There are several types of pest in the east coast that can create different problems. Some of them have been outlined right below. Some birds can constitute serious nuisance when they are in a wrong location. The biggest problem is the rate at which they multiply.
Once a particular species of bird begins to roost on your roof, don’t be surprised to see more than twenty of them within a month. Apart from the damage they will do to your property, they can also spread diseases. Some of these birds are collared dove, starling, sparrow, feral pigeon, sea gull, herring gull, black-backed gull and some other ones. They can cause different kinds of problems for your business or for your home.
Feral Pigeons
Feral pigeons are also known as both street pigeons and city doves. They are believed to be descendants of wild doves. They are commonly seen in towns and cities. In fact, they seem to ubiquitous. They seem to prefer the top of tall buildings. They are mostly blue-grey even though they still come in other colors.
They breed two to three times in a year. Their incubation period is about seventeen to nineteen days. Their nestlings spend about thirty-five to thirty-seven days in their nest before moving on. The fact that they like doing things in groups will give you the biggest problem. This is why they seem to increase in number rapidly.
Due to their gregarious nature, they live in flocks of between fifty and five hundred if not sometimes more than that. Although they feed on domestic scraps around the cities, that is not a big problem. The problem with them lies in the fact that they also eat seeds and green feed. This is why they are pests to people with gardens or even farms. Even though the peak of their breeding period is between March and July, they can breed throughout the year if they are well fed.
Seagulls
Seagull is a family name for different species of gulls. Seagulls are made of herring gulls and lesser black-backed gulls. They are commonly seen in coastal towns and cities. Their plumages vary widely so their appearance is a little difficult to tell.
Seagulls breed once in a year and their incubation period is about 25 days. Young seagulls spend between 35 and 42 days in their nest. They give problems because they feed on anything – newly planted seeds or leaves. They become aggressive when mating and rearing their young ones and they can peck people that come near their nest for any reason.
Starlings
Starlings can be identified by their combination of short tails and pointed wings. Their wings become pointed when flying. They appear to be plain black from a distance but when they get nearer, you will find out that their feathers are iridescent purple or green.
A full grown starling is about 23cm long. Starlings breed twice in a year. Young starlings spend about 21 days in their nest. Starlings are agricultural pests because they feed mostly on standing crops. They also flock around in large numbers as they are also gregarious in nature.
Another problem with starlings is that their droppings breed pathogenic fungi. Some of these fungi are not only harmful to humans, they are also fatal. This is why starlings should never hang around homes. They should be evacuated as quickly as possible.
Collared Doves
Collared doves appear in fawn-grey color with a narrow black band at the back of their neck which is why they are called collared doves. They breed from two to four times in a year. Their incubation period is between fourteen and fifteen days.
Baby collared doves spend about fifteen to nineteen days in their nest. They eat grains and seeds around their roosting sites and they also nest on trees and canopies.
House Sparrows
The biggest risk to food industry is the house sparrows. This is because they do a lot of damages to packaged goods and their droppings can contaminate foods items. Unfortunately, they are protected species of birds so they can’t be exterminated. It is a big safety issue when a house sparrow is found around any eatery or food processing company.
The bird is slightly less than 15cm in length. Male sparrows usually have a crown-like object on their head and they also have black throat bib. Female sparrows are mostly plain brown.
They breed all through spring and summer because they breed up to three times in a year. House sparrows don’t change their nests. They use the same nests for years and the nests begin to attract insects. House sparrows live between four and seven years or five breeding seasons.
These pest birds can cause big problems in two ways. They can cause a whole lot of mess and also pose health hazard. They can also be a little aggressive when they begin to defend their territory. The worst of them are pigeons and seagulls. They are usually the largest in number and they can be found everywhere.
Bird removal can be difficult for a couple of reasons. Although pigeons naturally feed on seeds and grains, they adapt to urban areas by feeding on discarded takeaways and food waste from dustbins. This is a major advantage of having them around. Totally removing pigeons may not be a good idea.
Pigeons can breed all through year if given an enabling environment with adequate feeding. However, their peak breeding period is between March and July. It is difficult to get rid of seagulls because they return to the same nesting and roosting site every year. The worst part is that seagulls can live up to forty years during which they will keep breeding actively.
Aviaway provides several bird exclusion, control, and deterrent options for all type of birds.