We all love seeing and hearing the wonderful array of birds that reside in the UK, with many of us putting out food daily in our gardens for them. As a nation we spend £250m a year on wild bird food, such as seeds, peanuts and fats. However, the cost and disruption to industry from our feathered friends is often disregarded. Business owners and site managers are often left bewildered about how they should deal with birds roosting or nesting around their premises. 405 species of birds have been identified in the UK and determining which birds are causing the nuisance can usually be the first step in deciding on how to deal with them.

Bird droppings are unhealthy with more than 60 diseases having been traced back to birds and their waste product. The cost to clean up bird mess can be expensive and the destruction they can cause may often be considerable if left unattended. The droppings can be toxic (known as Guano from pigeons), the pH level is acidic and can cause problems to vehicle paint. It is advisable to remove any droppings immediately, otherwise a semi-permanent stain can be caused. See - how bird droppings damage vehicles. Another problem is when employees and visitors walk over the slippery excrement covering, further spreading the chance of disease.

Bird netting

Bird spikes

There are stringent laws in place to protect birds in the UK and it is advisable to check on what you can and cannot do, before you act. After you have established the type of birds that are prevalent around your premises, you can then implement steps to deter them from your surrounding areas. There is a 3-step program that can help to solve any problems which we can describe as follows:

1. Analyse the birds
Study the bird types and their numbers, flight patterns, times, entry and exit points plus nesting, feeding and roosting habits. You also need to assess where you might move the birds onto after you have successfully repelled them.

2. Deploy good sanitation
An initial clean up of the area that you are intending to deter the birds from is very important. All droppings, mess and food sources need to be removed before any equipment is installed. Vary your tactics to keep the birds guessing!

3. Deter the birds
There is no exact science when dealing with a bird control program. Create synergy by coupling together a variety of products to deter the birds. Obviously, the cost implication has to be weighed up versus the perceived risk and the potential health hazards. Here are some of the available products on the market to help:

• Ultrasonic repellers
• Inaudible to humans but extremely irritating for birds. They work best in semi or fully enclosed areas. Varied frequency, intensity and amplitude works best.
• Sonic repellers
• Used more in large open outdoors areas. Adjustable features and day/night operation prevents birds from feeling at home.
• Visual devices
• Holographic scary eyes, printed tapes, decoy owls and hawks. These support a well-orchestrated overall approach along with other equipment.
• Chemical roost inhibitors
• Non-toxic, environmentally safe sticky, uncomfortable created surfaces that birds will not want to perch on. Normally a gel or a liquid application that will last up to a year.
• Physical exclusions and barriers – sealing or covering access points. Spikes or needles jutting from a base to keep birds from landing.

Visual bird scarer

Repeller ribbon

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