What You Should Know About Birds

Jacob Lehman runs Destination Wildlife Control, a Northern Virginia-based wildlife control company that performs emergency service calls, nuisance animal removal, dead animal removal, exclusion services, cleanup services, handyman services, home inspections, termite inspections, and general pest control. Here, he discusses what you should know about the types of birds that could infest your house.

Sparrow
The sparrow often builds nests in dryer, oven, and bathroom exhaust vents. Even the slatted vent covers which open with the airflow of the fan don’t slow these little guys down. They simply grab the bottom of the vent with their feet, then use their beak to push the cover open. Once they begin building their nest, the nesting material builds and keeps the cover open. When their babies are starting to explore, they sometimes go the wrong way in the vent pipe and drop into an area where they can’t escape, such as over the microwave. The only way to get them out then is to remove the microwave.

Starling
Starlings build their nests in places similar to sparrows. If your dryer is taking longer to dry your clothes, it may be that it is completely clogged with bird nesting material. If you have a ladder, though, you can clean out the pipe or we offer this service. Along with straw and grass, there will be droppings and often mites (bird lice) to clean out. We can install a bird-proof cover will be necessary in this case because of the high probability of the birds coming back to nest in the same place.

Pigeon
Pigeons are famous for their ability to find their way home from almost anywhere. Unfortunately, they’re also famous for staining buildings with their defecation.

Protected species
The following bird species are protected and cannot be touched or even molested while nesting. You must wait until their nest is abandoned before removing it and performing exclusion services, otherwise you could face a penalty of up to $20,000 and years in jail. Besides, they are good for the environment - even if they are a pest for a couple weeks!

Chimney swift - Federally protected
In the late spring, chimney swifts return from their winter migration. They build their nests from sticks and spit on the inside of chimneys and raise their babies there. If you hear chirping sounds in your chimney later in the spring, it could be chimney swifts or raccoons. Chimney swifts sometimes sound like rattlesnakes, and I’ve known people to mistake one for the other. Unfortunately, once chimney swifts have built their nest and laid eggs in the chimney, you cannot disturb them. You must let the babies leave on their own and then cap the chimney to prevent them from nesting there next spring. If you see swifts or swallows flying low to the ground, a storm is likely nearby. The low air pressure forces insects to fly lower and swifts and swallows find them easy pickings.

Downey woodpecker - Protected species
Woodpeckers of all types will drill on houses for three reasons:
1. Food - Woodpeckers have something on their feet called a tympanic membrane which helps them find food under the surface of wood by being able to feel the slight vibrations made when an insect moves.
2. Shelter - Downey woodpeckers, more than other woodpeckers, will drill holes in wood siding, as well as stucco, to build a nest.
3. Mating call - In the spring, woodpeckers begin their mating ritual, which includes “drumming.” Male woodpeckers will find anything that makes a loud noise when they peck on it, and the louder it is, the better. It is typical to hear them pecking on gutters, roof vents, chimney caps, and even metal shed roofs.

Red cockaded woodpecker - Protected species
Slightly larger than the downy woodpecker, the red cockaded woodpecker also searches our houses for food, but less often for shelter. Woodpeckers, when searching for food, drill lines of small holes. The biggest food source found in house siding is carpenter ant larvae and carpenter bee larvae, which means getting an insecticide treatment for these bugs is a good idea when trying to get woodpeckers to leave.

Mourning dove - Protected species
Mourning doves often build their nests on top of deck support posts and beams in close proximity to humans. It is not uncommon for the parent sitting in the nest to stay in the nest, even with humans as close as a few feet away.