Bats: The #1 invader in our Michigan area is the bat. There can be just a few or a large colony that makes a home out of your house. The worst things that these animals can provide is a psychological effect when they are flying around in our house, also leave behind many droppings damaging are quality and insulation. These droppings can be a host for Histoplasmosis. This type of wildlife may also carry diseases such as rabies.

Birds: Other flying pests are birds, like woodpeckers that peck holes in siding. Pigeons, sparrows, and starlings will nest and roost in and on homes of a man made structures leaving big messes. The starlings like to build nests in the bathroom fan vents causing them to plug up and possibly damage the motor or not allowing the damp air to leave the home. Another big bird is the Canada goose leaving goose poop on golf courses and lakefronts, all the places where we walk. These big birds can become very aggressive when they are nesting and lead to a possible attack when humans are walking by.

Squirrels: The red squirrel (the spawn of satin) as I call them. This little red devil can and will get into your home any where there is a place it can chew, tunnel or climb into your home, the red squirrel in my opinion is one of the hardest animals to remove. Then there is the fox squirrel, grey squirrel and the least known is flying squirrels because they are a nocturnal animal. These animals will also cause damage to the insulation of your home and even possibly wiring in the attic spaces. In the yards we have the 13 striped ground squirrel or gopher, and we cannot forget chipmunks.

Groundhogs: The woodchuck or groundhog can be a big back yard wildlife nuisance, they can under mine concrete footings, which can cause structural problems and leave mounds of dirt out by the garden shed. Another earth mover is the occasional badger that may dig many holes looking for a meal; I call this animal mother natures earth movers.

Skunks: This wild animal can also dig up lawns looking for grubs, and they will make a home under a shed, deck in your backyard or even in the crawl space. Many calls that we receive will be during mating season and then after mating season when people see mom and the kits running around in the back yard.

Raccoons: Female raccoons like to have their pups in chimneys, attics and crawl spaces. A sure sign you have raccoons; in the spring the chattering sound coming from the fireplace, attic or ceiling areas, from the young. If the raccoon pups are born in an attic they will chew and tear up things, like insulated heat ducks, electrical wiring and even rafters. This is not including the amount of droppings left behind from the family living in your home. It can be left unknown in many second homes for years and then you could imagine how many droppings they could leave behind.

Coyotes: One larger animal in the wildlife community that can be a nuisance is the coyote. With some of them weighing up to 60 lbs, they are a very successful predator. The coyote is very adaptable hunter, livestock and pets are easy prey.

As a professional wildlife control expert, I have helped homeowners deal with the removal and control of these different varmints. They needed my help because I know how to get rid of the wildlife problem, through proper wildlife control management and keep them from being a problem again. In many cases it takes a wildlife control professional to perform wildlife removal on your home or on your property to be successful and have the exclusion to hold its integrity for years to come.

By: Alex A. Kecskes

When it comes to pigeons and the problems they’ve caused, we should probably begin with a big mea culpa-pigeons were the first bird species domesticated by man over 5,000 years ago. They were raised by the millions across medieval France and England. Eagerly fed by kings and paupers, the lucky pigeons became messengers, the not so fortunate, meals. Eventually, they grew in mass numbers, feeding off grain stores and pooping on statues. Attempts to control them with guns failed. As did all manner of culling efforts. After World War II, poisons emerged, but still they proliferated. Feeding them was banned as early as the 1920’s in Los Angeles’ Pershing Square. At Wimbledon, pigeons swooping down on Centre Court would distract players in the middle of heated matches. Marksmen were hired to shoot down the dive-bombing pests. Hawks were stationed at key areas, but the pigeons simply flew around them. Environmentalists came to their defense and it seemed mankind has lost its battle with the indefatigable pigeon until a whole new industry emerged, pigeon control.

