WEB EXCLUSIVE: Plastic Spikes To Keep Birds Away

This Web Exclusive article is provided by Bird-B-Gone, a manufacturer of professional grade bird deterrents.

Without proper bird control in place, pest birds can create a lot of expensive problems for commercial facility managers. It may start with just a few birds on a building, but birds are drawn to the scent of their fellow birds and soon, facility managers have flocks of birds damaging their roofing, AC units and rooftop ventilators, signage, lighting systems, solar panels, and skylights. Bird droppings can also damage the controls on skip loaders, power dollies, and pallet trucks. These are expenses that are unwelcome and unnecessary.web exclusive

There’s also the problem of wet bird droppings on walkways and loading docks, which can create dangerous slip-and-fall hazards for workers. To get rid of birds around commercial facilities, managers should first start by removing any possible food sources around it. That includes sealing of dipsy-dumpsters to prevent birds from accessing food scraps—a big draw for most birds. Once that’s done, facility managers should consider implementing a tried and true bird deterrent.

Here’s what today’s bird control experts recommend:

Plastic Bird Spikes: These anti-perching, anti-roosting spiked strips have proven their value time and again in keeping birds away. No bird, no matter how skilled or determined, can negotiate a landing on or near these spikes. Ideal for large birds like pigeons, crows, and gulls, plastic bird spikes are used by commercial buildings nationwide. Plastic spikes are less expensive than stainless steel bird spikes, but they get the job done. They’re non-conductive, too, so they can be used around cellular devices and other RF antennas without worries about interference.bird deterrent

Choosing the Right Spikes: There are bird spikes, and there are bird spikes. Facility managers should be sure to choose high quality bird spikes that will last. The best plastic bird spikes are made of indestructible UV-resistant polycarbonate. They resist weathering and sun exposure and will provide many years of reliable bird deterrence. Incidentally, high quality bird spikes are blunted at the tips, so they won’t harm birds or installation crews. These are approved by humane groups like the U.S. Humane Society and PiCAS. The other advantage of high quality plastic bird spikes is that they come in a variety of colors to blend in with a building.

Ease of Installation: Plastic bird spikes are easily installed by a maintenance crew or authorized installers of bird control products. They can be glued down, nailed, or screwed into most any surface. High quality plastic bird spikes will have pre-drilled holes or glue troughs for easy mounting. Before installing any bird spikes, the maintenance crew should first thoroughly clean the surface, removing any loose rust, peeling paint, bird droppings, feathers, and nesting materials. The use of commercial disinfecting cleaning agents is recommended to prevent exposure to any of the 60 known airborne diseases that birds can carry. It’s also recommended to use eye and respiratory protection during cleaning, if the area is largely contaminated with bird droppings.