College and University Bird Control: All Available Solutions Uncovered

College bird control has been a primary focus for institutions across the globe as these pests pose a hazardous and costly problem. It’s not uncommon to find overflowing dumpsters and garbage cans along with wide-open eating areas and courtyards throughout college campuses. Not surprisingly, these features are ideal for birds looking to feast on scraps and leftovers.

Hungry birds will simply wait patiently on lofty perches, alcoves, ledges, or other roof lines until lunch is over to swoop down and make a meal of the leftovers. That’s why university bird control measures are crucial to deter the birds in the first place.

In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at college bird control, including discussing why it’s important and identifying some of the most popular methods available today.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Why Use Bird Control in Educational Facilities?

• Most Popular College and University Bird Control Methods

• Why Use OvoControl in College Bird Control?

• Final Thoughts

Campus bird control is becoming a crucial aspect of design as universities continue to be plagued by birds and their rapidly growing populations.

Structural Damage Caused by Birds

School buildings can see considerable damage due to pest bird populations that get out of control. Various damages can be caused by nesting debris alone, including interference with things such as:

• Security cameras

• Lighting fixtures

• Signage

• Solar panels

• Skylights

• AC vents

• Rain gutters

• Roof leaks

In addition to nesting materials causing concern, college bird control is critical in avoiding damages caused by bird droppings. The acidity in bird droppings is known to eat away at various surface materials, including:

• Glass

• Plastic

• Vinyl

• Aluminum

• Steel

For windows designed to open, enough bird droppings can prevent them from ever opening again.

Health Risks Caused by Birds

Birds will feast on leftovers around campus and naturally excrete in droppings. Unfortunately, the mounds of droppings can be left everywhere, from playground equipment to walkways, benches, and lunch tables.

Failure to get rid of bird droppings on various surfaces throughout campuses poses a health threat to students and faculty. Birds are known for carrying transmittable diseases, which can be spread through contact with their droppings, including e. Coli and salmonella.

Their droppings on surfaces are not the only concern regarding campus bird control. Birds are also known for nesting near HVAC units, especially during colder months. If an HVAC system has direct exposure to bird droppings, it will suck these transmittable diseases through the ventilation system. Students and faculty can be at risk of breathing in disease-carrying spores.

Lastly, bird droppings can also pose a slip and fall risk throughout campuses.

The most effective way of installing college bird control methods is during the design-build process of any campus, but it’s never too late. Just keep in mind that various factors will go into determining the best bird control method for a university, including:

• The resources

• The local species

• The infrastructure

Here are the most popular university bird control methods available today. 

Birth Control

Bird birth control is the most humane option when it comes to bird control for college campuses. Rather than attacking the live population, bird birth control acts limit the flocks' ability to multiply at rapid, uncontrollable rates.

Bird Netting 

One of the oldest forms of college bird control is bird netting. It comes in the form of a mesh, creating a physical barrier to prevent birds from landing or nesting on or around campus buildings.

It is not the ideal solution for larger campuses, although bird netting can be generally effective on smaller buildings or architectural features.

Bird Spikes and Wires

Bird spikes and wires are other forms of college bird control. To help keep birds away from more popular roosting areas around buildings, you can get these devices in various splay widths, ranging from one to ten inches. 

Bird spikes and wires can help prevent perching in specific areas of buildings. Still, birds will undoubtedly find a way to rest in other locations whenever possible, including nearby trees or other facilities. 

Electric Tracks

Electric tracks deter pest birds by using a startling zap of electricity to convince them to move on. If you are looking to prevent larger birds, such as seagulls and pigeons, from structures, tracks can be highly effective.

Although electric tracks have proven to be effective college bird control over the years, it is not harmless. 

Sonic Deterrents

Sonic bird deterrent devices are relatively humane and accessible for college bird control. This form of bird control for campuses is highly effective in deterring a wide variety of species by continually altering their sounds' intensity, timing, frequency, and pitch.

Some of these systems can deter multiple species, while others specialize in just a few. While sonic deterrents can be helpful, they are often more costly.

Bird Slopes

A bird slope is a physical barrier preventing birds from perching on eaves or open ledges. The panels are UV-protected PVC to ensure sun and weather resistance and effectively deter small and large birds. 

If you want to eliminate pigeon or seagull populations from your college campus, bird slopes are likely not the best option.

Hawking and Bird Scaring

To deter pest birds and interrupt their nesting and breeding habits, hawking is the use of flying or introducing a bird of prey to an area that has a pest bird issue.

Not surprisingly, hawking requires a skilled handler, which can also get quite costly for a college bird control program.

When finding practical methods, you’ll often find that bird control requires multiple options to get the job done. You might have to get creative, especially in larger projects. Thankfully, OvoControl is the new solution for bird control for colleges.

A college bird control option, OvoControl is a bird birth control. Birds think OvoControl is food and consume it regularly. As the birds feed, they are limiting their ability to produce vital offspring as the formula strictly limits the ability of a pigeon’s egg to develop fully.

While there are a few different options for university bird control, they often require multiple solutions and can still not be entirely effective at minimizing damage to your property. 

OvoControl remains one of the most humane and practical solutions to college bird control today. Its non-toxic active ingredient ensures humane treatment of the birds, while its multiple delivery options make it customizable to any bird population size.