USA Bird Control Measures for Starlings and Grackles

They're small but they can be really annoying and bothersome. They're Starlings and Grackles. And to know them is to help rid your property of them. But before we get to the USA bird control methods and devices you can use to control them, here are a few facts you might find interesting.

Starlings--urbanized to survive

While starlings weren't native to America, they have adapted well to urban life and its many nesting and food sites. A dark, compact, muscular bird, starlings are unlike other blackbirds because they have a short tail and longer, slender bill. Starlings often invade an area in huge flocks--sometimes in the tens of thousands. In these massive numbers, the birds drive out other native bird species. And they leave behind quite a mess in droppings and debris.

Grackles--aggressive colonizers

Common grackles are about 12-inches long with the female being somewhat smaller. Boat-tailed and great-tailed grackles are slightly larger than the common grackle measuring about16-inches in length. Like starlings and other blackbirds, grackles are aggressive, often colonizing in massive flocks to seize control of buildings and drive out native birds.

Reining down structural damage and disease

When starlings or grackles flock to an area by the thousands, they leave an incredible amount of droppings in their wake. These walls of whitewashed droppings can eventually damage structures, since the uric acid in these droppings has been known to corrode stone, metal and masonry.

In addition, the widespread nesting debris produced by these birds can jam up machinery, clog rain gutters and block air vents. Worse still, the bacteria, fungal agents and ectoparasites found in their droppings and nesting materials can contribute to the spread of serious diseases, including histoplasmosis, encephalitis, salmonella, meningitis, toxoplasmosis and more. And lest we not forget the slip-and-fall liability bird droppings create if they are left to gather. The clean up and maintenance costs of a grackle or starling invasion can be prohibitive. And grackles have been known to eat small seedlings and damage crops.

Bird netting blocks their access

One of the best ways USA bird control experts deal with starlings and grackles is by limiting their access with 1-1/8-inch bird netting. Ideal for blocking out pest birds from certain areas, Bird Netting has been used to exclude these birds from orchards, vineyards, warehouses, and other enclosed areas. Netting is harmless to birds and comes in various types depending on your specific application. For example, to keep starlings and grackles from invading fruit trees and crops, agricultural netting is ideal. To keep birds away from large areas outside buildings and other structures, you might consider heavy-duty netting. USA bird control experts recommend Premium Bird Netting that is U.V. stabilized, flame resistant and rot- and water-proof.

Electrical Track

Starlings and grackles can also be easily controlled with Electric Tracks. These devices "zap" intruding birds with a healthy but harmless electric jolt. Perfectly suited for rooflines, parapet walls, ledges, beams, eaves and signs, Electric Tracks are easily mounted on virtually any flat or curved surface. If visibility and aesthetics are an issue, you can opt for a low-profile, electrical track system that measures just 1/4-inch at its highest point. These tracks even come in four colors--grey, stone, black and terracotta. USA bird control experts prefer using electric tracks that feature a flow-thru design to prevent water from damming up on rooftops.

Fogging Systems

Bird Fogging systems have long proven their worth in driving out flocks of starlings and grackles. These systems disperse a fogged chemical agent that irritates a nerve in a bird's mucus membrane and "persuades" the birds to leave. The chemical won't harm birds, people or pets because the food-grade methyl anthranilate is a grape extract regulated by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) under FIFRA (the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act). For best results, be sure to use bird fogging agents in the wee hours of the morning or late evening when flocks are typically eating and packed together. Keep in mind, too, that these chemicals should only be used by professionals.

Audio Visual Deterrents

Installed quickly when the birds first move into an area, starlings and grackles can be controlled with a combination of sonic and visual deterrents. Visual Bird Deterrents include such simple devices as reflective foil banners, reflective strips or blow-up balloons. Bright strips and banners that crackle in the wind and sparkle in the sunlight will make starlings and grackles too nervous to stay. As will inflated Bird Scare Balloons, many of which have large predator eyes to scare pest birds. A combination of these devices have been widely used by USA bird control experts because they are not only economical to buy but easy to easy to install in trees, gazebos, overhangs, patios, eaves, and other open areas.