THERE’S A FEW COMMON BIRDS THAT CAN BE A NUISANCE TO THE HOMEOWNER AND CAN BE ETHICALLY MANAGED. CHECK OUT OUR GUIDE OR…
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WHAT COULD IT BE?
FERAL PIGEON
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Pigeons are typically 30-35cm long with a predominantly slate-grey head and body and an iridescent purple to green neck. They have ash-grey wings and tail with dark grey to black barring on the wings.
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Feral pigeons will feed on insects, seeds, fruits, berries, vegetables and food scraps.
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Prefer high and sheltered areas, commonly seen on 2-storey homes under solar paneling or commercial buildings eaves. Window sills and ledges are common basking areas.
Keep an eye out on roofing girders and rainheads.
Nests are made of twigs and droppings.
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Pigeons are known to carry diseases and parasites. Their droppings are corrosive and their nests and droppings have a tendency to clog gutters and downpipes causing internal flooding.
1 pigeon produces up to 14kg of droppings per year
They are monogamous
They don’t migrate!
They live where they breed and hatchlings will stay where they are born (Get ready for lots of cooing!)
Each mating pair on your roof will hatch between 3 to 8 young per year, those will be sexually mature within 6 months,having 2 to 4 of their own young within the same year!
That’s 6 to 32 extra pigeons within 1 Year from the initial mating pair!
Their droppings are corrosive enough to erode brick, stone and steel. (Pigeon droppings contributed to Minnesota’s Interstate 35W bridge collapsing on the 1st of August 2007, causing catastrophic loss of life and infrastructure.)
Pigeons carry diseases which can spread to humans, some through their droppings - Cryptococcosis, Histoplasmosis, Psittacosis, Salmonellosis & E. coli.
They also carry and transmit other parasites such as bedbugs, ticks & bird mites
They cause electrical, heating and wear issues to solar panels. (The droppings corrode the tops of the solar panels reducing their efficiency and output. The nests underneath restrict airflow around the panels, resulting in a fire hazard as the airflow is necessary to keep the panels and electrical circuitry cool.)
Their droppings and nests clog gutters and downpipes, causing damage to your home by leaking into the home via the eaves. This can cause the gutters to overflow in heavy rainfall and leak into the inside of the walls. Heavy fouling can also quickly deteriorate gutters leading to costly replacement.
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Pigeons will typically produce 1-2 solid white eggs at a time and will produce 3 to 4 clutches a year. That means 3 - 8 hatchlings a year on average.
Hatchlings leave the nest within 35 days and become sexually mature in 6 months. They will live out their adults lives in the wild for 3 - 4 years.
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There are few things you can do on your own to remove pigeons but removing food and water sources can help as well as limiting ledges for perching.
(Professional intervention is required for eradication and proofing options)
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You can find a comprehensive list of services IPS provide under prevention, elimination and trapping for the management of bird infestations.
Or for a more tailored solution we would love to chat with you over the phone and book in a no obligation, free quote.
NEED HELP?
Contact us for a no obligation
STARLING
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Starling are approximately 20cm in length and are glossy black with a green and purple sheen.
They are typically spotted in autumn and are glossy black in spring.
Starlings have a blackish beak, becoming yellow in the breeding season (summer).
Young are mouse-brown in colour until they moult into their adult plumage.
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You'll see Starlings eating insects, seeds, grain and fruit.
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Starlings can usually be found in building cavities such as roof areas. They usually access the inside by corner junctions between the gutter and roof sheeting or tiles.
Nests are made from dry grass, twigs, leaves and feathers.
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Starling hatchlings can be fairly noisy but overall Starlings can carry a health risk to humans, known to carry diseases such as Histoplasmosis, Salmonella and Cryptococci as well as irritating parasites.
Bird mites from the birds enter the home looking for their next meal. Which typically happens after the birds have left the nest leaving the bird mites behind and hungry.
Starling droppings are corrosive, the acid in the droppings can erode metal, stone and masonry.
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Starlings lay 4-5 light-blue eggs at a time and produce around 3 clutches a year.
The eggs hatch after 13 days, and the young leave the nest after 3 weeks. They become sexually mature after 1 year and live out their adult lives for the next 3 or so years.
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You will most likely need professional assistance to eradicate Starlings from your premises, however there are a few small things you can do in the meantime.
Remove water and food sources such as pet food, bird seed and keep trash and compost covered.
