How do you remove birds? Let us count the ways. There are many bird removal methods, but not all bird removal techniques are created equal.
Some are methods faster than others, some are more costly, and some are messier and more lethal. This month, we summarize the most common methods of ridding your facility of birds – their advantages and liabilities.
Wringing its neck is, in my opinion, the best method for killing the bird on your own without the need for specialized equipment. When done correctly, it should kill the bird almost immediately. But you have to be careful to give it your all and not give it a half-baked effort that will just make it suffer more. This mostly affects those who find it repulsive.
As a rancher, I routinely have to dispatch injured birds. There are two methods if you don’t have a knife on hand: either hold the bird by the head and decapitate it with a whipping motion. The body separates from the head. Toss the head. Another method is to do essentially the same thing, but with less force, and quickly rotate the bird’s body; this instantly breaks the neck and leaves no blood behind.
In the UK you should probably contact the RSPCA or RSPB. I think RSCPA is probably best as they actually do welfare stuff whereas RSPB is about conservation. They should have the best knowledge of whether the bird needs to be killed and how best to do it. I presume other countries have similar charities.
If it were a wild bird, I would get directions by calling the closest wildlife rehabilitator. In certain cases, it is possible to save a bird, or at the very least, they will learn important information about the state of the local populations, which will benefit not only them but also potential users of their data. Researchers and the government are discovering more and more that wildlife rehabilitators possess the most accurate information about the health of the local animal populations. They also have a great deal of experience with various kinds of injured animals, have a strong compassion for animals, and have acquired expertise in managing injured animals.
He believed that the brain in decapitated heads (and broken necks) remain operational for about 30 seconds (probably based on well known guillotine stories where the victims blinked their eyes for 15 to 30 seconds, could answer questions (with eye-blinking) and make facial expressions (to the executioner)). Quite recently, researchers found that the brains of decapitated rats remained conscious for about 3.7 seconds.
Traps, Glue Boards, and Poisons
The majority of pest control businesses claim to remove birds, but they really just apply their standard techniques to rodents and other land-based vermin. Actually, they consider bird abatement to be merely another facet of pest management. But observation and reasoning will tell you that bird removal is a whole other animal! (Yes, pun intended!) ).
Similar to how they handle rats, pest control businesses can eliminate birds by using glue boards, traps, or poisons. These are the least expensive methods. Even when they work, these traps carry inherent risks:
- They could create health hazards. Most pest control companies work on a route system. You have a dead, decomposing bird infecting your inventory if it is left in a trap or on a glue board for an extended period of time. Poisons present challenges to food safety and the potential for poisoning to spread to other wildlife.
- They endanger protected birds. The majority of pest control businesses are unaware that there are only three types of birds that are permissible to kill. Your business may face fines or other legal action if your contractor damages or kills a protected bird. This is an issue with all methods unless the person removing the birds is aware of local and federal laws.
Companies that deal with pests utilize glue boards, poison, and traps because that is what they know. But they are not the best way to remove birds. It’s not a pretty sight, but at Meridian, we frequently clean up behind exterminators who are ignorant of birds. It is far safer to use a local company like Meridian Bird Removal for bird removal.
Hiring a professional raptor is the best option if you want your bird removal process to be exciting. Falconry is sleek, sexy, effective and very expensive. (What do you expect from the Sultan sport?) These services are highly specialized and not offered everywhere. Additionally, they aren’t guaranteed because it depends on the falcon’s hunting prowess. Risks to public relations and food safety arise when using falconry to remove birds. Additionally keep in mind that falcons are larger than the majority of troublesome birds and can evade the feathered hunters by hiding in small areas.
Common Bird Removal Methods
Aggressive harvesting, commonly known as shooting, is one of the most popular methods for removing birds. In areas where hunting and outdoor sports are prevalent, this might seem like the sensible thing to do. This can occasionally be quite effective (depending on the shooter’s skill). But there are a number of reasons why shooting birds might not be the best course of action for your establishment:
- The establishment must take the same safety measures that any hunter or recreational shooter would in order to practice responsible shooting. When a building requires the use of an air rifle rather than a firearm But these air rifles can fire pellets as fast as 1300 feet per second, which is equivalent to the velocity of a 9mm handgun round! This implies:
- Interruption of operations. You have to close the facility since nobody can be in the possible line of fire. Shooting the bird means stopping work completely.
- Possible damage to inventory. It is inevitable for stray pellets to cause damage to inventory or building components like wiring or ductwork in a warehouse or retail establishment.
- Birds are fast and have small kill zones. This is why shotguns with proper chokes are preferred by bird hunters over pellet rifles. You have to shoot the bird with a rifle when it’s motionless and in the open. That means waiting, sometimes for days.
- It is necessary to confirm that the species is not protected, as it is unlawful to remove protected species by death.
- Food safety hazard
- Public relations risk
FAQ
How do you humanely euthanize a bird at home?
How do you put a parakeet down?
How do you wring a bird’s neck?