Bird Control Case Studies

Pigeons, though seemingly innocuous, can wreak havoc on dairy farms if left unchecked.

While traditional bird control methods like scare tactics and repellents may appear to offer quick fixes, they often fall short in providing long-term solutions to the pigeon problem.

Scare tactics, such as loud noises or predator decoys, may initially deter pigeons from roosting in certain areas of the farm. However, these methods typically provide only temporary relief. Pigeons are highly adaptable creatures and can quickly become accustomed to these deterrents, returning once they perceive the threat has passed.

Many commercially available pigeon repellents claim to keep birds at bay with chemical formulations or ultrasonic devices. Unfortunately, these products often fail to deliver the desired results. Pigeons may simply relocate to another area of the farm or develop a tolerance to the repellent over time, rendering it ineffective.

Hawkeye Removing Pigeons from Dairy Farm

Hawkeye Bird and Animal Control recently completed a job clearing several hundred pigeons from a large and active dairy farm with about 10,000 cows, several barns including one with expectant mothers, and milking stations. The barns are very well kept and clean, except for the pigeon poop on the walls and walkways. The farm was estimated to have hosted about 3,000 pigeons in total.

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The owner of the farm was worried about Avian influenza and with the recent American milk producers in the news for finding inactive avian influenza in milk on store shelves, it is a real concern.  As of this writing: According to Health Canada,  Avian Influenza has not been detected in dairy cattle or other livestock in Canada. The situation is being closely monitored and Avian Influenza is NOT a food safety concern at present . The risk of transmission to humans remains very low.

Disease Sources

Bird feces and feathers are a major source of disease and pigeons, gulls and starlings top the list of birds carrying the most diseases. Bird feces, especially when dried, can be transmitted to other animals and to humans. Dry feces easily becomes airborne and is breathed in by another mammal or bird in the vicinity. Bird droppings can carry bacterial, fungal or viral infectious agents, including:

• Psittacosis
• Histoplasmosis
• Salmonellosis
• Cryptococcosis
• Avian Influenza
• West Nile Virus

Read more: Pigeon Removal from Dairy Farm

A few weeks ago, Hawkeye Bird and Animal Control successfully relocated a pair of nesting ospreys from a tall communication tower in southwestern Ontario, where an osprey nest on a cell tower presented challenges.

The tower, a key structure for emergency and 911 services, reached a height of approximately 150 meters (490 feet). The project timeline allowed for 4 days to safely remove the ospreys and address essential repairs and maintenance on the tower.

To ensure the smooth execution of this project, Hawkeye met several stringent requirements, including possessing all necessary certifications, qualifications, and permits:

• Commercial Falconry License
• Rehabilitation License
• PAL License
• Special MNRF permit from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry specifically for Osprey nesting on towers
• Technical qualifications for navigating and working on large communication towers and Trilon rail mounting, in accordance with Occupational Health and Safety Ontario and Health and Safety Canada standard.

Additionally, a Veterinarian was on standby in case their expertise was required during the operation. The Chief of Police for the area was duly informed about the use of pyrotechnics for bird deterrence in the vicinity.

Our team also held certifications as Certified Wildlife Control Professional, Shooting in Sensitive Environments, and were licensed to operate drones for effective wildlife management.

Observing the Osprey Nest on the Tower

Upon arriving at the tower, the crew that was contracted to do the repairs on the tower were already in attendance. The first order of business was to fly the drone with a camera to get a good look at what we were dealing with. We were able to see that nest construction was complete. Even though there were anti - nesting devices on the tower, the wire pyramids that were used proved very much ineffective. Osprey make their nests by dropping nesting material from above onto a “platform” - a flat space big enough for a large nest. Osprey do not place the nesting materials as most other birds do and the wire pyramids actually made for an easier job of nest building for the osprey and allowed the twigs and grasses to fall into the most favourable spots. 

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Read more: Moving Osprey off a Communication Tower: Case Study