Cliff Clavin
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- May 21, 2004
- Messages
- 86
Ah, the classic Barn Swallow problem. Birds that are unwanted sure can be a pain.
Many people attract wildlifeparticularly birds to their backyards with plantings and with feeders. But sometimes efforts such as these result in unexpected or unwanted birds. On the farmstead birds may be attracted by feed lots and stored grain. Though some problem birds must be tolerated, others can be controlled. The most effective way to control problem birds is
to understand what the birds daily requirements are and then remove or exclude these requirements from the bird. Manipulation of a wild animals daily requirements for purposes of increasing or decreasing numbers is an important part of wildlife management. Some basic principles can provide a background for understanding how to control problem birds effectively and
appropriately.
To survive, all wild animals need habitat, which is comprised of four essential factors: 1) space, 2) food, 3) shelter, and 4) water. Each factor is essential. Wildlife managers manipulate each
factor to attract and maintain wildlife species, and to control problem species.
Space is the area needed by a wild animal. Just as some people are happy in a city apartment and others need a ranch with no near neighbors, some bird species need more space than others. Two kinds of space used by wild animals are:
home rangethe entire area that an animal uses to eat, sleep, and go about its daily activities;
territorya portion of the home range an animal defends against intruders; it is usually where the animal raises young.
Usually the male bird establishes and defends the territory. In the spring, the brightly-colored male sings to attract a mate and to announce to other male birds of the same species the location of his territorial space. After the pair builds a nest, the male continues to defend the territory while the female hatches eggs. Space is limited by the area of a yard or farmstead so this factor cannot be controlled.
But food, water, and shelter are elements of habitat that can be manipulated to manage birds in the yard or farmstead. Provide these elements to attract the birds; remove them to keep the birds away. All three are essential needs. Not all bird
problems can be eliminated by taking away just one of them.
Variety is a key word in wildlife management. It is often necessary to use a variety of excluding and repelling methods simultaneously to control nuisance birds.
Food sources for birds include seeds, fruits, berries, and insects. To reduce the number of problem birds, eliminate or control their access to the source of food. The strategies needed to control problem birds around homes are often different from around farmsteads. For example, reduce the number of undesirable birds around homes by choosing plants that do not produce edible nuts, fruits, and berries or by changing the type of food offered in bird feeders. Around farmsteads protect possible sources of food from the birds, such as grain storage and livestock feed. In both situations, variety in technique is essential to successful bird damage control. Use a variety of methods, and move them around so that the birds do not become accustomed to them.
House sparrows are often a problem at the feeder. To reduce their number, feed straight sunflower seed (preferably the black, oil type) rather than a seed mixture, and discontinue feeding in the spring, summer, and early fall when house sparrows are often attracted. Make it more difficult for house sparrows and other large problem birds to feed by using tubular feeders
without perches. These feeders are easily accessible to the clinging birds, such as nuthatches, chickadees, and titmice. Try to lure house sparrows away from the feeding station by using a
platform-type feeder at the back of the yard away from the other feeders, loaded with a mixture of white proso millet and cracked corn. If a large number of house sparrows still visit the feeder
near the house, try one of the trapping methods described below to reduce the population.
All birds need shelter for cover, roosting, and nesting. The kind of shelter a bird will use varies with the season, the species of bird, and the reason the bird is looking for shelter. Sometimes birds roost or nest in inappropriate places. On farms, birds like to roost in places that provide them easy access to a source of food such as livestock feed or grain storage. In these cases, denying access to roost sites also will discourage their feeding.
When birds nest in inappropriate places, be persistent about removing nests; they will keep trying to re-establish their nests in the same place. A more long-term solution is either to exclude the
birds from the area or make it less comfortable for them.
Various methods can be used to prevent birds from nesting or roosting on ledges and rafters, or under eaves and other overhangs:
Put nylon or plastic netting on the underside of rafters or overhangs to exclude the birds.
Use sticky repellants (Tanglefoot, Roost NoMore, 4 The Birds) on rafters and ledges. These are messy, collect dirt, and may need to be reapplied several times each year, but they are effective in discouraging roosting.
For birds outside the building, place netting or a metal covering from the outside edge of the eave down to the wall;
Hang clear plastic strips from doorways of barns and sheds; machinery, livestock, and people can pass through, but most birds will think it is a solid door;
Build a catwalk at rafter level that allows barn cats easier access to birds on rafters.
Install Porcupine wirespermanent heavy wire prongs which stick out at different angles, making the area like a bed of nails. For barn swallow nests, the wire prongs must be placed on the side of rafters or underneath the eaves.
Put a board or metal covering over the ledge ata 45 degree angle (or greater), making the ledge less suitable for a nest or roosting.
Make certain that the ends are closed to prevent entry.
For great flocks of birds roosting in trees, habitat modification or frightening techniques (described below) may be most effective. Some species of birdssuch as blackbirds, starlings, and crows
form into groups at evening to roost together through the night. These very social birds will try hard to stay together in the roost, a known meeting place.
One method for making the roost site undesirable or uncomfortable for birds is to reduce cover by thinning the roosting trees and shrubs (a habitat modification technique). The changes need not be dramatic to be effective. Making the vegetation less dense often proves sufficient.
I'd better stop talking before I talk too much. What it all comes down to that in this postal worker's opinion, the only kind of bird that's a good bird is one that's served on my Thanksgiving Day table, along with an appropriate type of beer. I prefer a nice long draft.
