Restaurant Owner Faces $2,000 Fine for Hosing Bird Poop Off Store Entrance

Last year, the owner of Crawdaddy’s in downtown Corpus Christi, Texas faced a $2,000 fine if he hosed off the bird droppings in front of his restaurant. City officials explained that the city’s storm water ordinance prohibits washing pollutants, like bird poop, into the storm drain system that runs out to the bay. Proving Charles Dickens' "the law is an ass" statement popularized by Oliver Twist, the Corpus Christi ordinance stipulates that it’s okay if rainwater washes the poop out into the storm drain system—you just can’t use a hose. Corpus Christie officials advised business owners to vacuum the sidewalk or to secure the services of a professional to clean it for them.

To circumvent this insanity, storeowners in Corpus Christi (and other areas with similar ordinances) do have a sane and less costly alternative to waiting for rainfall or calling in a professional cleanup crew.  It’s called bird control. 

Deter Birds with Spikes

If birds are perching and nesting immediately above your store’s entrance, you can invest in some Plastic Bird Spikes. These anti-perching, anti-roosting bird deterrents won’t allow birds to land on or near them. They are blunted at the tips and approved by a number of humane groups—including the U.S. Humane Society (so you won’t have any trouble with city ordinances). They also come in a variety of colors—including crystal clear, brick red, light grey, brown, black and tan—so they’ll blend in with your store’s color scheme. Be sure to get high quality Plastic Bird Spikes made of unbreakable UV-protected polycarbonate. These spikes have a flexible base, which allows them to “follow” curved surfaces like signs and archways. They also have pre-drilled holes or glue troughs for fast, effortless installation. The spikes come in two-foot sections and 3-, 5- and 7-inch widths to provide increasingly larger areas of anti-perching protection. The spiked strips measure just 1.5 inches wide at the base, so they can be mounted on very narrow surfaces.

Block Birds with Netting

If birds are nesting under your canopies and eaves, you should also invest in some Garden Bird Netting.  It seals out birds and prevents them from nesting in these areas. Birds who have nested there last year will invariably return to the same spot, since birds are very territorial. Lightweight and easy to handle, Garden Bird Netting is easy to install and comes in 14 x 100-foot and 14 x 200-foot rolls. It can be easily cut down to the size to need.  It’s also available in three different mesh sizes. There’s a 1/4" mesh for small birds, 1/2" mesh for medium sized birds, and 3/4" mesh for large birds. Be sure to get the bird netting clips to keep the netting taut and in place. The best Garden Bird Netting is made from a durable, UV-protected polypropylene. It’s strong, light and virtually invisible. You can install this netting temporarily if you only have a seasonal problem with birds, or permanently to ensure year ‘round protection for your storefront.

Top 3 Pigeon Control Devices for Rooftop Nightclubs

If you own or manage a rooftop nightclub, you know that birds can be a problem. Before you open, these flying pests can leave droppings all over your tables, sofas and chairs, leaving you with a nasty cleanup job. If your club features a pool or spa, bird droppings can pose a real headache, requiring an expensive cleanup.

After you open, when guests start streaming in, the presence of birds on tables, chairs and sofas can be a turn off.  Birds are attracted to your club because of all the finger foods on tables and scraps that have fallen on the floor. You also need to keep birds away from decorations, signage, bar areas, lighting fixtures and sound equipment. No matter how you look at it, without effective bird deterrents, you’ll be at the mercy of pest birds that can quickly ruin the image of your club.
Fortunately, there are some very effective bird deterrents you can install that will keep birds away from your club. Here are three today’s bird control experts recommend:

1. Bird Spikes

Proven worldwide, Bird Spikes are the anti-perching, anti-roosting devices that will keep birds off signage, light posts, awnings, fixed umbrellas, rooflines and virtually any elevated structure. Today’s plastic bird spikes come in a rainbow of colors—including crystal clear, brick red, light grey, brown, black and tan—to blend in with your club’s façade. The best plastic bird spikes  are made of rigid UV-resistant unbreakable polycarbonate to resist weathering and sun exposure. These spikes come in 3-, 5- and 7-inch widths to protect areas up to 7 inches wide. The base of the spiked strip is just 1.5” wide, so it’s easily installed on narrow fixtures.

