Bird control

Bird control or bird abatement involves the methods to eliminate or deter birds from landing, roosting and nesting.

Methods of bird control include physical deterrents, visual deterrents, multi-sensory deterrents, sonic devices,[1] trained birds of prey (falconry), chemicals, contraceptives and active barriers, among others. Bird control is frequently used for birds like feral pigeons, common starlings, house sparrows, crows and gulls, depending on the area.

Bird control may be desired in several different contexts unrelated to cosmetic concerns in urban areas (i.e., pigeon roosts on buildings). Birds are regularly removed or dispersed from airfields to mitigate bird strikes.[2] Avian deterrence is also frequently employed due to crop loss on agricultural fields.[3] In a similar vein, piscivorous birds are frequently controlled on or near aquaculture facilities to mitigate losses.[4] In other contexts, bird control may be used to promote safety for birds, such as deterring them from entering windfarms or from roosting in electrical equipment.[5][6]

Birds usually adapt quickly to most bird control devices, as birds are nowadays even using anti-bird spikes as nesting material.[7][8] A magpie nest found in Antwerp, Belgium, consisted of 1500 metal spikes, around 50 meters of anti-bird spike strips, which the birds themselves forcefully removed from the surrounding roofs.[9][10] But nests like these are also reported from the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Birds in the United States and Australia have been observed removing anti-bird spikes themselves as well.[11][12]

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) recommends to reduce feeding gradually over several weeks, after which the flock will gradually disperse.[13] To discourage pigeons from gathering, food attractants need to be cleaned up regularly, as often feeding occurs unintentionally.

On public health they claim: "there is little evidence linking pigeons directly to human infections".[13] Pigeon-related diseases are rare, and people most at risk are those with a compromised immune system.[14]

Methods

Bird control devices fall under two categories: deterrents and exclusions.[15] Deterrents, such as acoustic devices, pyrotechnics, lasers, and bird spikes, discourage birds from landing or roosting in an area by presenting a physical obstacle or causing discomfort and annoyance for the target bird, or otherwise induce neophobia (fear of a novel stimulus). There are fewer exclusion devices, which include bird netting, mesh, and structural modifications, but may also include more intense management options like habitat modification.[16]

Physical

Physical bird deterrents include steel or plastic spike systems, bird netting, electrified wire systems, non-electrified wire systems, electrified track systems, slope barriers, mechanical spiders, chemical foggers and more. Spikes can also be counterproductive, as smaller species like sparrows can use the spikes as a structure to build their nests inside, while larger birds can remove the spikes, and even make their nest out of them.[7]

Visual

Visual deterrents may fall into several subcategories, but have the general effect of scaring birds with novel, highly salient visual stimuli. They are often coupled with an additional deterrent, such as limited lethal control.[16]

Lights

Presentation of light stimuli have been employed as avian deterrents in several contexts. Pulsing red lights may be an effective deterrent and exclusionary device for waterbirds and corvids.[17] Canada geese appear to be particularly repulsed by blue light.[18] Use of ultraviolet lighting has also been explored; however, some birds are not particularly sensitive to ultraviolet light, making this approach more appropriate for smaller passerines.[19]

Lasers

The use of red or green lasers to deter or frighten birds has shown some promise, leading to decreased agricultural losses and immediate departure from a treated area.[20][21] In some contexts, though, birds which were not initially scared away by laser systems remained in treated areas, indicating that lasers are not completely effective on their own.[22] Lasers may damage avian retinas and cause long-term changes to behaviour and foraging that likely adversely affect birds.[23]

Wind-based

Wind-driven scare devices include tapes, balloons, kites, and lightweight spinning turbines propelled by wind. These devices reflect sunlight and in limited uses scare birds that are new to an area. While these devices may initially scare birds away, there has been no demonstration of long-term dispersal using sunlight reflection devices or similar approaches.[16]

Chemical

Chemical deterrents range from products for turf to avicides. There are taste aversion products for geese, and fogging agents used for birds. Many localities have restrictions on the use of chemicals and pesticides targeted at birds if they intend to kill them. Non-avicide chemical deterrents that do not harm birds are widely used, but with limited results.

