Page 8 - CooperatorNews New Jersey Spring 2022

8 COOPERATORNEWS NEW JERSEY —SPRING 2022 NJ.COOPERATORNEWS.COM MAINTENANCE Multifamily Bird Control Coping With Feathered Pests BY DARCEY GERSTEIN For many, birds are a particularly con- tentious class of animal. Some people are form of inviting them in with feeders and extremely fond of them—admiring their col- orful plumage, their melodic calls, or their sonic emissions, or—yes—even lasers, co- enviable ability to soar effortlessly above ops, condos, and HOAs should have a plan disgusting consequences, often left on para- whatever mess we have going on down here. for addressing problematic bird populations pets, gargoyles, terraces, awnings, and any For others, avians come with a whole host of and dealing with their less-than-desirable other outdoor appurtenance of a building or nuisances—droppings, disease, damage— and perhaps thanks to Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds” or the Daphne du Maurier book by the same name, some people feel that company that services multifamily prop- birds have an undeniable ominousness about erties in New York, New Jersey, and Con- them. A group of crows is called a “murder,” necticut, explains that there are particular each bird produces annually—nearly two after all. Indeed, the horror in Hitchcock’s film is property owners and managers should be effective because it is actually loosely based aware of. “Proper bird control requires scien- on a true event that took place in the early tific evidence for an effective plan, including ing the local wildlife. If you live in or have 1960s, when a California town was inexpli- cably bombarded with dead and dying sea- birds (decades later found to be the result implemented to ensure good results,” says cent “Feed a Pigeon, Breed a Rat” public ser- of a shellfish toxin). And just recently, the the company. Guardian reported on the nearby town of Sunnyvale that is currently experiencing a pecially in urban settings, Assured Envi- problematic influx of crows. The New York Times picked up the story in “A California Problem Bird is none other than the pigeon. over-abundant and destructive. Rats have City Is Overrun by Crows. Could a Laser Be Descended from carrier varieties that were the reputation of being disease carriers—and the Answer?,” pointing to the coast-to-coast used as messengers in ancient Egypt as early they certainly can be—but according to As- reality of feeling besieged by birds. However one might feel about birds in lost their homing abilities, but they have not the greater potential to carry and spread general, anyone who lives in, owns, or man- ages a multifamily property must contend ubiquitous on any park bench in any city in them is essential for multifamily property with their presence. Whether this takes the the world. ponds or deterring them with spikes, netting, developed between pigeons and humans contributions. Birds of a Feather Assured Environments, a pest control be the worst of the worst when it comes to nuances to bird control and mitigation that and a half pounds!” a full evaluation of the property in addition visited New York City lately, you might be to monitoring the situation after the plan is familiar with the Department of Health’s re- For the Northeast region they cover, es- ronments confirms that the number-one sustains the rat population, which is already as 3000 B.C., today’s feral pigeons may have sured Environments, pigeons actually have lost their comfort with humans, and are now disease. That’s why having a plan to control Unfortunately, the camaraderie that has over the centuries has led to some pretty community. According to Assured Environ- ments, “‘City doves’ or ‘street pigeons’ may New York and New Jersey bird pests. This is because of the colossal amount of excrement As gross as that is, it has somehow not deterred city-dwellers who insist on feed- vice campaign, meant to discourage people from tossing feed or seeds to their feathered friends, since doing so also encourages and owners and managers to protect the health and safety of their residents. “Birds themselves are a vector for dis- ease,” Assured Environments says. “Their feathers, droppings, and nests can all contain potentially dangerous pathogens. Salmonel- la, meningitis, tuberculosis, and encephalitis have all been found in pigeon excrement. Combine pigeon fleas, pigeon parasites, and diseased pigeon feces with an infesta- tion, and you’ve got an extremely bad, pos- sibly disastrous situation.” And it’s not just pigeons that have the potential for problems in multifamily communities. Other nuisance birds in this category that are prevalent in the Northeast include starlings, house sparrows, Canada geese, and seagulls. Cheep-Cheepskates In addition to the health of humans and pets, property owners should also consider the risks that nuisance birds pose to their building’s or community’s financial health. “Safety, sanitation, and health hazards caused by bird droppings can pose serious liability risks, and if left untreated, can lead to acci- dents and lawsuits,” Assured Environments explains, suggesting that boards consider the costs of not addressing bird nuisances when evaluating proposals from pest management companies. Additionally, while birds them- selves may be considered beautiful or at least interesting to look at, their feces, nests, and the debris they leave behind are not a good look for any building or community and can negatively affect property values. The ammo- nia and other caustic elements in accumu- lated bird droppings can also degrade certain building materials and cause further damage by clogging drain pipes, sewers, or external HVAC equipment. For example, “Starling droppings can se- verely degrade a steel building’s components and cause substantial structural damage,” warns Assured Environments. “If a starling infestation is not removed in a timely man- ner, the corrosive droppings will not only dissolve building material but they will en- courage fungal growth in the soil, leading to diseased grass, trees, and landscape plants.” This also leads to increased cleaning and maintenance costs, not to mention the costs to repair and replace corroded or otherwise damaged mechanisms and structures. Flipping the Bird Assured Environments says there are three main options for getting rid of unwant- ed birds from a multifamily community, or anywhere they might pose a problem: exclu- continued on page 22