By PR-Tech (Portland, Or.)
Construction workers deal with any number of pests, from insects to demanding clients with frequent change orders. Often they put birds in that same “pest” category, but birds are far more than a nuisance. In fact, they can cause major havoc on your job site, costing you money and potentially lost time. This is why every construction site should incorporate tools like bird diverters into their equipment.
Here’s what you need to know about effective bird control.
Train and Equip Your Staff for Bird Diversion
Wondering why birds can cause such a problem? For one thing, there are occasions where it is against the law to disturb birds or their nests (more on that below). It’s critical for your staff to understand the seriousness of this type of violation. Below are some ways they can create major problems and how you can avoid them.
Bird droppings
Pest birds can cause serious damage to your job site and your equipment with their droppings, which are highly acidic. The problem is exacerbated when birds perch on your equipment, given that they stream feces when they take flight off a stationary object. That excrement can cake and build up, causing corrosion and other damage. And of course, the bird droppings can create unsanitary conditions—and an unsighlty mess.
Keep the habitat in mind
Some job sites have more favorable habitats for birds than others. The types of environments that may inadvertently attract birds include tall structures where they can shelter to roost, as well as ledges and wires where they can perch. Naturally, an abundance of trees and other vegetation near a job site can attract birds. In these scenarios, you’ll need your staff to be doubly aware of how to get rid of birds and the role that bird control, like reflective bird diverters, can play in keeping your site both safe and productive.
Keep your site clean and prepare ahead of time
Cleanliness is a must for how to keep birds away. Maintaining a clean site will prevent birds from scavenging for food and leftovers. This will also keep other pests away that some predatory birds might hunt for a snack.
Before you break ground make sure your site already has bird diversion equipment in place. Tools like reflective bird diverts will make your site unattractive to birds. Ensure your staff members conduct a walkthrough of the site at the beginning of a project to make sure you have ample diversion equipment to keep birds away from the start. Treat birds like you would rats, cockroaches, termites, and other ground-based pests.
Keep track and monitor
To find potential problem areas, train your staff to look for evidence of current bird presence, such as droppings and nesting. That will help you determine the best location for your bird diverters and the amount of effort you’ll need to put in to scare birds away.
Once you’ve set up your site to get rid of birds, you’ll want to focus on how to keep birds away, particularly because you want to avoid having them nest during a crucial part of your construction activity. Let’s find out why.
Legally Protected Birds Nesting on Construction Sites
Sometimes you can’t just scare birds away. That’s because the Federal Migratory Bird Act from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service forbids you from moving or destroying a nest that has eggs, chicks, or young birds in it. If one ended up in your construction site, you would need to cautiously work around it. That’s why a smart strategy is to conduct bird control before they nest. Otherwise, you’ll need to work around their nest or be cognizant of which of your construction activities are bound to disturb them. Remind your staff to survey nearby trees to ensure they are nest-free before proceeding.
In addition to nesting birds, there are other birds that are legally protected, including species of eagles, as designated by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. Violating the act can earn you a hefty $200,000 fine as an organization, along with potential imprisonment. Many states also have their own laws, which protect various species of birds that are indigenous to the region.
You’ll want to be sure that your team understands the severity of a violation and makes inspecting the site part of their normal safety check routine.
Bird Diversion Types and the Benefits of Each
Wondering how to scare birds away? Fortunately, you have lots of options for bird control, and it is as essential to a construction site as a hard hat.
Here are a few to consider:
- FireFly FF bird diverters: Recommended by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, this reflective bird diverter device incorporates motion and glowing light to prevents costly damage to facilities.
- BirdMark bird diverters: Similar to the FireFly bird diverters, they have a lower installed cost than coils.
- FireFly XA: By hanging a proven FireFly FF bird diverter that easily clamps to crossarms, lattices and similar shapes, you can discourage birds from perching, roosting and nesting within a 30-foot radius of structures.
- RaptorWire bird diverter: These spiral wires prevent birds from nesting, roosting and perching in key areas of your site.
When you are ready to install a bird diverter, make sure to inspect the area first to confirm there are no nests; then follow directions carefully and get ready to watch your bird control problems fly away.
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Watch these Bird Diverters in Action below:
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Want to know more about how bird diversion can protect your investment in your construction equipment and project progress? Contact P&R Technologies today to find out how we can help you get rid of birds and keep your site operating profitably.