Acoustic

Pyrotechnics

Pytotechnic devices may also have a visual component (e.g., flashing), but are primarily intended to scare birds via loud noises. They are generally fired via specialized projectile devices (cannons, pistols) and can emit sounds similar to a shotgun or produce a loud "scream."[16] In a study on double-crested cormorants, pyrotechnics were demonstrated to be equally effective to lethal control in keeping birds out of a treatment area.[24]

Sonic deterrents

Sonic avian deterrents are used widely in large open areas. Sounds include predator cries and distress calls of a variety of birds to discourage pest birds from coming into an area. Common locations for these devices include vineyards, reclamation plants, airports, and other open areas. There are also ultrasonic avian deterrents, which are inaudible to human ears.[1]

The use of a "sonic net" – deploying sound within the frequencies of target species calls and communication – has shown promise in deterring European starlings from airfields.[25] In most cases, birds are expected to eventually habituate to sonic repellents, unless they are supplemented with other deterrent techniques.[26]

Raptors

The use of predatory raptors to disperse prey species is a commonly used bird control method, especially in Europe.[27] In the United States, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), a falconer may request any raptor species protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 (MBTA) to be used for falconry except for golden eagles. The use of bald eagles or golden eagles for abatement is prohibited by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. All raptors used for abatement must be captive bred and banded with a FWS-issued leg band.[28]

The MBTA list can be found here.