Many people attract wildlifeparticularly birds to their backyards with plantings and with feeders. But sometimes efforts such as these result in unexpected or unwanted birds. On the farmstead birds may be attracted by feed lots and stored grain. Though some problem birds must be tolerated, others can be controlled. The most effective way to control problem birds is
to understand what the birds daily requirements are and then remove or exclude these requirements from the bird. Manipulation of a wild animals daily requirements for purposes of increasing or decreasing numbers is an important part of wildlife management. Some basic principles can provide a background for understanding how to control problem birds effectively and
appropriately.
To survive, all wild animals need habitat, which is comprised of four essential factors: 1) space, 2) food, 3) shelter, and 4) water. Each factor is essential. Wildlife managers manipulate each
factor to attract and maintain wildlife species, and to control problem species.
Space is the area needed by a wild animal. Just as some people are happy in a city apartment and others need a ranch with no near neighbors, some bird species need more space than others. Two kinds of space used by wild animals are:
home rangethe entire area that an animal uses to eat, sleep, and go about its daily activities;
territorya portion of the home range an animal defends against intruders; it is usually where the animal raises young.
Usually the male bird establishes and defends the territory. In the spring, the brightly-colored male sings to attract a mate and to announce to other male birds of the same species the location of his territorial space. After the pair builds a nest, the male continues to defend the territory while the female hatches eggs. Space is limited by the area of a yard or farmstead so this factor cannot be controlled.
But food, water, and shelter are elements of habitat that can be manipulated to manage birds in the yard or farmstead. Provide these elements to attract the birds; remove them to keep the birds away. All three are essential needs. Not all bird
problems can be eliminated by taking away just one of them.
Variety is a key word in wildlife management. It is often necessary to use a variety of excluding and repelling methods simultaneously to control nuisance birds.
Food sources for birds include seeds, fruits, berries, and insects. To reduce the number of problem birds, eliminate or control their access to the source of food. The strategies needed to control problem birds around homes are often different from around farmsteads. For example, reduce the number of undesirable birds around homes by choosing plants that do not produce edible nuts, fruits, and berries or by changing the type of food offered in bird feeders. Around farmsteads protect possible sources of food from the birds, such as grain storage and livestock feed. In both situations, variety in technique is essential to successful bird damage control. Use a variety of methods, and move them around so that the birds do not become accustomed to them.
House sparrows are often a problem at the feeder. To reduce their number, feed straight sunflower seed (preferably the black, oil type) rather than a seed mixture, and discontinue feeding in the spring, summer, and early fall when house sparrows are often attracted. Make it more difficult for house sparrows and other large problem birds to feed by using tubular feeders
without perches. These feeders are easily accessible to the clinging birds, such as nuthatches, chickadees, and titmice. Try to lure house sparrows away from the feeding station by using a
platform-type feeder at the back of the yard away from the other feeders, loaded with a mixture of white proso millet and cracked corn. If a large number of house sparrows still visit the feeder
near the house, try one of the trapping methods described below to reduce the population.
All birds need shelter for cover, roosting, and nesting. The kind of shelter a bird will use varies with the season, the species of bird, and the reason the bird is looking for shelter. Sometimes birds roost or nest in inappropriate places. On farms, birds like to roost in places that provide them easy access to a source of food such as livestock feed or grain storage. In these cases, denying access to roost sites also will discourage their feeding.
When birds nest in inappropriate places, be persistent about removing nests; they will keep trying to re-establish their nests in the same place. A more long-term solution is either to exclude the
birds from the area or make it less comfortable for them.
Various methods can be used to prevent birds from nesting or roosting on ledges and rafters, or under eaves and other overhangs:
Put nylon or plastic netting on the underside of rafters or overhangs to exclude the birds.
Use sticky repellants (Tanglefoot, Roost NoMore, 4 The Birds) on rafters and ledges. These are messy, collect dirt, and may need to be reapplied several times each year, but they are effective in discouraging roosting.
For birds outside the building, place netting or a metal covering from the outside edge of the eave down to the wall;
Hang clear plastic strips from doorways of barns and sheds; machinery, livestock, and people can pass through, but most birds will think it is a solid door;
Build a catwalk at rafter level that allows barn cats easier access to birds on rafters.
Install Porcupine wirespermanent heavy wire prongs which stick out at different angles, making the area like a bed of nails. For barn swallow nests, the wire prongs must be placed on the side of rafters or underneath the eaves.
Put a board or metal covering over the ledge ata 45 degree angle (or greater), making the ledge less suitable for a nest or roosting.
Make certain that the ends are closed to prevent entry.
For great flocks of birds roosting in trees, habitat modification or frightening techniques (described below) may be most effective. Some species of birdssuch as blackbirds, starlings, and crows
form into groups at evening to roost together through the night. These very social birds will try hard to stay together in the roost, a known meeting place.
One method for making the roost site undesirable or uncomfortable for birds is to reduce cover by thinning the roosting trees and shrubs (a habitat modification technique). The changes need not be dramatic to be effective. Making the vegetation less dense often proves sufficient.
I'd better stop talking before I talk too much. What it all comes down to that in this postal worker's opinion, the only kind of bird that's a good bird is one that's served on my Thanksgiving Day table, along with an appropriate type of beer. I prefer a nice long draft.
I swear, sometimes I feel like their isn't a friendly face on the boards when it comes to my threads. Of course, I was ready for it when it was the DB, not the Cb.
