A pest is defined as an animal or insect that is detrimental to food items, crops, and other animals that you own on your property. Some bugs and rodents are known to eat produce that grows in a garden. But are birds considered pests?
Birds are known to be a beautiful and precious part of the environment, but they are in fact capable of causing damage to homes, crops, and other goods. They are capable of disturbing the peace with their squawking, laying poop in places where you can easily notice it, and spreading diseases.
There are three common species of birds that can be defined as pests. They include the pigeon, the house sparrow, and the European starling. There are other birds known to be pests, but they are not as common. These birds are considered pests because of 5 important factors.
- These birds are found all over the world and do not have a known predator in the United States.
- These birds can be found in flocks, which can be detrimental to the safety and well being of humans.
- These birds are known to carry and spread diseases such as Salmonella, toxoplasmosis, and encephalitis. Their droppings can even be diseased, and can give people histoplasmosis.
- These birds can build nests that are capable of clogging gutters and pipes, cause power outages, and attract other pests like slugs, gnats, and mites.
- These birds lay bird droppings that can also cause buildings and vehicles to become damaged and deteriorated.
With all things considered, buy bird enclosure netting so that these birds are kept away from your home.
Pigeons
The pigeon is nicknamed “the flying rodent” because they are filthy and carry disease more often than not. While pigeons typically eat grainy foods and seeds, they can and would eat human food items. Pigeons are dependent on humans for their ability to provide shelter and food, and will form flocks so they too can enjoy these privileges.
In urban areas, pigeons will often be in places where people will feed them, such as parks and outdoor restaurants. In rural areas, they will live around farms, food plants, and grain mills. You can buy bird enclosure netting to keep pigeons away from your property.
In addition to these birds carrying diseases, they can carry insects, like lice, fleas, and ticks. Their droppings in addition to being harmful and carrying disease, is also known to be slick and slippery.
House Sparrows
House sparrows are reddish brown birds with black stripes and a grey or white underbelly. Sparrows, like pigeons, love grains, but will also feed on fruits, vegetables, flowers, trash, and discarded foods. Their chirping is almost shrill in sound, and can often be more recognizable when they hand out in flocks.
They often build nests inside, on top of, or right near buildings, where they can pose fire hazards and the possibility of more pests. While sparrows can be problematic at any time of year, their flocks are usually the biggest in the middle of summer. Sparrows are able to carry West Nile virus, and their droppings are very hard to clean.
European Starlings
Starlings are dark brown, and will have small dots across their feathers. Starlings eat bugs such as larvae, but they will also eat seeds, fruits, trash, and discarded food. Starlings also come in flocks that you can find in tall trees or along neglected house gutters and provide them water that they can drink.
A Starling’s droppings can damage soil and affect the growth of plants and produce. They are also capable of eroding structures and vehicles.
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