and quality. Birds carry over 60 transmissible diseases, including salmonella, E. coli, and histoplasmosis, which can be transmitted through their droppings, feathers, parasites, and nesting materials. A single bird can produce approximately 25 pounds of droppings annually, each potentially loaded with pathogens. 

Beyond disease transmission, bird activity directly affects production infrastructure. Acidic bird droppings accelerate corrosion of metal equipment, ventilation systems, and structural components, shortening their operational lifespan. Birds frequently nest in processing equipment, conveyor systems, and electrical installations, creating fire hazards when nesting materials block ventilation or contact heating elements. 

The financial implications extend beyond direct contamination. Food processing facilities with bird infestations face heightened scrutiny during safety inspections. FDA, USDA, and OSHA regulations explicitly address bird presence as a significant violation, potentially resulting in operations being suspended until remediation is complete. The associated costs include not only regulatory fines but also production downtime, product recalls, and potential damage to brand reputation. 

Strategic Deterrence: Matching Solutions to Facility Environments 

Through our extensive experience servicing food production facilities, there are two solutions that we have found work best at reducing bird presence. Knowing which solution to implement requires a detailed site evaluation by our bird biologists and solutions team and is always the first step we take when working with a new customer.  

Laser Deterrence Technology 

Laser bird deterrence systems like the AVIX Autonomic Mark II represent an ideal solution for many food processing environments. These systems project moving laser patterns that birds perceive as physical threats, triggering their innate predator-avoidance instincts. This technology offers several advantages specific to food processing facilities. 

Laser systems excel in high-ceiling environments such as warehouses, distribution centers, and large processing floors. The laser patterns can cover extensive areas from a single mounting point, reaching spaces that would otherwise require multiple traditional deterrents. For facilities with skylights or transparent roofing, lasers perform exceptionally well as they create visible patterns on these surfaces where birds typically perch. 

Perhaps most importantly, laser systems operate silently and without chemical components, making them ideal for food safety environments where noise pollution or chemical contamination would be problematic. The automated operation ensures continuous protection without staff intervention, particularly valuable during overnight hours when buildings are vacant but still vulnerable to bird entry. 

Electromagnetic Technology 

Electromagnetic bird deterrence, such as Symterra Pulse, represents one of the most advanced technological approaches to bird management in food processing environments. These systems create electromagnetic fields that birds find highly uncomfortable without causing harm. The technology works by generating subtle electromagnetic pulses that interfere with birds’ natural navigation systems and sensory capabilities. The invisible electromagnetic field creates what birds perceive as an unstable and threatening environment without any visual or auditory components that might affect human workers or facility operations.  

Electromagnetic systems excel in: 

• Semi-enclosed processing areas where birds have established persistent habitation patterns that have proven resistant to other deterrents 

• Facilities with complex overhead infrastructure that provides numerous potential perching locations 

• Areas where food products are directly exposed during processing, packaging, or staging 

• Environments where noise restrictions limit the use of sonic systems or where lighting conditions reduce laser effectiveness 

The systems can also be precisely calibrated to target specific bird species based on their electromagnetic sensitivity profiles, allowing for customized solutions to facility-specific bird challenges. 

Integrated Protection: When Combined Approaches Make Sense 

For optimal protection, many facilities benefit from integrated systems utilizing multiple technologies. Facilities with complex layouts particularly benefit from this approach. Processing plants featuring multiple connected sections — such as production floors connected to warehousing and shipping areas — represent ideal candidates for integrated systems. 

By pairing laser technology with electromagnetic technology, facilities can ensure deterrence coverage across a variety of issue spots. For example, electromagnetic systems can provide coverage for critical production zones and processing equipment, while laser systems address perimeter areas, entry points, and structural features where birds first attempt to establish presence. This layered protection creates a comprehensive deterrence environment that significantly reduces the likelihood of successful bird infiltration. 

Professional Implementation: The Wild Goose Chase Advantage 

Wild Goose Chase specializes in commercial-grade bird management solutions tailored specifically to food processing environments. Our approach begins with comprehensive facility assessment, identifying bird species, entry patterns, attraction factors, and facility-specific risk areas. 

Based on this assessment, our technicians design customized protection strategies that may include optimally positioned laser systems, strategically placed electromagnetic units, or integrated combinations calibrated to facility-specific requirements.  

If your food processing facility has experienced bird issues, give us a call to see how we can effectively eliminate your bird-related risks.  

Marcus Hagberg

Marus Hagberg is the COO of Wild Goose Chase, a leading pest and nuisance bird control company serving the Midwest. With over 20 years of industry experience, he helps lead a specialized team of biologists, canine handlers, and construction experts to deliver effective, customized solutions. Marus is committed to providing strategic, research-backed bird control services that protect properties from health and safety risks.