It is likely you have a bird feeder or bird bath in your home garden. Maybe even a bird house hanging from your tree. Wild birds can make for a delightful and colorful backyard scene.
However, when it comes to your business, some of those same birds can be extremely detrimental. Birds on the exterior or inside of your facility, store or restaurant can cause a range of issues and health risks, from property damage to food contamination.
1. Do not feed the birds
Make sure your employees are also on board with this rule. Feeding pest birds will guarantee they return to, and could eventually end up inside of, your facility. If a bird is already inside, feeding is a guaranteed way to ensure the bird never leaves.
2. Be aware of exterior conditions
Preventing bird activity outside of a facility reduces the chance of bird entry into a facility. Keep the area clear of food and nesting materials. Exterior trash receptacles should be covered and clean. Also, trash should end up inside of them, not on the ground around it. Dock or dumpster spillage should be cleaned up as quickly as possible. Keep doors and windows closed when not in use. Be sure to also check your building regularly for signs of nesting material. Birds typically enjoy nesting and roosting on signs, open structure entry ways, enclosed loading docks or parking ramps, HVAC units, and awnings.
3. Consider bird exclusion or deterrent solutions
There are many available solutions to help keep birds away from, and off, your building. Hardware cloth or architectural netting are often used to limit access to signs or other open structural spaces in which pest birds will nest. Visual and electric deterrents work to keep pest birds off your building.
4. Use creative solutions for unique situations
Have an open garden center with racks of seed that the birds keep sneaking into for a nibble? Consider a plastic strip curtain as pictured – keeps the birds out, while still providing access to your customers. Placing seed bags in covered plastic storage containers can also help eliminate bird activity.
5. Call Copesan
If bird activity at your business has you at wit’s end, or you’d like to prevent a bird problem before it even starts, call Copesan for an inspection. Our certified inspectors and installers are trained in the species-specific science of the 10 most common pest birds in commercial environments. This focus allows for more accurate identification of potential pest bird issues, and the most effective solutions for your business.