Got Birds? How to Recognize a Bird Problem on Your Property

More than 500 species of birds spend at least part of their time in the Midwest, in every variety of habitat, and on every kind of property.

Birds provide many benefits beyond the pleasure we derive from watching them and listening to their songs. But not all bird encounters are pleasant or healthy.

How can you recognize when a bird issue on your property requires intervention?

Bird problems are not usually hard to spot: Aggressive birds launch attacks on people; colonizing birds leave unsightly amounts of waste; nesting birds stuff building crevices with debris.

At other times, bird conflicts are more easily overlooked. Droppings that accumulate in high concentrations or sit for long periods are acidic and can impact soil quality, eat away at paint, and corrode vinyl rooftops and weatherstripping.

Bird droppings also contain pathogens like salmonella, E.coli, and the virus responsible for avian flu, which can make people sick if they come into contact with the droppings. Droppings also carry nutrients that impact water quality and cause algae blooms in ponds, lakes, and rivers.

Build-up of goose or gull droppings on a vinyl roof can drastically shorten roof lifespan

Birds waste is voluminous. Most birds poop between 50 and 100 times a day. If you have a flock of birds on your property, that is a lot of potential mess, damage, and disease – which can easily accumulate when birds have colonized a little noticed rooftop. Pigeons, geese, and gulls are the most frequent culprits, but swallows, starlings, turkey vultures, sparrows can cause issues as well.

How do you know if you’ve got a bird problem? An accumulation of waste on a roof or near a window is a sign that birds are spending plenty of time there. It’s a good idea to figure out why.

Droppings around HVAC systems on roofs can draw potential diseases into the building

We can help. Wild Goose Chase has biologists and bird experts on staff who can evaluate potential issues, determine what kind of bird is causing them and why. Then we can help you determine the best, most cost-effective solutions.

At Wild Goose Chase, we’re a reliable source of bird conflict expertise and solutions. Give us a call or click on the link below to learn why we’re the choice of airports, food manufacturers, agricultural clients, property managers, local government and others who need fast, effective and humane solutions to their bird conflicts.

Contact us to learn more about our bird conflict expertise and solutions