# What Damage might birds be doing in my attic?



## PAbugman (Jun 29, 2010)

Have you looked up there to see what kind of flooring, how much headroom, lighting available, the size and amount of mess, damaged insulation, etc?

Need more info to make an assessment and advise. 

What kind of birds? You could search on web for removal and prevention info.


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## Telfair (Jun 1, 2011)

PAbugman said:


> Have you looked up there to see what kind of flooring, how much headroom, lighting available, the size and amount of mess, damaged insulation, etc?
> 
> Need more info to make an assessment and advise.
> 
> What kind of birds? You could search on web for removal and prevention info.


Its basically a crawl space as I said before.
Cant see the floor because it all covered in insulation.
& the lighting would have to be done with flashlights.


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## Affinity (Jun 7, 2011)

*Be cautious when dealing with Birds, call in the troops*

Dear PABugman,

Due to the increase in development, reduction of natural habitats and the ease of obtaining food and shelter in and around public and commercial areas the amount of pest birds in urban areas has increased significantly. 

“Given free reign, pest birds can lead to health problems as their droppings contaminate the area around which they perch and their nests provide a breeding ground for other pests and diseases,” says Terry Ivison, Technical and Manager of Rentokil.

“Treating a bird infestation is complex and needs to be undertaken by a trained professional, as there is no "one size solution" to fit all bird problems,” says Ivison. He continues by saying, “The area would need to be carefully surveyed to establish where the birds are perching and nesting, and then to determine the best means of deterring them; using a combination of netting, spikes, bird gel and other sound and light deterrent devices.” 

In order to determine whether there is a potential health risk from birds, look out for the following signs: droppings or nesting materials in surrounding trees or the roof of your house. A large amount of droppings within an enclosed area is particularly dangerous. These are the types of situations where disease can be spread. Finally, it is not enough to remove the birds, it is crucial to exterminate all the parasites and thoroughly disinfect the area.

_Rentokil does not support the killing of birds by any means and applies humane techniques only._

Good Luck


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## Telfair (Jun 1, 2011)

I got a ladder & Have started with placing things to keep them away & will be ordering some spikes soon & now plan to cover the vents with a screen to keep them from nesting under my roof.

I just wonder if a plastic hawk or owl works at all to keep them away as well?


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

Telfair said:


> I just wonder if a plastic hawk or owl works at all to keep them away as well?


The legendary plastic owl placed in the circle of the AT&T building by a janitor to abate pigeons is probably about 70 percent urban myth and 30 percent true. It will cost you like $5 to try it out for your circumstances. Shiny discs like beer bottle caps, in strings, have been known to confuse some birds too I read. I suspect nothing but a real predator will fool them for long. 

Pigeons, in addition to being the usual rats with wings, became a special problem in New York when they were found to be carrying Lyme Disease inflicted ticks on to the hallowed streets of Manhattan. People who had not been near a forest or deer were getting really sick. 

New York does have an aggressive natural bird of prey program that works out well. I think it gets too cold here but maybe Chicago does too. The predators are provided starting nests and live atop the skyscrapers and swoosh down under cover of darkness to feed on pigeons, rats and things. Amazing to watch. The "Save the Pigeons Society" hates the program. Sorry, I can deal with PETA and Greenpeace people but don't get me started with those who even dare belong to the pigeon society. 

Ten years or so ago, in Central Illinois the starling population became so bad there was no alternative but to poison them. They were in near every attic, into animal feeds, etc, I guess, in places like day care playgrounds it was rather like living through the Hitchcock movie as they dropped from the sky though. 

Do at least consult a pest control specialist on this. Among other things, if birds are finding ingress/egress to that space. Other critters are soon behind them and watching for an opportunity to enlarge the entrances and exits. A reliable pest control person will counsel you honestly on what you can and should do yourself in this. Leave what you need not do yourself to to them. They will be much cheaper than DIY, spur of the moment thinking. I have not bought a pesticide bottle of stuff of any kind in decades and bet even with my pest control specialists bills most of you spend more than I do on stuff that just does not work or you should not have around the house anyhow.


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## Telfair (Jun 1, 2011)

Funny that you mention a Pigeon society, Right down the street I found these guys.

http://www.fvcsnowbird.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=46&Itemid=60

Like I've said before I LOVE BIRDS!
But these pigeons are crapping all over everything around here! :furious:
& the sparrows are nesting under my roof! 
I actually have a pet bird in my Living room.


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

Hilarious!

I grew up with pets of all kinds and my grandmother breeded and taught singing parakeets. My pest control contractors and trappers will spend 90 percent of their time and 200 percent of my budget for them relocating living things for me. 

There sometimes comes a point though when you just have to adjust for the way we have compressed ourselves and the critters from surrounds and decide who or what can possibly fit. I left the groundhog living under my garage slab alone for a decade until my truck threatened to fall into the 2400sf cavern, near 4' tall, the thing had built for family underneath. 

Champaign Urbana is one of the oldest urban forests in the country and with living there came every critter imaginable. And some idiot UofI president brought a box of grey squirrels over from England to beautify the campus in the 1800s. Nothing will eat them. You cannot hunt them to make winter hats because the fur is coarse or something. They are surprising stupid but resourceful. If you park your vehicle in the wrong lot? Damned critters will have caused you $6K in vehicle wire harnass damage. 

And as mentioned, their was the starling population out of control. 

As for birds? I live a block or so from Lincoln Park in Chicago now. Birds everywhere. The duck pond with I forget how many species is a pleasant walk. And of course their are the dreaded geese that invaded all of Illinois when they forgot how to migrate somewhere else---or just didn't like Florida much more than I do. 

How large do we allow their population to become? They are not native and they certainly should not fit into the environment. 

Oh well. Thanks for getting me thinking about Grandma and her troupe of singing parakeets. None were never allowed in her attic space though.


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## Telfair (Jun 1, 2011)

sdsester said:


> Hilarious!
> 
> I grew up with pets of all kinds and my grandmother breeded and taught singing parakeets. My pest control contractors and trappers will spend 90 percent of their time and 200 percent of my budget for them relocating living things for me.
> 
> ...


Dont get me wrong....when you mentioned poison it peaked my interest, I don't mine throwing them in the trash after they die.
Reality of it seems to be that I could kill 100 pigeons & about a month or so later they would probably be replaced with others.


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## PAbugman (Jun 29, 2010)

Plastice/fake owls, etc do have some value, but from what I've heard they need to be moved around frequently. Otherwise, the pest birds get used to them.


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