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Home | Bird Damage | Other Nuisance Bird Species Other Nuisance Bird Species
PigeonsPigeons are some of the most serious pest birds in the United States. Pigeons cause damage to property and agriculture, and are a threat to human health and safety. Pigeons are believed to be a reservoir and vector for more than 50 human and livestock diseases including ornithosis, histoplasmosis, and encephalitis. Pigeon droppings, carcasses and nesting materials can clog drains on roofs, possibly causing them to collapse if water does not drain off. Droppings coming off the edge of these roofs can make a mess on the sidewalk below. Additionally, bird droppings are very acidic and can eat away at many substrates, especially tar-based roofing materials, causing leaks. Bird droppings will fade paint finishes on automobiles, airplanes and other vehicles by actually eating into the protective coating and the paint itself. Bird nests built in chimneys and heating and air-conditioning systems can spread diseases through the system and block air-flow, which can have horrible consequences. Pigeons have been know to enter attics of houses, apartments, restaurants and other buildings through openings that have been either broken or never sealed off in the first place and set up nests. Sometimes the weight of the droppings becomes so great that the actual ceiling collaps es. Even food products can be fouled by pigeons that fly around in warehouses and factories depositing droppings on materials below. 
WoodpeckersWoodpeckers (included in this group are various species of sapsuckers and flickers) cause property damage by drilling holes in cedar, pine and redwood siding and synthetic stucco. They also are an annoyance when hammering or "drumming." Woodpeckers drum on siding to obtain food (insects) within the siding, to build a nest, or to establish or defend territory. In the latter case, metal or plastic gutters, television antennas and light posts are selected as drumming sites because these produce loud sounds. The most common woodpecker damage to houses occurs on houses sided with rough-sawn plywood siding. This type of damage is found in both rural and urban environments. 
GullsGulls cause many types of problems. As with many other birds, they damage a variety of agricultural crops. In addition, gulls, because they are so numerous and widely distributed, are involved in more bird-airplane strikes than any other group. Gull roosts near reservoirs and other bodies of water increase the potential of diseases being transmitted to humans. Gulls, in both shore and inland areas, are also a nuisance, picking through garbage and looking for food from people eating outside. Gulls can negatively impact other bird species populations through predation. 
Cliff swallowsCliff swallows are colonial birds that often nest in close proximity to humans. Their mud nests are found on buildings and under bridges and other structures. These colonies can become a nuisance because of the accumulation of droppings and fallen nests. House sparrowsHouse sparrows, though small, consume field crops, especially on outer edges of planted areas. Damage can be severe because sparrows feed in large numbers. Sparrows also consume livestock and poultry feed. Sparrows, because they live in such close proximity to humans, can be a factor in the spread of such diseases as coccidiosis, salmonellosis, tuberculosis, and toxoplasmosis. Sparrow droppings in grain storage facilities can contaminate food and cause unsanitary conditions. Sparrows will peck on foam insulation in buildings and their bulky nests are potential fire hazards. Pigeon Links http://mdc.mo.gov/landown/wild/nuisance/pigeons/ (Missouri) Sparrow Links http://ector-tx.tamu.edu/publications/l1920.pdf (Texas) Swallow Links http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7482.html (California) Woodpecker Links http://cecommerce.uwex.edu/pdfs/G3117.PDF (Wisconsin) |
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Content: Laurie Paulik Last updated:
06/11/09 |
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