In the UK, we have a wonderful assortment of bird life and, as with all aspects of the natural world, they enrich our lives. However, there is no doubting that certain birds, especially when they congregate in large numbers, can become a massive nuisance. In light of this, there are certain species that can attain pest status and under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, measures can be taken to control them as long as these measures are humane and carried out with special licenses and ideally, by professional bird control specialists.
Here is a list of the main pest species that we have in the UK:
- Herring Gull
- Greater Black Backed Gull
- Lesser Black Backed Gull
- Jackdaw
- Jay
- Magpie
- Rook
- Crow
- Collared Dove
- Feral Pigeon
- Wood Pigeon
- Sparrow
- Starling
The above birds only need a ready supply of food and suitable nesting/roosting sites in order to thrive. The number of birds that congregate in any one area will depend on the amount of food that is available so it’s important, especially if you run a restaurant or take-away operation, to keep good control of your food waste and ensure that it can’t be accessed easily. Issues such as disease, food contamination, noise, feces, building damage and insect infestations can all be brought about by the above bird species.
Bird prevention, proofing and control is a very specialist skill that requires expertise in specialist equipment and tools. At Total Bird Control we are often called upon to deal with pest bird infestations and the methods we commonly use include spikes, nets, wire and barriers. In some cases we will use audible scarers and shock strips to keep birds away, it simply depends on how big the problem is and what’s the best method for long-term control. Bird control systems can become less effective over long periods of time so the situation does need to be periodically reviewed.
For particularly bad infestations we may have to implement measures such as bird trapping, the flying of predatory birds or even shooting. The latter is obviously less desirable but in extreme cases, population reduction techniques are required to get the situation under control.
If you are experiencing a bird infestation problem and not sure who to turn to, then please do not hesitate to contact us. We will conduct a comprehensive survey of the problem and then advise you on the most appropriate control technique to implement. Contact us now and speak to one of our expert team.
