Falconry Based Pest Bird Abatement

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Harris Hawks waiting for commands to capture sparrows during a falconry based bird abatement program[/caption] A All Animal Control of Dallas County Texas 2147104536 Michael Beran Master Falconer Falconry Based Pest Bird Abatement Services [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1024"] TeeCee awaiting orders to remove pest birds from a manufacturing facility[/caption] Falconry based pest bird abatement is a procedure that employs a falconer flying trained birds of prey (falcons & hawks) to intimidate and drive away problem birds.  This natural and eco-friendly approach to harassing and dispersing birds has proven to be a very useful approach to addressing bird related issues at 
airports, parking lots, warehouses, landfills, office complexes, stadiums, industrial areas, and buildings. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Bird pigeon spikes about to be installed in a locomotive repair facility[/caption]

Bird Spike Systems

Bird spikes are used on buildings and structures to eliminate the roosting and nesting surfaces of pest birds. Birds avoid landing on spikes as humans avoid walking on a bed of nails. These spikes are not lethal, just extremely irritating, intimidating, and uninviting. Bird spikes provide a low-profile method of keeping birds off of such things as Window Ledges, Beams, Roofs, Air Conditioners and Chimneys. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Installed bird spikes for pigeons are very effective[/caption] Bird-B-Gone Polycarbonate Bird Spikes come in two-foot sections, 50 feet per box, and is made from a U.V. protected polycarbonate plastic. The spike strips are available in three different widths; (3”, 5” & 7”) to match the surface being treated. The base of the spike strip is 1.5” wide and can be glued, screwed, or tied down to most surfaces. Bird-B-Gone Polycarbonate Bird Spikes are offered in a variety of colors including crystal clear, brick red, light grey, brown, black, white and tan.   The spikes are made by Bird-B-Gone in the USA and carry an industry leading 5-year guarantee. [caption id="attachment_41" align="alignnone" width="300"] Pigeons are a mess and poop everywhere and anywhere[/caption] Most people agree that bird droppings are an eyesore but they would be horrified to find out just how accurate the headline is. Ocular histoplasmosis, a fungal infection that eats away at the eyeball is just one of over sixty diseases that birds can transfer to humans.  Their droppings are often the vehicle for transmission as they dry out, turn to dust, become airborne, and are absorbed by the mucus membranes of unknowing victims. Stories exposing reluctance of city officials to address the issue of bird droppings often focus on the aesthetics of the issue.  People note that the terrible smell of terrible accumulated waste.  Casual observers recognize that the appearance of bird droppings lowers the perceived value of property. Directly after last summer’s collapse of the Minnesota Bridge, readers heard about the structural damage that droppings and there acidic nature can cause.  Still beyond avian flu and West Nile virus, diseases from birds are often glossed over. This leads people to believe that the issue of bird infestations, and the subsequent droppings they leave behind, can be safely kept on the backburner.  City officials realize this and feel free to ignore the problem in exchange for other items that garner more publicity. If people realized that droppings are a carrier for potentially fatal illnesses like salmonella, E.coli, respiratory histoplasmosis (which can permanently affect the lungs), Cryptococcosis, or meningitis to name a few, they would have more ammunition when demanding the control of birds and their waste.  This is not just a matter of image but of public health. While some of these diseases are unfamiliar and rare, they are a real concern – especially for individuals who work in close proximity to an accumulation of bird feces.  Any of the aforementioned diseases leave young children, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems, especially vulnerable. Bird-related diseases are in no way limited to only this specific segment of the population; the general population also needs and deserves to be protected.  Realizing this, the CDC published the following safeguards for dealing with histoplasmosis: [caption id="attachment_42" align="alignnone" width="300"] Pest pigeon removal using falconry based pigeon abatement process[/caption] A All Animal Control of Dallas County Texas Michael Beran Master Falconer 214-710-4536 dallas@aallanimalcontrol.com  

A All Animal Control of Northwest Louisiana Michael Beran 318-828-4837 Nation Wide Pigeon Control Experts The number one bio-hazard when a bunch of birds are pooping all over the place is: Histoplasmosis Histoplasmosis is an infection that occurs from breathing in the spores of the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. [caption id="attachment_213" align="aligncenter" width="940"] Pigeon problems resolved using Falconry based pigeon abatement methods by A All Animal Control of Northwest Louisiana 3188284837 Michael Beran[/caption] Causes, incidence, and risk factors Histoplasmosis is a fungal infection. It occurs throughout the world. In the United States, it is most common in the southeastern, mid-Atlantic, and central states. Histoplasma fungus grows as a mold in the soil. You can get sick when you breathe in spores produced by the fungus. Soil that contains bird or bat droppings may have larger amounts of this fungus. The threat is greatest after an old building is torn down or in caves. Having a weakened immune system increases your risk for getting or reactivating this disease. Very young or very old people, or those with AIDS, cancer, or an organ transplant have more severe symptoms. People with chronic lung disease (such as emphysema and bronchiectasis) are at higher risk of a more severe infection. [caption id="attachment_214" align="alignright" width="300"] Bird dropping present human health risk making bird poop bad for humans[/caption] Large populations of roosting birds may present a disease risk. The most serious health risks arise from disease organisms that grow in the nutrient-rich accumulations of bird droppings, feathers and debris under a roost — particularly if roosts have been active for years. In addition, insects that live on birds or their droppings may become a problem when the infested birds leave roosts or nests. These insects can invade buildings and bite or irritate people. Starling / Grackle Identification: Starlings are an introduced species to America and have adapted well to urban life which offers abundant nesting and food sites. The starling is a dark, chunky, muscular bird that is distinguished from other balckbird species by its short tail and longer, slender bill. In the winter starlings showcase a highly speckled, irridescent coat, while in the summer their plumage is much duller brown/black with less speckles. Starlings gather in massive flocks (some numbering tens of thousands) and these aggressive birds will drive out other native bird species often taking over the other birds' existing nests. Common grackles are about 12" long and have green/blue or purple tinged black plumage with a glossy purplish head, neck and checst. The female of the species is slightly smaller and duller colored than the male grackle. Boat-tailed and great-tailed grackles are slightly larger than the common grackle at about 16" in length with similar plumage, but these pest birds have long "V" shaped tails that crease in flight. Like starlings and other members of the blackbird family, these birds are aggressive, colonizing in huge flocks to overwhelm structures and drive out native bird species. Damage Caused by Starlings / Grackles: When starlings or grackles are in their flocking phase, thousands of these pest birds can literally overwhelm trees or buildings in an area. Typical starling or grackle problems are large scale buildup of their sprayed feces (a whitewash look) which can lead to structural damage, as the uric acid in the pest bird droppings can corrode stone, metal and masonry. Machinery and drainage problems occur from starling nesting materials and bird droppings. In addition, the bacteria, fungal agents and ectoparasites found in starling droppings and nesting materials are responsible for a host of serious diseases, including histoplasmosis, encephalitis, salmonella, meningitis, toxoplasmosis and more. The large quantity of starling or grackle droppings can open a company up to slip and fall liability if not properly cleaned up. Many companies also retain significant clean up and maintenance costs due to starling problems or grackle problems that are not resolved. Agriculture often has grackle problems as these problem birds will eat small seedlings and damage crops. [caption id="attachment_217" align="aligncenter" width="940"] Falconry based starling control using trained birds of prey by A All Animal Control Michael Beran 3188284837[/caption]