Bird Facts
What You Should Know About Birds
Many people believe that birds are mammals because they are warm-blooded, but these feathered vertebrates actually belong to the avian family. With more than 9,000 different species across the globe, birds can be found in every part of the world.
The smallest bird, the bee hummingbird, averages only 2 inches in length. The largest bird, the ostrich, averages 9 feet tall and has eyes larger than any land-based mammals.
Common features among birds include beaks, two legs, and feathers that aid in flight and protect them from the elements. Birds’ diets vary from species to species and may include insects, nectar, fruit, seeds, and small animals. All birds lay eggs, and most species mate for life.
Unfortunately, many nuisance birds flock across Western Massachusetts and even Upstate New York. Common pests include pigeons, starlings, woodpeckers, and sparrows.
Bird Information: Dangers and Damage
Birds’ nests, even those outside in the eaves of a building, pose a threat to the structure of the building and the health of its inhabitants. Bird droppings are acidic, which can damage homes, businesses, and other structures.
The nests themselves can clog vents, cause chimneys to malfunction, and pose a fire hazard. Additionally, large populations of birds roosting on a property can be annoying, with nests and droppings degrading the integrity of eaves, attic floors, and roofs.
In addition to damaging buildings, bird droppings can also spread diseases. Notably, birds carry the fungal spores that cause histoplasmosis, a lung infection. Birds are often infested with parasites like mites, which can spread into homes and businesses.
Signs of a Bird Infestation
Visible nests, live birds, and bird droppings are among the chief signs that birds have moved into an area. Droppings often stain roofing, siding, building exteriors, and insulation. The acidic content results in damage to wood, metal, and even pavement.
In addition to seeing birds or their droppings, it may be possible to hear them. Indoors, birds make noise, including pecking, chirping, and flapping.
Bird droppings can stain the roof, siding, and insulation as well as eat away at paint and other materials in manmade structures. In severe cases, the combined weight of the nests and bird droppings can cause attic floors, roofs, and eaves to completely collapse.
Nests that are built in heating or cooling systems or in chimneys can lead to malfunction and create a fire hazard. Cedar, pine, and redwood siding may be susceptible to woodpeckers, resulting in wood siding and walls becoming riddled with holes.
Bird Identification
Of the thousands of different bird species, many can pose a nuisance to homes and businesses. Three common birds that infest residential and commercial properties in Western Massachusetts are pigeons, starlings, and woodpeckers.
Pigeon Facts
Pigeons can be found in cities and suburbs, but they also frequent more rural locations. These birds average heights of 11 inches and usually have blue-gray features and slender beaks. Pigeons make a distinctive cooing noise and often perch on ledges, the tops of buildings, and under bridges.
Starling Facts
These dark, muscular birds have shiny bodies with shades of blue and green throughout their bodies. They average 6 to 11 inches high and have triangular patterns on their wings that become visible when their wings are extended. Starling beaks are long, slender, and yellow in summer but black in winter. Considered an invasive species, these nuisance birds are persistent in their nesting habits.
Woodpecker Facts
Woodpeckers average a little more than six inches in height, but their size can vary widely. The large pileated woodpecker grows to heights of over 19 inches. These birds usually have gray or brown features and thick skulls. They are most known for the distinctive knocking noise they make as they hammer into trees to search for insects to eat.
Bird Habitats
With its abundant forests, Massachusetts is a popular state for birds. Birds naturally seek shelter that’s near food and water sources, including hollowed out trees, dense shrubbery, burrows in the ground, and manmade structures. They make nests in gutters, roof overhangs, outdoor speakers, exhaust vents, and chimneys.
These types of nuisance wildlife can squeeze into small openings, leveraging their small size to build nests in attics, eaves, and soffits. Homes and businesses near food and water sources become particularly attractive potential nesting spots for birds to return every season to lay eggs and raise their young.
Identification
- Class: Aves
- Size: Varies
- Color: Various colors
- Legs: 2
Benefits of Professional Bird Control
Removing bird nests around your home, business, or property can be challenging. Additionally, many species are protected by Massachusetts laws, requiring careful handling.
USX Pest provides expert professional bird control. Our technicians have the skills, knowledge, and equipment needed to effectively remove birds, clean up and repair the damage they cause, and prevent them from returning. Effective management of nuisance birds requires finding their perches and nests, locating how they are entering the premises, and sealing off potential entry points.
Schedule a Free Inspection with USX Pest Control
Don’t let flocks overtake your space. Contact us online or by phone at 855-761-1550. We can schedule your inspection and start the bird removal process or answer any questions.