The new industry took flight almost immediately. Needless to say, home and boat owners, property and city managers, architects, churches, sports fans at ballpark owners-all breathed a sigh of relief. Your average sized pigeon dumps approximately about 25 pounds of poop annually. This can cause all sorts of problems. Not the least of which is the high concentration of uric acid found in pigeon poop. It can discolor paint, stain wood, erode metal, even crumble concrete and expensive stonework. The unsightly waste must often be blasted off hard-to-reach areas using expensive boom lifts and steam hoses. There’s also the health risk of bacteria, fungi and parasites that live and grow in the droppings, which can carry and transmit any of 60 known diseases. The fleas, mites and ticks that attach themselves to pigeons can also carry disease. Pigeon-related damage in America has been estimated to cost $1.1 billion a year.

Among the most common and effective pigeon control devices is the bird spike. Made to order for rooftops, awnings, gutters, girders, roof peaks and ledges, bird spikes keep pest pigeons and larger birds from landing. Some spikes are made of stainless steel, others feature rigid U.V.-resistant unbreakable polycarbonate. They are easy to install and won’t harm birds. The spikes are usually placed to cover an entire ledge positioned to seal off corners and open sides to keep the clever birds from sneaking around them. 

Combining simplicity and functionality in a single pigeon control measure is the bird slope. Ideal for ledges, eaves, beams and other 90-degree areas where pigeons tend to nest and roost, the slippery panels prevent pigeons from getting a grip, causing them to simply slide off. Bird slope panels are easily painted to match any structure’s décor. They can be easily glued to any surface.

Another popular and highly effective pigeon control solution is netting. Properly installed, pigeon control netting presents an impenetrable barrier on rooftops, courtyards, patio covers, and other similar surfaces. For larger buildings and commercial structures, try Bird-B-Gone’s heavy-duty bird netting. It’s most often prescribed by architects. Its polyethylene fabric is U.V. stabilized, flame resistant and rot and waterproof. The netting should be draped over window recesses, balconies or even whole rooftops to prevent pest pigeons from reaching nesting areas.

Many building managers have opted for electric-track pigeon deterrents. These have proven to be a very effective pigeon control solution. They discourage pigeons from landing with a harmless, but irritating mild electric shock. Shocked pigeons are persuaded to change their nesting and/or feeding habits and move on. Electric-track pigeon control is ideal for ledges, rooftops, and flat or curved surfaces like signs. Building and restaurant owners often prefer this method of pigeon control because its low-profile electrified track conforms to a wide range of architectural configurations; it’s almost invisible to anyone looking up from below. Some electric tracks come in a flow-through design to prevent water from damming up on rooftops and other surfaces. Bird-B-Gone’s Bird Jolt FlatTrack system uses a knitted copper wire that’s stronger than steel, resistant to corrosion and highly resistant to alkali and acidic environments. The knitted design features a single strand of higher gauge wire and a tube-within-a-tube design for greater conductivity, strength and reliability.

The pigeon control people at Bird-B-Gone have also recently developed a Solar Powered pigeon repeller. Its arms rotate at 30 RPM and gently sweep pigeons away. Ideal for signs, billboards, parapet walls, roofs, or any flat surface, including outdoor eating areas. Bird-B-Gone also offers a number of sonic bird repellers for a wide range of outdoor applications.

For homeowners and property manages who want a speedy, economical pigeon control solution, there’s bird gel. This non-toxic, sticky chemical won’t harm birds, yet it leaves a surface that’s tacky and uncomfortable to pest pigeons. When it dries, it provides an uncomfortable surface for the pigeons to land on. Pigeons just don’t like it and will move on.

For low budgets and large areas, one can find an almost endless number of “pigeon scare” products currently on the market. These simple solutions discourage pigeons from landing on overhangs, gazebos, patios, eaves, pool areas, and other locales. They include iridescent reflective foil or flash tape and inflatable balloons imprinted with lifelike reflective predator eyes and markings. Some pigeon repellers have iridescent foil eyes to scare away birds by day and glow-in-the-dark backsides to keep them away at night.

More importantly, bird control can save lives. The FAA says that birds are attracted to airports with disastrous results. A tragic example is U.S. Airways flight 1549, which was forced to make an emergency landing in the Hudson River after a flock of geese flew into its engines. Between1976 and 2007, there were 76,000 reports of accidents with birds and aircraft, and of those, 11 people died.