Seal openings to potential nesting sites.
(Professional intervention is required for eradication, proofing and parasite treatment options)
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You can find a comprehensive list of services IPS provide under prevention, elimination and trapping for the management of bird infestations.
Or for a more tailored solution we would love to chat with you over the phone and book in a no obligation, free quote.
NEED HELP?
Contact us for a no obligation
SPARROWS
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Sparrows are roughly 12cm Long. The males have a grey crown on their head and have a chestnut back, neck and wings with a black bib and tips of wings. They will have which cheeks and a grey rump and tail.
Female starlings are a uniform pale grey, they have dark streaks on their wings.
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Sparrows eat predominantly seeds, but also eat fruit, insects, flowers and buds, grain, grass and weed seeds.
They will also eat food waste, such as bread and vegetables.
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Sparrows will typically nest in sheltered ledges, rafters, holes and crevices in and around buildings. Areas may include roof voids, car ports, verandahs and under eaves.
They are monogamous.
Breed throughout July to April, though peak breeding times are September to February.
Will use the same nest year after year.
They can enter gaps of 2cm.
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Sparrows droppings and nest materials can clog gutters, downpipes and drains. Their droppings also contain uric acid and can cause rust and corrosion where they nest and roost.
They can carry diseases such as Salmonellosis, Tuberculosis, Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Though transmission to humans is largely low.
They can also carry parasites such as bird mites, fleas, ticks, bed bugs and lice, which can cause further pest infestations in your premesis.
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Sparrows will lay 3-6 eggs at a time, which are white to pale grey with dark grey & dark brown speckled colouring.
They'll produce around 2 - 3 clutches per year. The eggs will hatch in 10 - 14 days, with the fledglings leaving the next 14 - 17 days later. They will reach sexual maturity 6 - 9 months later and will go on to live for 4 - 7 years.
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Professional assistance is usually required for full eradication, however there are some small things you can do in the meantime such as removing food and water sources and sealing off openings and ledges to reduce perching opportunities.
(Professional intervention is required for eradication and proofing options)
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IPS can provide elimination, prevention and trapping services, including the following:
Nest removal / Proofing - Gutter guard or Brush guard,
Avi-line or spiking / General bird proofing,
Parasite Treatment.
Or for a more tailored solution we would love to problem solve with you over the phone and book in a no obligation, free quote.
NEED HELP?
Contact us for a no obligation
SWALLOWS
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Swallows are approximately 12-15cm long with a light grey breast and belly. They have a steel-blue/black back and wings with a rust forehead, face, throat and upper breast. They have a long forked tail with tail streamers
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Swallows will mostly eat insects.
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Swallow nests are made from mud and grass, being able to stick to very small ledges such as downpipes, sensor lights and vertical walls.
They prefer sheltered areas such as ledges, rafters, holes and crevices in and around buildings close to or touching the ceiling.
Areas may include car ports, verandahs and under eaves.
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Swallow excrement can carry several different types of bacteria which can lead to histoplasmosis, encephalitis, salmonella, meningitis and toxoplasmosis.
They can also carry parasites like bird mites.
This species is protected and nests cannot be disturbed while eggs or fledglings are present.
Once the fledglings have left the nest, actions can be taken to remove the nest to stop further clutches.
The mating pair will come back to the same location to breed further clutches.
Proofing is necessary to stop these birds from nesting in their preferred location
Nests are made from mud and grass, being able to stick to very small ledges such as downpipes and near vertical walls.
They are monogamous
Breed from August to February
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Swallows produce 3-5 white to pinky cream eggs with brown speckles at a time and produce around two clutches a year.
Eggs will hatch 2 - 3 weeks later and hatchlings are fledged after 18-23 days. They become independent and lave the next after 35 days. They will reach sexual maturity in 8-14 months and live up up to 6 years
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As they are a protected species, professional assistance is usually required for eradication. In the meantime you can seal openings and proof ledges of potential nesting sites.
(Protected species - Professional intervention is required for removal and proofing options)
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IPS can provide elimination, prevention and trapping services, including the following:
Nest removal / Proofing - Gutter guard or Brush guard,
Avi-line or spiking / General bird proofing,
Parasite Treatment.
Or for a more tailored solution we would love to problem solve with you over the phone and book in a no obligation, free quote.
NEED HELP?
Contact us for a no obligation