bird pest

Author : Elaine Yetzer Simon

Birds can be nuisances and health hazards at hotels--inside and out--just as easily as ants, cockroaches and bed bugs.
"Depending on the layout of the hotel, birds can sometimes find their way inside," said Frank Meek, national pest control technical manager for Orkin. "Hotels with large lobbies or atriums are more prone to this kind of situation."
Birds also can make their way into hotels through loading docks, delivery areas, balconies and areas that are under construction.
"It can be a huge issue if left unattended," said Mike McGuinness, technical director for pest prevention for Steritech. "Some birds will nest on the inside if they can exit easily to obtain food. Sometimes interior restaurants provide enough food, and the birds don't need to go outside."

And even if birds don't get inside, they still can cause a host of problems for hotels and guests just by hanging around entrances, balconies and outdoor dining areas. One of the biggest problems birds create is a result of what they leave behind.
"The worst is from the droppings," said Mona Zemsky, marketing manager for Bird-X. "When they start to pile up and dry, the fecal dust can be extremely dangerous. You can get more than 60 diseases from breathing dried bird feces."


Some of the worst offenders are starlings, sparrows, swallows, finches, grackles, geese, pigeons and sea gulls.
"What happens a lot of times is birds become comfortable outside the facility, on ledges, lights, etc.," said Cameron Riddell, president of Bird Barrier America. "When they become comfortable, they become more adventuresome. They look for where else they can go--where is there food, where is there warmth?"
Cleaning the area around a hotel can keep birds away.
"Birds tend to become established in the area if poor sanitation exists on the exterior, such as feeding out of open [trash bins] or nesting in overgrown vegetation around the building," McGuinness said.
Products that help repel birds include metal or plastic spikes and sticky gel. These products are placed on ledges, windowsills or roof edges--anywhere birds like to roost.
"Because you've made the area undesirable, they will find someplace else to roost--hopefully down the block," Zemsky said.
Sound machines are another way to repel birds.
"To birds, it sounds like a bird in distress, and therefore, it isn't a safe place for them to go," Zemsky said. "To humans, the sound comes on every 30 minutes or so, and it just sounds like birds. It's a very natural sound, and often people don't even notice it.
Ultrasonic sound machines produce a sound that is above human hearing range. Riddell said netting and electrified tracks are other options.