So whether it’s pigeons, sparrows, seagulls, starlings, crows or geese, bird pests can cause all sorts of problems. Not the least of which is the high concentration of uric acid found in bird droppings. It can discolor paint, stain wood, erode metal, even crumble concrete and expensive stonework. And don’t forget the health risk of bacteria, fungi and parasites that live and grow in bird droppings, which can carry and transmit any of 60 known diseases. The fleas, mites and ticks that attach themselves to birds can also carry disease. All told, the costs to cleanup and repair what pest birds do runs into the millions of dollars annually.

One especially effective bird control device is the bird spike. Ideal for keeping pest birds from landing on rooftops, awnings, gutters and girders. Some spikes are made of rigid U.V.-resistant unbreakable polycarbonate. Others have flexible stainless steel spikes. They come in a variety of widths and colors, are easy to install and won’t harm birds. Be sure to install a sufficient amount of spikes to cover an entire ledge to keep birds from sneaking around them. And close off corners and all open sides of a ledge.

Bird control netting is another highly effective bird control solution. Ideal for courtyards, patio covers, and rooftops. Properly installed, pigeon netting presents an impenetrable barrier against these pest birds. If you want to keep birds away from fruit trees, crops, vineyards, you’ll need agricultural netting. For buildings and other structures, try Bird-B-Gone’s heavy-duty bird netting. It’s most often prescribed by architects. Its ISO 1806 mesh test polyethylene fabric is U.V. stabilized, flame resistant and rot and waterproof. The sub-zero stable, non-conductive webbing comes in 3/4″, 1-1/8″ and 2″ mesh sizes to control a variety of birds. Be sure to place the netting over window recesses, balconies or even whole rooftops to prevent birds from reaching nesting areas.

Another simple, but effective bird control measure is the bird slope. These slippery PVC panels are ideal for ledges, eaves, beams and other 90-degree areas where birds tend to nest and roost. The steep angles they present won’t allow birds to get a grip, causing them to simply slide off and move on. Bird slope panels come in a variety of colors to match any structure’s décor. They can be easily glued to any surface or screwed to wood. Be sure to use UV stabilized polycarbonate panels like those offered by Bird-B-Gone.

Other bird control products used by many building managers include electric-track bird repellers. These present birds with a harmless, but irritating mild electric shock that discourages them from landing. Once shocked, birds alter their habits to nest or feed on that particular building. Ideal for use on ledges, rooftops, and flat or curved surfaces like signs. Building and restaurant owners often prefer this method of bird control because its low-profile electrified track conforms to any architectural configuration. And because it’s almost invisible close-up or to those looking up from below. Choose a flow-through design to prevent water from damming up on rooftops and other surfaces. Bird-B-Gone’s Bird Jolt FlatTrack system uses copper knitted wire mesh that’s stronger than steel, resistant to corrosion and highly resistant to alkali and acidic environments. The knitted design features a single strand of higher gauge wire and a tube-within-a-tube design for greater conductivity, strength and reliability.

One novel bird control device recently developed by Bird-B-Gone is the Solar Powered bird repeller. Its arms rotate at 30 RPM and gently sweep birds away. Ideal for pigeons, seagulls and larger birds, the repeller can be used on signs, billboards, parapet walls, roofs, or any flat surface, including outdoor eating areas. The bird control company also offers a number of sonic bird repellers for a wide range of outdoor applications.

For bird control on a budget, there are an almost endless number of “bird scare” products currently on the market. They discourage birds from landing on trees, overhangs, gazebos, patios, eaves, pool areas, and other areas. They include iridescent reflective foil or flash tape and inflatable balloons imprinted with lifelike reflective predator eyes and markings. Some bird repellers have iridescent foil eyes to scare away birds by day and glow-in-the-dark backsides to keep them away at night.

Finally, for a fast and economical bird control solution, there’s bird gel. This non-toxic, sticky chemical leaves a surface that’s tacky and uncomfortable to most birds. The gel skins but never sets hard, providing an unstable surface for the birds to land on. Birds hate it, yet it’s safe for both birds and people.