If you’ve never dealt with nuisance birds, it might be odd to consider them pests. After all, birds are used in art and culture to communicate beauty and tranquility. Their bright colors. Their beautiful songs. How can they be bad. And then you start hearing thousands of loud chirps at all hours of the day and see your trash scattered around the yard and you realize that birds, under the right circumstances, can be pests too.
Pigeons are often referred to as rodents with wings, and for good reason. Almost all of the problems cities have with rats also apply to pigeons. They breed quickly and out of control. Their lifestyles are dependent on being around humans. In particular, their diets rely on our food waste. They are known vectors of disease. They can cause significant property damage if they nest in or near a home. They have more than earned their nickname.
Never feed a seagull. Seagulls are clever creatures, and can recognize places and people who are sources of food. A piece of bread tossed to a seagull that lives in your area can lead to an annoying bird pecking at your windows and demanding more food. Seagulls are opportunistic, and will raid trash cans just as much as any other pest.
House sparrows will eat anything. They are more than happy to set up their nests near a human home and feed on the food waste and insects in the area. That can be very useful at controlling insect populations. But their loud, constant chirping can drown out other birds, and their presence will crowd them out. And the nesting habits of house sparrows are often a significant fire hazard to a home.
Woodpeckers drum on trees. Starlings swarm in large enough numbers to cause damage to trees and property. Crows and grackles swarm as cell, and can also ruin a garden. A recent boom in the population of Canadian geese has turned them into a menace in suburban spaces. Birds can be anything from a nuisance to a danger if not properly controlled. Consult a pest control expert to learn the best way to reduce the number of birds around your home.