Flying Into Trouble?
Pest birds create major health and sanitation concerns when present on or around structures. Not only do they carry disease, but droppings can easily cause structural damage and contaminate products.
There are three main pest bird species:
Danger Signs
- Birds roosting or nesting on building
- Presence of droppings
- Presence of nests
- Presence of feathers and/or other debris
Potential Harm
- Disease transmission. Pest birds are known carriers of many diseases, most notably histoplasmosis and salmonella.
- Contamination of product
- Regulatory concerns, third party auditor requirements Structural damage due to the acidity of droppings
- Aesthetic concerns from droppings and nesting
Business Consequence
- Liability concerns
- Economic loss due to contaminated food products
- Disease concerns with employees and/or clients
- Economic loss due to structural damage
Steps To Take
- Identification of species
- Determine roosting and nesting patterns
- Use of exclusion techniques, including netting, spikes, ledge modifications, etc
- Use of flock dispersal materials