Nuisance birds are responsible for causing literally millions of dollars in property damage each year along with the spread of parasites and diseases which can present a major health issue within the affected community. Utah has a large bird population and some of the most common nuisance birds include woodpeckers, magpies, pigeons, sparrows, starlings, swallows, Northern flickers, nuthatch, Canadian geese, and seagulls.

Roof Damage Caused by Bird Droppings

Bird droppings by nature are extremely acidic and can eat away at a variety of the materials used in roofing production. If droppings are allowed to accumulate and roofing materials destroyed, it can lead to leaks and other damage. According to roofing experts, the life expectancy of a commercial roof can be diminished by up to 50% by the continuous pollution of bird droppings. Bird droppings are also responsible for damaging air conditioning equipment and building siding and insulation.

Bird Nests & the Potential for Fire

Starlings, sparrows, and pigeons are renowned for building nests in drains and rain gutters. Commercial buildings, in particular, can experience extreme damage which may result in a collapsed roof if drainage systems are blocked and standing water rises and has nowhere to drain. Birds have a tendency to build their nests from items including straw, twigs, pieces of twine, human hair, animal fur, and dried bird droppings. All of these materials can be extremely flammable increasing the potential for fire exponentially especially when nests are constructed inside electric business signs. Insurance companies pay out millions of dollars per year as a result of these types of fires. Bird nests built in chimneys can also cause fires along with the spread of disease.

Bird Diseases Humans Can Catch

The three most common nuisance birds found in Utah include the pigeon, starling and house sparrow. All three examples have adapted to living in urban environments. Not only have they become a nuisance, but they are also responsible for the spread of diseases which pose a serious health risk for those individuals infected.
Some examples of transmissible diseases that are associated with pigeons, starlings and house sparrows include:
• Histoplasmosis – a respiratory disease that is caused by a fungus found in bird droppings
• Candidiasis – a fungus infection spread by pigeons that can affect the skin, mouth, intestines and female genitals.
• Cryptococcosis – a fungus infection which first begins as a pulmonary disease which can also affect the central nervous system
• St. Louis Encephalitis – inflammation of the nervous system which may result in paralysis, coma or death spread by mosquitoes which have fed on infected pigeons, finches, and house sparrows.
• Salmonellosis – a form of food poisoning caused by bacteria found in contaminated bird droppings that can enter air conditioning units and contaminate food and cooking surfaces.
• E.coli – a form of food poisoning transmitted through infected bird droppings which can contaminate food and water supplies.

Bird Control

Apart from being carriers of disease, nuisance birds are known to carry over 50 kinds of disease-causing parasites including lice, fleas, bed bugs, chicken mites, and yellow mealworms (beetle parasites). If you are concerned about nuisance birds, the damage they can cause to your property or the spread of disease in Utah, contact the knowledgeable professionals at Rentokil today and speak with a friendly customer service provider about nuisance bird removal, deterrents, and exclusion today!