Bird Deterrent Products

by Alex A. Kecskes

One of the most popular pest bird deterrents currently on the market is the Electric Track. These easy-to-install systems were designed for homeowners, property managers and facilities managers who want to effectively bird proof their property.

Ideal for deterring pigeons, sparrows, gulls, starlings, crows and many types of birds, Electric tracks impart a very convincing but innocuous electric jolt that birds will long remember. The tracks are highly efficient in keeping pest birds off ledges, rooflines, parapet walls, I-beams, eaves and signs. The best electric tracks feature a low-profile design and measure just 1/4-inch at their highest point. These tracks are available in four colors--grey, stone, black and terracotta--to blend in naturally with their surroundings.

Top bird control experts recommended using electric tracks that feature a flow-thru design to prevent water from damming up on rooftops. The best electric tracks incorporate a tin-plated copper-knitted wire mesh in a continuous “tube-in-tube” stocking design. This allows for greater conductivity, strength and reliability. The copper mesh is also resistant to corrosion and highly resistant to alkalis and acidic environments.

Before installing electric track, you must heed these Warnings:

• Do not install electric track in areas where it may come in contact with people.  
• Do not use electric track bird control systems in and around gas stations, or in any area where there is even a remote possibility of contact with flammable liquids, vapors or fumes.

Electric tracks can be easily installed on most any flat or curved surface. Before installing any bird deterrents, the surface should be clean and entirely dry. Thoroughly remove bird droppings, feathers and nesting materials. (Birds are attracted to this debris and will consider the area “friendly.”) Use commercial disinfecting cleaning agents to prevent exposure to any of the 60 known airborne diseases caused by birds. Use eye and respiratory protection if the area is heavily contaminated with droppings.

Installing a bird control electric track system requires some basic electrical knowledge.  Determine whether you’ll need a Direct Wire, Solar Charger or Super Charger Direct as follows:

Solar Charger covers up to 300 linear feet of track and lead wire  (make sure you have a southern exposure for this one). 

Direct Charger covers up to 500 linear feet of track and lead wire. This type of charger must be protected from the elements and placed in a waterproof box.

Super Charger Direct covers up to 2,000 linear feet of track and lead wire e.  This type of charger must be enclosed in a waterproof box.

Measure the width of area to be covered to calculate number of track rows you’ll need as follows:

For single-sided ledges or surfaces that have a back wall or window:
For 1” to 4” wide area, use1 row of track.
For 5” to 8” wide area, use 2 rows of track. 
For 9” to 12” wide area, use 3 rows of track. 

For double-sided ledges or surfaces like parapet walls, run a row on each side of the surface as close to the edges as possible.   
For 1” to 6” wide area, use 1 row of track on each side. 
For 7” to 15” wide area, use 2 rows of track on each side. 
For 16” to 28” wide area, use 3 rows of track on each side.

Bird control electric track typically comes in 100-foot kits. The track is packed in a box that lets you play out the track as you install it. Use polyurethane adhesive to secure the track to the mounting surface. Apply adhesive to the entire underside of the track to ensure a secure bond. Be sure to allow the adhesive to cure thoroughly during installation. The adhesive must be completely dry (cured) before the track system will be effective.

Cell-phone towers are becoming as ubiquitous as trees. Over 100,000 towers are listed in a federal database, with some 22,000 new towers having been erected in just the past five years. Without proper bird deterrents, the towers can be dangerous to birds. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, between 5 million and 50 million birds die each year when they slam into towers that are used to power cellular telephones, pagers, televisions and radios, Migrating birds crash into these towers because they are lighted at nigh and attract birds. Bird deterrents can prevent these mishaps.

According to environmentalists, birds killed or injured include such endangered migratory songbirds as the black rail, Bell's vireo, the golden-winged warbler and Henslow's sparrow. Most songbirds fly at night and orient themselves via starlight. In bad weather, birds often mistake tower lights for stars. The birds keep circling until they collide with the tower, support wires, or each other. The problem is that birds are sensitive to magnetic radiation to the point where microwaves interfere with their sensors and misguide them while navigating. Environmentalists have urged cell phone companies to install bird deterrents to save the birds.

But collisions aren't the only danger cell phone towers pose to birds. A study by a team in Panjab University found that the EMR (electromagnetic radiation) could damage bird eggs and embryos. The frequency of 900 or 1,800 MHz can result in thinner bird skulls and eggshells.

Then there's the damage birds inflict on the towers. Bird droppings can corrode copper fittings and connections and thus interrupt service. They can also corrode supporting braces and structures and damage plastics. Bird nests can plug rain gutters and vents,  which can lead to water damage and short circuits.

Another problem with bird droppings on cell phone towers is that the droppings carry diseases. Maintenance workers can become seriously ill when they disturb dried droppings and nests and inhale the dust, bacteria and spores that live in bird droppings.

Finally, bird droppings can cause potentially lethal slip-and-fall hazards as maintenance workers maneuver around cell phone towers—some of which are in dangerously lofty perches. The right bird deterrent can keep pest birds away from these towers.

One way to discourage pest birds from avoiding cell phone towers is through the use of Plastic Bird Spikes.  Plastic bird spikes are made of a rigid polycarbonate plastic.  They are U.V. protected and non-conductive, making them ideal for installation on cell phone towers.  Plastic bird spikes come in a variety of colors to match the towers, so once installed they will be virtually invisible.  The best plastic bird spikes will come with a 5-year guarantee making them one of the longest lasting bird deterrents on the market.