What Birds Are Considered Pests?

These bird species fall under the category of pests because of the damage and health risks they cause. They are also invasive species not native to North America, so there are no natural predators to control their population.

Here are three of the most common pest birds that commercial properties have trouble dealing with:

• Pigeons: These large, grayish birds flock wherever food is available, often in urban areas where unattended garbage cans are everywhere. Many pigeons are comfortable around humans because we make the mistake of feeding them. Pigeons can carry insect pests like ticks and fleas.
• Sparrows: Species like the house sparrow are about half a foot long and mostly colored reddish-brown. They’re known to pick at trash when grains or vegetables aren’t around. Sparrows aren’t afraid to build nests near buildings, and they defend their homes aggressively.
• European Starlings: Across North America, you can identify these birds by their dark feathers and light speckles. Though they’re small in size, they gather in huge numbers. They blanket areas such as agricultural and livestock facilities to hunt for grubs and seeds, causing damage and contamination.

The Dangers of Birds

Birds may look cute, but they’re not the best at cleaning up after themselves or building their nests with careful consideration for humans. They also love to flock and feast at farms. Birds, like starlings, destroy fruit crops and lead to significant agricultural losses across the country.

Birds can cause a range of issues for people, such as:

• Hazards: Unsafe conditions are created when bird droppings, debris and nesting materials accumulate on slippery stairways and walkways. A bird nest on a rooftop can also create a fire hazard or block vents that maintain proper air quality.
• Health risks: Birds can carry over 60 different diseases, including toxoplasmosis, encephalitis and histoplasmosis. Contact with bird feces or breathing fumes in the surrounding air can transmit these illnesses to humans.
• Property damage: They cause damage to automobiles, aircraft, and buildings with acid bird droppings. Bird feces can ruin paint and plastic and even corrode masonry and metal.
• Extra costs: Birds can add expense to your business with routine maintenance, cleaning, product loss and repackaging. Nests get clogged in building gutters, which can lead to water damage over time.
• Other pests: Ectoparasites, rodents and other insects are attracted to bird droppings. Even if birds stay outside of your buildings, their presence can lead to more organisms indoors and risk contaminating the inside.

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