Species include

Effigies

Effigies are the use of a carcass (or decoy made to look like a carcass) of the species targeted for dispersal.[29] An effigy is typically hung on a structure where birds communally roost, or placed near an area where avian exclusion is desired. Effigies have been employed to disperse turkey vultures successfully.[30] Use of effigies on other species such as common ravens, American crows, and gulls have demonstrated limited deterrence.[31][32]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "How Sonic and Ultrasonic Sound Units Will Deter Birds". Aviaway Bird Control. Retrieved 2022-12-19.
  2. ^ Belant, Jerrold R. (2011). Bird Harassment, Repellent, and Deterrent Techniques for Use on and Near Airports. National Research Council (U.S.). Transportation Research Board. ISBN 9780309143370.
  3. ^ Varriano, Sofia; Snyder, William E.; Smith, Jared C.; Shariat, Nikki W.; Dunn, Laurel L. (2025). "Deterring Wild Birds during Fruit and Vegetable Production" (PDF). Food Protection Trends. 45 (1): 27–35.
  4. ^ Littauer, Gary A.; Glahn, James F.; Reinhold, David S.; Brunson, Martin W. (1997). "Control of Bird Predation at Aquaculture Facilities: Strategies and Cost Estimates" (PDF). Southern Regional Aquaculture Center Publications 402.
  5. ^ Shewring, Mike P.; Vafidis, Jim O. (2017). "The effectiveness of deterrent measures to minimize disturbance impacts to breeding European nightjar at an upland wind farm site in South Wales, UK". Conservation Evidence. 14: 58–60.
  6. ^ Avery, Michael L.; Greiner, Ellis C.; Lindsay, James R.; Newman, James R.; Pruett-Jones, Stephen (2002). "Monk parakeet management at electric utility facilities in south Florida". Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference. 20.
  7. ^ a b "Rebellious birds make nests from anti-bird spikes". Leiden University. 2023-07-13. Retrieved 2025-06-29.
  8. ^ Anthes, Emily (2023-07-13). "'They're Outsmarting Us': Birds Build Nests From Anti-Bird Spikes". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-06-29.
  9. ^ Sample, Ian; editor, Ian Sample Science (2023-07-11). "Crows and magpies using anti-bird spikes to build nests, researchers find". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-06-29. {{cite news}}: |last2= has generic name (help)
  10. ^ "'The perfect revenge'? Birds are building fortresses from anti-bird spikes". Animals. 2025-06-29. Retrieved 2025-06-29.
  11. ^ Intelligent crow removes anti-bird spikes 🤯😂 #shorts #crow. Retrieved 2025-06-29 – via www.youtube.com.
  12. ^ Fuck the police!. Retrieved 2025-06-29 – via www.youtube.com.
  13. ^ a b "What to Do About Pigeons". The Humane Society of the United States. Archived from the original on 2021-12-29.
  14. ^ "Pigeon-Related Diseases - NYC Health". www.nyc.gov. Retrieved 2025-06-29.
  15. ^ "Bird deterrent vs. bird exclusion". Pest Management Professional. 2021-05-17. Retrieved 2022-12-19.
  16. ^ a b c d Seamans, Thomas W.; Gosser, Allen (2016). "Bird Dispersal Techniques". Wildlife Damage Management Technical Series 2.
  17. ^ Honda, Takeshi; Tominaga, Hiroki; Konishi, Hirofumi (2026). "A nonlethal and scalable bird deterrent: field validation of 15-Hz red flickering light across multiple species". European Journal of Wildlife Research. 72 24.
  18. ^ Lunn, Ryan B.; Blackwell, Bradley; Baumhardt, Patrice; Talbot, Anne; Di Domenico, Isaac; Fernández-Juricic, Esteban (2025). "Light tuned to the avian eye elicits early detection and escape from an approaching aircraft". Royal Society Open Science. 12 (6) 250047.
  19. ^ Avery, Michael L.; Werner, Scott J. (2017). "Frightening Devices". In Linz, George M.; Avery, Michael L.; Dolbeer, Richard A. (eds.). Ecology and Management of Blackbirds (Icteridae) in North America (1st ed.). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
  20. ^ Brown, Rebecca N.; Brown, David H. (2021). "Robotic laser scarecrows: A tool for controlling bird damage in sweet corn". Crop Protection. 146 105652.
  21. ^ Blackwell, Bradley F.; Bernhardt, Glen E.; Cepek, Jonathon D.; Dolbeer, Richard A. (2002). "Lasers as Non-lethal Avian Repellents: Potential Applications in the Airport Environment". United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications 147.
  22. ^ Sieving, Kathryn E.; Manz, Sean T.; Brown, Rebecca N.; Kluever, Bryan M. (2025). "Laser scarecrows reduce avian corn-foraging propensity but not bout length in aviary trials". Pest Management Science. 81 (6): 2722–2733.
  23. ^ Blumenthal, Arden; Harris, Deona; Moore, Bret A.; Melvin, Edward F.; Fernández-Juricic, Esteban (2026). "Effects of a high-power laser eye exposure on avian foraging behaviour: implications for the safety of laser bird deterrents". Conservation Physiology. 14 (1) coag004.
  24. ^ Glahn, James F. (2000). "Comparison of Pyrotechnics versus Shooting for Dispersing Double-crested Cormorants from their Night Roosts". Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference. 19.
  25. ^ Swaddle, John P.; Moseley, Dana L.; Hinders, Mark K.; Smith, Elizabeth P. (2016). "A sonic net excludes birds from an airfield: implications for reducing bird strike and crop losses". Ecological Applications. 26 (2): 339–345.
  26. ^ Bomford, Mary; O'Brien, Peter H. (1990). "Sonic Deterrents in Animal Damage Control: A Review of Device Tests and Effectiveness". Wildlife Society Bulletin. 18 (4): 411–422.
  27. ^ Erickson, William A.; Marsh, Rex E.; Salmon, Terrell P. (1990). "A review of falconry as a bird-hazing technique". Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference. 14.
  28. ^ "Frequently asked question about a federal special purpose – abatement permit" (PDF). United States Fish and Wildlife Service. 2018. p. 1.
  29. ^ Kluever, Bryan M.; Foley, Mary J. (2025). "Efficacy and Underpinnings of the Effigy in Wildlife Management". Animals. 15 (17) 2503.
  30. ^ Seamans, Thomas W. (2004). "Response of Roosting Turkey Vultures to a Vulture Effigy". Ohio Journal of Science. 104 (5): 136–138.
  31. ^ Peterson, Sara A.; Colwell, Mark A. (2014). "Experimental Evidence That Scare Tactics and Effigies Reduce Corvid Occurrence". Northwestern Naturalist. 95 (2): 103–112.
  32. ^ Seamans, Thomas W.; Hicks, Craig R.; Preusser, Kenneth J. (2007). "Dead Bird Effigies: A Nightmare for Gulls?". Proceedings of the Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting. 9 15.
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