Are birds taking roost at your hotel? Here’s why and how to tackle the problem of these unwanted guests.
by RAYMOND WEB
Experiencing bird problems? When birds stay and roost in your hotel, they tend to pose some serious risks like accidental falls, electrical fires and unsanitary conditions. Industries spend thousands of dollars on repairing the damage caused by birds and clearing the mess created by their droppings every year. The financial implications of this ongoing nuisance are more expensive than periodic property maintenance. Bird droppings will tarnish your public image, erode structural components and increase the risk of slips and falls that can lead to expensive litigation.
Getting your unwanted visitors to leave
A few birds on your building may not seem like much compared to winter’s large flocks of starlings, which is why most people don’t realize that their building has become a year-round home for birds.
Once your avian residents have established themselves, they are not likely to leave easily. Disease outbreak is much lower in warm weather, which allows the bird population to grow.
The best way to stop these resident birds from returning is by making your hotel less bird-friendly. Preventing birds from nesting is the most effective means of eliminating them.
You can start by:
- Sealing off access to your building
- Hanging plastic strips in service doorways to allow only equipment and people to pass through
- Excluding birds from your rafters with netting so that they can’t nest in open-air structures
- Removing or filling holes – sparrows and starlings tend to nest in holes as well as boxes so block or remove both
- Installing anti-perching devices will discourage nesting on your property
- Tilting the rafters at a 45-degree angle
- Installing simple mechanical perch repellents
- Installing chemical repellents to make the nest sticky or slippery
- Making sure that food and water is inaccessible to birds
- Setting up decoy traps
- Installing shock tracks
Health and safety
Birds are also known to carry more than 60 transmittable diseases, so getting rid of them is necessary for maintaining a safe, sanitary work environment.
Birds can get trapped in HVAC ducts and equipment, which can clog components and cause fires. Nesting material and bird droppings in commercial spaces reflect a poor business image to customers, visitors and associates.
Bird droppings and nesting materials found in storage facilities, food processing plants and restaurants can invite other pests, hefty fines, legal action and also lead to a complete closure of operations.
Cost and clean-up
Businesses spend thousands of dollars on repairing the damage caused by birds every year.
Not only will bird droppings erode structural components, they also increase the risk of slips and falls, which can lead to expensive litigation.
Reduce the slip and fall risk, save money and keep your hotel disease-free by cleaning bird droppings daily and installing bird control products. The longer you let birds nest and roost on your property, the harder it will be to get rid of them. Turn your establishment into a bird-free zone. If not controlled, bird problems can also attract costly settlements and serious health hazards – have your property thoroughly inspected by a pest control professional today.
4 bird control products you can use
1. Bird Netting
Netting is a physical barrier that will keep birds out from certain areas that are hard to keep bird-free.
2. Bird Spikes
Bird spikes are the best way to create a no-landing zone for birds. Spikes create an anti-roosting, anti-nesting and anti-perching area where even the most stubborn bird species can’t venture.
3. Shock Tracks
These produce slight electric shocks when the birds land on a surface.
4. Flash Tape
Reflective tape scares off birds with movement from wind and the sunlight reflecting off the Mylar tape surface. ■
Find out more at https://www.keephealthyliving.com/bird-problems-and-how-to-combat-them.html.
Raymond Web educates people on pest prevention and control strategies, helping them keep their surroundings healthy, safe and pest-free. A digital marketing manager for Take Care Termite and Pest Control, in Tracy, Calif., he has an in-depth understanding of people and their issues with pests, which he uses in his content to educate people and add value to their lives. For more information, visit Take Care Termite & Pest Control or email [email protected].
Pirozhok Andrew/Shutterstock.com
“When birds stay and roost in your building, they tend to pose some serious risks like accidental falls, electrical fires and unsanitary conditions.”
