HIGH FLYING PESTS
Ecclesiastical and Heritage World - Issue 33
If you mention the words ‘pest control' to most people, their first thought is likely to be rats, cockroaches and mice. However, one group of pests which is frequently overlooked is birds. In fact, some birds can be thought of as no more than ‘rats with wings'.
Not only can bird species carry disease, they can also damage buildings and encourage insect infestations. These are serious matters, especially where high standards of hygiene and presentation need to be maintained in buildings, especially churches and listed buildings.
Birds and buildings
"Pigeons are the most troublesome birds we encounter, both in rural and urban areas," explains Simon Shouler, a Leicestershirebased chartered surveyor. "Birds' nesting material, droppings, food debris and dead birds can block gutters, causing water ingress and overflow and increasing the chances of building damage. Ornate Gothic and Victorian architecture offer ideal nooks and crannies for birds to land and roost and this leads to problems with bird fouling, which is hazardous and projects a poor image. At the end of the day, to preserve these heritage buildings, a professional control strategy with spiking or netting is usually the only solution."
Methods of control
As with any pest control problem, the starting point for bird management is to try to remove the reasons why the pest is present. This basically means denying the pest species access to food and harbourage.
Where there are large populations of birds, having a bird management strategy is important. This may include the continuous control of hygiene and housekeeping standards, proofing with exclusion systems, scaring the birds and finally, and only where it is legally allowed, culling specific persistent individuals.
Bird management work on heritage buildings and churches will require checking with the conservation department of the local council's planning office before any work is undertaken, as Grahame Turner, technical manager of Network, the Cheshire-based bird proofing equipment supplier, explains:
"The bird proofing company would normally submit a proposal for work and then the local planning conservation department would be called to visit the site. If the birdwork is relatively low key and doesn't require a lot of holes drilling into the stone or brick then often no application for Listed Building Consent (LBC) is required. This decision can often be made quite quickly, especially if scaffolding is already in place and due for imminent removal. Generally, conservation officers look on bird-proofing favourably, in view of the damage and harm that bird infestations can cause and because of the ease with which the proofing can be removed if required. Net fittings would normally need to be secured to mortar rather than stone and brickwork.
"If an installation is going to be more involved, then the conservation officer may require an LBC application. This process could take at least eight weeks and may also involve English Heritage."
With birds, by far the most effective solution for an individual building is proofing. This involves the protection of individual buildings against birds through the installation of physical barriers. Even so, it is critical that the right proofing system is selected for each proofing installation. Examples include spikes, birdwire and other ledge systems, wire mesh and nets.
As Grahame Turner advises, there are special considerations with birdproofing heritage buildings and churches. These include:
• Checking for soundness of structure. When drilling, fragile parts of a building can easily be damaged and sections may even break away.
• Checking the substrate. If the stonework is porous, such as sandstone, then an application of sealant might be needed before a spike adhesive will stick.
• Ensuring the removal of droppings, which can harbour a wide range of harmful diseases, is done using the correct procedures and personal protection equipment (PPE). Churches have been known to get their parishioners to volunteer to remove accumulations of droppings; this is not to be recommended.
• Considering the height of the building. Church spires can be incredibly high. A hoist can be used up to 72m but at this height even low winds can postpone a job due to too much sway on the hoist. Alternatively, rope access could be used.
• Ensuring net fixings are of stainless steel to minimise the risk of rust stains which can arise on zinc-coated components.
Last word
"Bird management is a specialist activity, and not all pest control companies are equipped to tackle this problem," advises Oliver Madge of the British Pest Control Association (BPCA). "Within BPCA we have member organisations that specialise in this type of pest problem and we have prepared specific bird management guidelines."
BPCA members operating close to the problem can be located by contacting the BPCA on 01332 294288 or via its website at www.bpca.org.
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