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Birds of all species are normally welcome in non-agricultural environments, as they are elsewhere. However, there are occasions when they cause problems. The accumulations of bird droppings can, for example, pose a risk to public safety and health, hygiene standards may be compromised in food premises, and paths and walkways may become slippery and unsafe. Birds may also sometimes act as a reservoir for disease. In deciding on the measures to take in response to such problems, it is important that all legal and practical implications are considered.
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The species that most frequently cause problems are feral pigeons, house sparrows, and starlings; however, in certain coastal areas, herring and lesser blackbacked gulls can be responsible for damage and, in parks, Canada geese. Nationally, starling and house sparrow populations have declined significantly in the last few years and problems caused by these species are now less frequent. Occasionally, species such as blackbirds, robins and wagtails cause problems when they gain access to food premises.
Flocks of pigeons typically congregate on buildings, and this may result in a build up of droppings. These create hazardous walking surfaces, particularly in wet weather. Droppings may also contaminate foodstuffs and other products. Nest materials and other debris collected by the birds may block rainwater drainage systems and can encourage infestations of insects and mites. There is also a human disease risk from direct contact with the birds.
Sparrows can frequent food preparation and storage areas such as bakeries, factories and warehouses. They often live within the buildings where they may contaminate products with faecal and nest materials. Even packaged food such as flour, biscuits and cereals may be damaged; this stock may have to be discarded so as to avoid supplying customers with contaminated goods.
Large flocks of starlings often roost at night in urban areas, using trees, buildings, or structures such as bridges and towers. The sheer amount of droppings together with their chemical action can damage and kill trees and any vegetation underneath. Fouling can lead to unsafe paths and walkways and result in contamination of equipment and structures.
Herring gulls, and occasionally, lesser black-backed gulls roost and nest on buildings near the coast. They may become aggressive, particularly when incubating eggs and rearing young. This protective behaviour can result in attacks on members of the public in the street or on those needing access to roofs for maintenance purposes.
Nest materials may block gutters and down-pipes, and provide an environment in which insect and mite infestations can develop. Droppings contaminate equipment and may make access routes slippery. Discarded food previously scavenged from rubbish tips or other sites can encourage flies.
Canada geese can cause problems in urban parks and gardens by grazing, trampling, fouling footpaths and damaging wildlife habitats. A booklet entitled "The Management of Problems Caused by Canada Geese – a Guide to Best Practice" (code: 99 WACD 0520) is available from the Department for Bird control in non-agricultural environments RDS WM13 Published February 2003 2 Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) (for address see under ‘Further information’).
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All wild birds and their eggs and nests are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; under this Act birds cannot be taken or killed, nor their eggs or nests (when in use or being built) be taken or destroyed except under licence.
However, it is recognised that a number of common ‘pest’ species (e.g. feral pigeons, starlings, house sparrows, herring gulls and lesser black-backed gulls) may frequently cause problems. Defra issues a number of general licences which allow authorised persons (e.g. an owner or occupier) to kill or take these ‘pest’ species using certain specified methods (e.g. shooting or cage trapping). The licences also allow the removal or destruction of these species' eggs (e.g. using egg oiling) or nests. Nests not being built or not in use are not protected under the 1981 Act and may be removed or destroyed at any time. Action is permitted under these general licences to prevent the spread of disease, and for the purpose of preserving public health or public or air safety.
Separate licences may also be issued by Defra, for example to control Canada geese in parks for the purpose of preserving public health or safety, or to permit the use of stupefying baits (see 'Population control').
The 1981 Act does not allow action against birds or their eggs or nests for the purposes of preventing damage to property or preventing nuisance problems; such problems include noise, smells and the triggering of intruder alarms by birds flying within buildings. These can only be tackled by using non-lethal methods of control, for example, scaring and proofing.
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Before deciding on a specific course of action, the extent and nature of the problem should be carefully considered. The aspects that need to be addressed include:
Management options fall into three broad categories:
A build-up of bird numbers in urban environments is normally a result of the presence of a readily accessible food supply and/or the availability of attractive habitats where they can roost or breed. Effective long-term management is normally dependent on the ability to eliminate or reduce these aspects.
In urban areas, this can be difficult because numerous occupiers and individuals may have some degree of responsibility for the cause of the problem or may be affected by it.
The single most important factor is the ability of the birds to gain access to a regular supply of nutritious food. If this can be denied them, then problems may be resolved without recourse to other measures.
Consider the possibilities for:
Birds can be prevented from entering or roosting on buildings by either installing netting over vulnerable areas or fixing wire, plastic or other purpose-designed devices to deter birds from landing on ledges, window sills or other structures.
The fitting of proofing and deterrent measures can be complicated, and is usually carried out by experienced operators. Correctly installed, these measures can provide a long term solution to bird problems. If inappropriate techniques are used, they may fail to exclude or deter the birds. For example, most antiroost devices do not work effectively against starlings, and the mesh size of netting must be suitable for the species involved.
Attempts at scaring birds in urban situations using conventional visual or audible scarers are generally neither effective nor practical. Although there are a number of electronic devices on the market for which claims of bird deterrence are made, only the appropriate use of recorded distress calls of specific species, such as starlings, is likely to work.
Attempts at resolving problems by reducing or eliminating local bird populations are usually unsuccessful. This is because it can be difficult to achieve a sufficient level of cull and the problem often re-occurs when other birds are attracted into the cleared area. In addition, there may be significant opposition from employees and the public.
However, population control can play a useful role in some situations, for example, where a small, discrete group of birds needs to be removed, or when a limited reduction in the local bird population provides a satisfactory solution.
Options include egg control, cage trapping, shooting, mist netting and the use of stupefying baits.
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The following leaflet is presented in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format. You may find it useful to read our Help before downloading information.
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For further information on bird control and animal nuisance, please contact Environmental Protection
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This page last updated: 24/02/2005