Pest controllers inundated with calls about birds

June 15, 2011 - PRLog -- Experts from Cleankill Environmental Services say the calls range from businesses whose staff are getting attacked by aggressive seagulls while trying to carry out maintenance on rooftops, to pigeons causing health hazards by covering fire escapes with slippery droppings. There have even been calls from sleep deprived homeowners who are being kept awake by birds nesting in eaves outside bedroom windows.

Other more unusual calls include an office block in London where gulls were picking up pebbles and dropping then on the glass atrium roof. Thousands of pounds worth of damage is being caused each time a pebble smashes the glass.

At a school in Bexhill where an expensive Eden project-style roof has been installed, gulls are pecking holes in the plastic causing it to deflate. Bills for repairs will be several thousand pounds.

Many of the calls Cleankill receives have to be referred to Natural England as there are now only certain circumstances when pest controllers can deal with problem birds, unless pigeons are involved.

Cleankill Director Jon Whitehead explained: “Gulls, starlings and sparrows all used to be classified as pest birds, along with pigeons, but now there are only very specific instances when we can deal with them and Herring gulls are now actually a protected species. For instance, the birds have to be classed as a risk to health.

“What we normally recommend is preventative action when the birds have finished nesting and have left. We can then carry out ‘proofing’ work which involves using different methods such as blocking entrance holes or installing nets, sprung wire systems or bird repellents that discourage birds from landing, roosting or nesting. The method depends on the bird and the situation. Sometimes we even replace bird eggs with dummy eggs. The birds try to hatch them and when they fail they realise that particular spot is not good for breeding.”
 
According to Jon, unless they are discouraged, birds will return to the same breeding place year after year. Seagulls are now taking up permanent residence in major cities in-land which is causing problems particularly after the chicks have hatched and the adults become particularly aggressive.

“Gulls used to just come in land to breed and then go back to the coast, but many are finding plentiful food sources in land and now taking up permanent residence. They are becoming an increasing nuisance alongside pigeons – it’s not just the droppings, they will collect and feed off bones and carcasses and then leave them around the nesting areas. Pigeons, however, now breed all year round and the numbers are steadily increasing. If the numbers aren’t dealt with soon, the problems are just going to get worse.”

Cleankill (Environmental Services) Ltd offers a specialist bird control service for facilities and property management companies, from the initial survey and specification through to the final proofing solution. As registered waste carriers, Cleankill can carry out full scale removal of bird fouling, as well as contaminated goods and furniture, from infested properties. For more information, go to www.cleankill.co.uk, call 0800 056 5477, or e-mail info@cleankill.co.uk  

ENDS

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