Managing Nuisance Bird Issues on Your Agricultural Property this Winter
Dec 17, 2024The most well-known animal strategies for surviving the cold winter months are hibernation and migration. Many birds, including Canada geese and gulls, migrate long distances to warmer climates – but there are exceptions. Some wild birds choose to not migrate, and instead adjust their behavior to survive in cold areas.
These non-migratory birds can cause significant damage to agricultural properties. Here’s what you need to know about protecting your property and livestock from the risks of nuisance birds.
What Property Characteristics Do Birds Look For in the Winter?
In the winter, non-migratory birds lean into their animal instincts to survive by seeking habitats that provide:
Shelter
Given limited coverage from trees and bushes in the winter, birds flock to built environments. Structures such as roofs, eaves, ledges, loading docks, soffits, exposed beams and pipes, and assets including HVAC units, fans, and heaters provide protection from extreme weather.
Food sources
As natural food sources such as fruits, berries, nuts, and insects are limited during the winter, birds will target properties with readily available sources of food. As such, agriculture properties such as dairy barns, poultry farms, egg production, grain processing, and animal feed manufacturing facilities, are particularly attractive to nuisance birds during the winter months.
How Nuisance Birds Hurt Farms
Unfortunately for many farmers, the ready supply of food available on their properties means unwanted pests are inevitable.
Nuisance bird species such as European starlings and pigeons commonly afflict facilities during the winter months, as they stay near their breeding area (instead of migrating). Nuisance birds can be very difficult to deter once they have discovered your property boasts both accessible shelter and a reliable food source. The consistent presence of birds can deplete inputs such as livestock feed and prompt biosecurity risks.
Mitigate Bird-Caused Issues on Your Farm This Winter
To help protect your agriculture property from nuisance birds this winter, Wild Goose Chase Indy recommends using a bird laser. A bird laser – which is exclusively designed to deter birds– can disperse wild birds without harming them or the environment. Bird lasers can be deployed autonomously or by a human operator. Bird lasers have been proven to be a more effective and cost-efficient solution than other deterrents, such as physical barriers or netting.
Learn more about how one dairy operator decreased the observable nuisance bird population by over 95% within one month after installing automated bird lasers.
Your Partner for Agricultural Bird Management Solutions
To learn more about our science-based solutions to your bird conflicts, including bird laser control, reach out to one of our team members today. With decades of experience and a biologist-led team, Wild Goose Chase Indy helps the agricultural industry reduce their nuisance bird-based risks and losses through a variety of safe and effective solutions.