Birds may not be what typically springs to mind when you think of pests but they can in fact be a big nuisance and at times, even a hazard.
From bird droppings which can be a slip hazard on pavements to the loud noise they make and how protective mothers can be over their young, if you have seagulls nesting around your home or business premises, you could end up facing a lot of problems if you simply let them be.
Why Are Seagulls Classed As Pests?
• They carry a number of diseases which can cause food poisoning
• As well as looking very unattractive, the acid in bird droppings is highly corrosive and can therefore damage building exteriors
• Seagulls have a tendency to return to the same nesting site year-after-year. As well as making them very difficult to get rid of, their almost constant presence means that there’s a strong possibility they can dislodge roof tiles and leave debris from their nest in drains and gutters. In time, this may cause problems with blockages and your roof
• They can be aggressive when hungry and they’re not shy when it comes to taking food straight out of your hand
• Birds will use anything they can find to build their nests and have even been known to pick up smoking cigarettes – something which is a huge fire risk
• A number of insects such as bird mites, textile beetles and fleas are attracted to nests and roosting sites so you may find yourself facing a bug infestation as well
How To Get Rid Of Seagulls
Remove their food source
As with any animal, the best way to discourage birds from nesting around your property is to remove any potential food sources including:
• Bird feeders
• Pet food
• Compost bins and rubbish bins – make sure all bins are completely secured and covered so birds can’t get food out of them
• If you have an outside eating area, make sure any food debris is cleared away every day
• In busy urban areas, chances are that seagulls won’t have to travel far to find food so they may go elsewhere to stock up and then return to their nesting site
Install Deterrents
Another great tactic for getting rid of seagulls is to remove access to their nesting site. More commonly used for pigeons, spikes and barriers over window ledges are a great deterrent for any type of bird. Bird netting and sloped sheathing are also great because with these in place, seagulls physically won’t be able to settle around your property.
Use a decoy
Seagulls don’t like bright, scary owl faces on masks or balloons and some will also avoid wooden owls and kites shaped like hawks. Often referred to as ‘terror eyes’ try using a couple of decoys in the garden or on the roof of your property and this should ensure that any seagulls move on pretty quickly.
Call a professional
The best thing to do when faced with any pest control problem is to call a professional. Seagulls are considerably more intelligent than most birds and they can, therefore, be difficult to eliminate. Our experts know all the tricks of the trade and we only ever use humane methods so you can be rest assured that we can contain your seagull infestation quickly, discreetly and safely.
For your free, no obligation quote, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Prokill today.
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