Spikes, Sprays, Gels etc

 

Bird control gel-bird control gel may be considered inhumane because it tangles bird feet like a glue board on whatever structure is used on. The gel is squeezed out of tube with the caulk gun. A line of gel squirted on beams, ledges, tops of lights, signs, and other bird nesting and roosting spots as a bird deterrent. Unfortunately, the bird gel may entrap smaller birds like a glue board does to mice and rats, which is one of the reasons why frequently rat chasers and rodent trappers will sell bird control gel as a viable bird control device. Again, unfortunately, the bird gel only lasts a couple of months or so before it becomes coated with dust and stops working and the rat chaser or rat trappers can then come back in and reapply the bird gel. Yes this process is never-ending, and the lifecycle cost compared to other permanent bird solutions like air insulated electric barrier or bird control netting is extremely high. How does the gel work? The gel is irritating and sticky, with irritant chemicals that burn the feet of the birds and entangle them in the mess, and it is a sticky which disturbs the birds.   Beware the fact that bird gel tuns to dirt glue on decorative or light colored surfaces and must be sanded off!  Do not use this on High dollar or historical surfaces! 

 

Bird control sprays-there are bird control sprays that may be sprayed on vegetation to keep birds like geese from destroying landscaped areas or trees from birds. Beware that some bird control sprays may glue dirt and dust to surfaces, ledges, parking lots, cars, and windows.  This could become a huge liability for propery owners. The bird control spray apparatus, chemicals, and spraying is very expensive. Bird control sprays last about 3 to 4 weeks to prevent geese from destroying grasses and gardens. Some are designed to keeps birds out of other areas. Again, most bird control sprays must be used monthly to keep working and thus are very inefficient except for geese.

 

Bird control fogs-bird control fogs are very expensive because the base mixture is very expensive. Are also very expensive to spray due to labor, large fogging contraptions, or large mobile fogger's to get to where the birds are. The cost per square foot is cost prohibitive because the mixture must be bought over and over and over again. Again the fogging contraptions and labor involved in running and maintaining the fogging are also very expensive. Fogging has grown in popularity tremendously across the United States because many people can charge huge sums of money offering this as the only solution to certain bird control issues. Fortunately, there are much better, less costly, and more efficient ways to control birds than fogging with irritants. There are hundreds of power, chemical, and industrial plants around the country that pay large sums of money to fog birds unsuccessfully. Yet most of these operations continue to use fogging with poor results. Worth noting is that many unions and plant safety personnel are preventing continued use of fogging due to it irritating worker allergies and causing respiratory symptoms contributing to excessive sick days and doctor visits. Although the ingredients in most fogs are non-toxic, the chronic effects of the vapors upon the respiratory system appears to be causing problems in many regions of the country. Due to the increase in healthcare costs many operations are banning fogging from their properties except for spraying grass for geese.

 

 

Bird control sounds- Bird sound devices typically become completely ineffective within weeks of initial installation. Birds react to sounds mostly in the 2000 Hz to 4000 Hz range. That is their primary range of hearing. Birds can barely hear sounds much lower and much higher. Birds become accustomed to any sound no matter how alarming that is not associated with some dynamic or alive threat. Thus, it is puzzling that ultrasonic devices that birds may not really hear very well, although they may find them irritating, are supposed to actually work to deter birds. In addition, distress calls are typically combined with alarming sounds of different types, which again is puzzling how sounds that prove to represent no real threat will have any effect on birds for a very long. The answer to these questions is that neither of these devices works well for longer than a few weeks in most situations.  These devices are everywhere and the birds learn to ignore them quickly.  It's interesting to note the guarantee of these products is only weeks also.  These devices may work for bats though.

 

Bird distress calls-bird distress calls work great for a few weeks, until the birds realize there's no real threat. Then the bird device emitting the bird call distress recordings typically stops working more and more until it stops working completely after a couple of months or so. One sure way to find huge flocks of birds in trees and downtown areas is to listen for these devices! Where these bird control devices are installed in trees many birds will typically be roosting in those trees. In fact, bird call distress sound devices tend to attract nesting birds because distress calls are common in nesting bird areas. It is a common sound in large bird colony nesting areas, and therefore may attract even more birds into nearby trees to nest during the spring!