Pesky Birds (Nuisance Sparrows, Starlings, Pigeons)
One of the most common calls we get in spring is for nuisance birds. There are a number of different things that they do for which we get these calls, but more often than not it is when they are entering the structure. There is a whole industry built around commercial birds when you have flocks of (usually) pigeons or gulls (often called seagulls) roosting and defecating all over inconvenient commercial areas, but that is not what I plan on discussing here, and not something we deal with in the suburbs of western Massachusetts.
The 4 main bird species that cause issues around here are Pigeons, Starlings, Sparrows, and Woodpeckers. Woodpeckers kind of fall into a different category, because the biggest inconvenience they are known for is pecking on the side of your home and not necessarily entering the structure. Woodpeckers are federally protected under the Migratory bird Treaty of 1918. This treaty protects all native Migratory species of birds. Under this treaty, we cannot remove an active nest, kill, or harm any species of woodpecker. We use deterrents in these situations to deal with woodpeckers that are annoyingly pecking on the side of wood homes or buildings and waking you up at 5:30am, which are legal and meant to just keep them away. Maintenance programs are sometimes needed for those situations.
European Pigeons, Starlings, and Sparrows, on the other hand, are not protected under this treaty. This is because they are NON native. They actually made their way here from Europe around a century ago, and began competing with the natural species here. Invasive species, such as these, almost always outcompete the native species because they have no natural, known predators initially (although over time they do become regularly predated upon). Not to mention the natural balance of an ecosystem is thrown off when hundreds of thousands of invasive individuals are introduced to an area that has been supporting the native balance of wildlife, so things get thrown off. For these reasons, the Migratory bird Treaty does not apply to these 3 species, and are the most common species that are entering structures, building large communal nests, and creating messes with their guano (droppings).
European starling nest in an attic after entry from a broken vent.
Starlings are robin-sized black birds with yellow markings and a defined long, yellow beak. They are extremely smart birds. They have been studied for years as they have the cognitive ability to think and adapt to situations, similar to ravens and crows. We often see them tear off the flaps of dryer and bathroom exhaust vents often located higher up on houses, and create nests inside them. It is one of the most common things we deal with in spring. Sparrows do this as well, but really need the space to be open as they are not as strong as starlings. The airflow can become blocked from a nest can be infested with bird mites, tiny ectoparasites that live in these birds nests and can move inside and look for humans as a host. Starlings will also take advantage of open spaces left in the construction of homes at soffit and fascia return junctions, where gaps are very common. These spaces lead to the inside of that soffit, and often all the way into the attic. Gable end vents are also commonly used by birds, and even if you know that the inside of your gable vent is screened, that just acts as a backer to help the birds build their nests. Over time, they can push through that interior debris screen and build extremely large nests in attics.
Sparrows entering soffit space through small gap in soffit return
Sparrows are small, brown and white birds that resemble native finches. There are subtle differences but overall very similar. They are another invasive bird that came over from Europe and have out competed the natural species. Sparrows most often use existing gaps in areas such as soffit and fascia return junctions, but are smaller than starlings and only need about an inch of space to get inside. They are often going to build nests in groups, resulting in large nests with multiple pairs of birds. They also can host ectoparasites, and be the reason mites, ticks, and others get inside your home. Allowing them to nest in gaps around your home can become very unsightly, as they will leave behind streaks of droppings, lost eggs and young, and smell over time.
Pigeons roosting on building railing. Note the buildup of guano on the next railing below.
Pigeons are the last of the main non-native birds we deal with. They also came over from Europe, and have completely taken over. Mostly residing in city areas where human food scraps and roosting locations on and inside city building structures are abundant. They will also spend time in suburbs, but not in the vast quantity as they do in cities. Pigeons will often have large colony roosts, and huge piles of guano (poop) are common and very unhealthy for humans to breathe. They love to reside in parking garages, buildings with any type of overhang, or large roofs with solar panels that they can nest underneath. Solar panel exclusions are very common for us, where we have to evict the birds, clean droppings, and use proper material to block entry around the panels (we do this using clips, and not screws, thus not voiding solar panel warranties or interfering with the solar company). Proper deterrents can be used with pigeon colonies that are using areas but not necessarily entering structures, or colony trapping for removal can be done as well.