Looking after a building is no easy feat and there are always threats to your building and grounds, from equipment failure to weather to birds. Knowing the threats and being prepared can save you time, hassle, and nasty – and often expensive – surprises.

If you haven’t considered birds a threat to your grounds, it’s time to add them to your list. Besides making a mess of your property and adding to your maintenance duties, birds can also help spread diseases that can infect the soil and make humans sick.

Doing your best to control your bird population, keeping them away from your building, and deterring them from making their homes on your property means implementing a few simple measures.

Keeping them out

Making a welcoming environment for birds will draw them to your property. Refrain from installing bird feeders or anything else that may encourage them to settle and make their home.

Discourage their visits by keeping doors and windows shut. So, if you have a bay or delivery door, be sure to keep it closed when it’s not in use. As an added bonus, this can help keep your cooling costs down through the summer months.

In the case of Canada geese, they can be really destructive, eating up to an estimated 5 pounds of turf per day and producing up to 1.5 pounds of droppings. Replacing your lawn with gardens is a good first step in making it less desirable for geese to visit your property.

Using devices and tools

Often, installing spikes on roofs and ledges is enough to make birds find another home. By removing a safe and comfortable place to land, they will likely choose another spot to roost. Some of these devices can be electrified with a very low voltage, which does not harm the birds, but just makes them uncomfortable.

There are also some paste-like products that can be used, making it undesirable for birds to land on that surface. These products are often used for inside applications like garages. For birds like pigeons, some building operators have chosen to use birdseed which causes indigestion to discourage repeat visits to their buildings.

Things like whistles, horns, and scarecrows tend to have limited success, as the birds become accustomed to these devices, and they adapt their behaviours. With outdoor applications like parks or eating areas, you may choose to install netting that helps discreetly keep the birds away, while maintaining the scenery and use of the space.

Birds can become a nuisance. Protect your building by discouraging birds from settling in and making their homes on your property.