Swallows and Pigeons Linked to Disease and EPA Enforcements
They are incredible animals that fly hundreds of miles from South to North America each spring and are able to zero in on the exact same nesting site they made the year before.
Once heralded for their famous return each season in San Juan Capistrano, they are beautiful in flight and even benefit humans through the consumption of pesky insects, like mosquitoes.
But migrating swallows can create serious and costly headaches for the wineries they call home as they nest high in the eaves under buildings and leave unsightly, germ-laden excrement in their wake, which is difficult to remove and, in fact, illegal once the birds have nested.
“Once they nest, these birds are protected under federal law and there’s nothing you can do,” confirms Roger Snow, CEO of Hot Foot America, a world leader in professional-grade bird deterrents. “The best time for prevention is right now.”
Snow points out that wineries make ideal homes for the swallows as they are often located in rural areas near creeks and streams that provide mud for the bird’s nests as well as hiding places high off the ground, safe from predators.
“The problem is the poop,” according to Snow, which, as he points out, contains at least 40 known viruses and 60 transmittable diseases.
“The droppings are dry and can blow around like dust,” Snow reports. “The EPA are looking for birds now when they inspect wineries because they’re realizing the hazards – and rightly so.”
Permanent Resident Bird Population Adds to Damage Each Year
Migrating swallows aren’t the only culprits. Permanent resident birds, such as pigeons and sparrows that inhabit open beams or nest behind tight fittings, create their own dangers year round.
Fortunately, Hot Foot America has been providing simple, effective, environmentally friendly solutions to problem birds for residential, commercial, governmental and new construction customers since 1977.
To address the immediate threat of migrating birds, Hot Foot America will clear the affected area of nests and install ¾ inch netting under the eaves or windows where the nests were located. The mesh forces the swallows to look for nesting areas beneath the netting, which makes them susceptible to rain or predation, or to relocate under bridges or overpasses, where protection is plentiful.
For pigeons, sparrows and other permanent resident birds, Hot Foot America has a wide variety of options, including spikes, screens, repellent gel, exclusion netting, shock track, spring wire and more.
“All of our repellants are non-toxic and non-injurious to the birds,” attests Snow. “Results are immediate and contain long-term guarantees, such as up to ten years on our netting.”
Hot Foot America has been providing safe, effective bird deterrence to its customers for the last 44 years in 22 countries around the globe.
For more information, estimates and orders, go to www.hotfoot.com.