2. Bird Chase Super Sonic

Easy to set up, the Bird Chase Super Sonic broadcasts predator and distress calls that frighten birds away. The Bird Chase device can be set up to emit distress and predator calls day and night. And it can broadcast distress and predator calls for as many as 22 different types of birds. So one device takes care of all your bird problems. Incidentally, these sounds are not annoying to humans, since they resemble natural bird calls. And unlike ultrasonic devices, the Bird Chase device emits sounds birds can actually hear.

3. Plastic Bird Netting

Easy to install, Plastic Bird Netting can be used to deny pest birds access to overhangs, canopies, and electrical control and food storage areas. Bird netting is available in several mesh sizes to deter various types and sizes of birds. For larger birds, like pigeons or seagulls, a 1-1/8-inch to 2-inch mesh size is recommended; for sparrows or starlings, a 3/4-inch mesh size would do. The best bird netting is UV- stabilized, flame resistant and rot- and water-proof. Bird netting is even available in different colors--like white, stone and black, so it’s barely visible.

Pigeon Control: Problems & Solutions…by the Numbers

Pigeons can create all sorts of annoying problems for today’s property owners.

1. Pigeons Carry Diseases. These “dirty birds” often gather in huge flocks on buildings. When they do, they pose a threat to human health and safety. Their droppings can carry a virus called encephalitis, which can cause an inflammation of the brain. In fact, they can carry any of 60 known diseases, including salmonellosis and ornithosis, a disease similar to viral pneumonia.
2. The Stench & Mess of Droppings. This can negatively impact the appearance of a home or business. The sheer weight of bird droppings has led to the structural collapse of ceilings. The slip-and-trip hazards bird droppings leave on walkways, steps and entrances can be especially dangerous. 
3. Major Clean-Up Costs. For businesses, this can become a major expense. Removing nesting materials and accumulated droppings can sometimes require specialists in "moon suits" to protect them from disease-carrying clouds of droppings created when hardened droppings are sand blasted away.
4. Fire Hazard. Pigeons roosting and nesting near electrical equipment and wiring can create a fire hazard. 

Using pellet guns and poisons to get rid of pigeons can be dangerous to pets and children. These measures are also considered inhumane. Egg removal, birth-control pills and food deprivation take three to five years to be effective. Fortunately, there are far more efficient, expedient and humane ways to achieve pigeon control.

1. Bird Slopes Blend In to Keep Pigeons Out. These angled, slippery PVC panels simply won’t allow pigeons to purchase a landing. Ideal for the many 90-degree nooks and crannies found in most structures, the panels even come in several colors to blend in with a structure’s aesthetics. The best bird slope panels are made of UV-stabilized polycarbonate to last longer in tough outdoor weather.
2. Bird Wire Systems Keep Pigeons off Balance. Most birds prefer a stable landing area. Bird wire systems provide anything but that. These post-and-spring-wire set-ups make pigeons “wobble and weave ‘til they leave.” Ideal for railings, rooftops and similar extensions where pigeons prefer to land, wire systems install easily and are  often used on Federal and State government buildings. The best bird wire systems feature nylon coated stainless steel wire for lasting durability.
3. Bird Spikes Create a No-Landing Zone. Making it virtually impossible for pigeons to land, Bird Spikes come in rigid UV-resistant unbreakable polycarbonate or longer-lasting stainless steel. These pigeon control strips even come in a variety of colors--including white, tan, gray, black, brown, brick red and crystal clear—to make them far less conspicuous. The bird spikes can be easily glued,  screwed or nailed to any surface.
4. Sonic Repellers Drive Pigeons Away. Pigeons won't nest or roost near the sound of peregrine falcons (a pigeon's dreaded enemy) defending their territory. And that’s exactly what Sonic Bird Deterrents imitate—the sounds of their most fearsome enemy attacking and squawking. Sonic repellers repeat these sounds on a regular basis. And they won’t annoy pets or humans.