Nesting season has begun and unfortunately for a large number of home owners this means that birds have decided that your home is a suitable place to move in! Some species of birds will build their nest in your eaves-troughs, stove or dryer vent to lay their eggs. These bird are not only noisy, their choice of residence actually poses health risks to you and your family.
Unfortunately when these cute little birds decide to make your vent their habitat, they also turn your vent into their personal toilet. It is gross to think about, but the Mama bird and her young will actually start filling your vents with their feces. The mix of fecal matter and bird dander creates a foul odour that will stink up your home. To make matters worse, the air that flows through those vents becomes contaminated with the diseases in the fecal matter or blocks air flow all together. If you choose to try to remove the nest yourself make sure to wear protective gear such as goggles, clothing and a respirator so you do not breathe in the fecal particles. Most people think that turning on your fan would encourage the birds to fly out of the vent, but avoid this seemingly quick solution. Turning on your fan could potentially kill the birds and make a larger mess.
Another common issue that occurs when you have birds nesting in your home is bird mites. Bird mites are a type of parasite, they are extremely small in size making them almost impossible to spot. They live off the bird’s blood and when you remove the birds from your home the mites will search for a new host. Bird mites do not fly but their aggressive nature helps them detect a host. Often bird mites will float down from high places to attach themselves to their next meal. The female bird mites crave blood to reproduce and during the night will actively seek mammal blood.
It takes about 7 days for the mite to mature, and once they are fully grown they will feed on you and your loved ones including your pets to survive and multiply. The bites resemble a pinprick and are extremely itchy and uncomfortable. Immature mites don’t bite but they will crawl on your skin during the night making it difficult to sleep. The feeling of bugs crawling all over you can be mentally torturing when experiencing a severe bird mite infestation.
Bird mite infestations should be treated immediately because if left untreated they will quickly multiply, making the extermination harder. Bird mites are challenging to get rid of because they are able to develop a tolerance against different chemicals, making over the counter sprays less effective. It is strongly suggested to call a professional who has experience with Bird mites to achieve the quickest results.
Another hazard of having nuisance birds living in your home is the chance of starting a fire. If the nest is built close to a light for example, the heat from the light could catch the nest materials on fire. Nests are generally made of twigs, paper, and straw making them extremely flammable if lit. The flammable material will kindle the fire and could potentially burn your entire house to the ground. Fires created by birds are more common than you might expect, protect your family and home by safely removing the birds and nest from your house as soon as possible.
If you have a bird infestation call AnyPest immediately, we will arrive at your home as soon as possible to contain the situation and disinfect the area. Our team of experts are trained in proper bird removal and will prevent the further issues that are associated with unwanted birds. We will help remove the birds safely and release them into a safe environment. Here at AnyPest we treat animals humanely and feel it is important to catch and release any animals that we are removing from a home. After removing the birds and nests from your vents it is a good idea to block the hole with a screen to prevent the birds from coming back. Birds, you are now evicted!
** While we remove birds from your homes, we do like to admire them outside the house. If you are ever in the Flamborough area, we recommend you visit Bogle Seed Farm where they grow and sell their own birdseed mixes. It is a nice outing for the entire family, In fact they are the largest sunflower grower in Ontario, where they have 75 acres of Sunflower plants.