Bird control spikes on a building frontage sign.

Bird control spikes, also known as anti-roosting spikes^[1] or roost modification,^[2] are long, needle-like rods used for bird control which can be attached to ledges in order to prevent wild or feral birds from perching or roosting on buildings and walls. Wild birds can produce a lot of unsightly and unhygienic faeces,^[3] and some birds have very loud calls, which are inconvienient for nearby residents, especially at night.^[2] As a result, bird control spikes are used to deter these birds without causing them harm or killing them. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2956x2296, 430 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Rock Pigeon Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2956x2296, 430 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Rock Pigeon Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to... Look up needle in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... We dont have an article called Ledge Start this article Search for Ledge in. ... A feral horse (an American mustang) in Wyoming A feral animal or plant is one that has escaped from domestication and returned, partly or wholly, to its wild state. ... Aves redirects here. ... Hygiene is commonly understood as preventing infection through cleanliness. ... Rabbit feces are usually 0. ... Bird songs are certain vocal sounds that birds make—in non-technical use, those sounds that are melodious to the human ear. ...

Use

Bird control spikes are normally around 1 ft (0.3 m) long,^[4] and work by reducing the area available for birds to land on. This forces larger varieties of birds, such as seagulls, pigeons, crows and vultures,^[5] to land elsewhere. As the birds do not come into contact with the spikes, the birds go unharmed. As a result, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds recommends bird control spikes for detering pigeons from gardens.^[6] A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... The metre, or meter (U.S.), is a measure of length. ... Seagull or Seagulls may refer to: Gull, a family of seabird, members of which are often called seagulls. ... Pigeon redirects here. ... Species See text. ... Orders Falconiformes (Fam. ... The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is Europes largest wildlife conservation charity. ...

Described as "the most effective [type of] stand-alone bird deterrent",^[1] bird control spikes can be placed along ledges, walls, on top of commercial signage, closed circuit television cameras and in rain gutters, in order to prevent birds from perching on the surfaces. Bird control spikes are most common in city centres and coastal areas, where feral birds are more common and more likely to come into conflict with humans.^[7] In addition, killing or harming birds without a valid reason is illegal in some areas; for example the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in the United Kingdom forbids killing wild birds that are not causing serious damage to property or posing a serious risk to human health, which puts pressure on authorities and landowners to find non-lethal bird control methods.^[8] As well as being used to control wild birds, bird control spikes see limited use in preventing larger climbing animals such as squirrels, racoons and snakes from crossing an area.^[5] Multiple logos on the Virgin Megastore in San Francisco, California . Los Angeles famous Hollywood sign, now a symbol the entertainment industry, originally said Hollywoodland, and advertised a real estate development. ... Closed-circuit cameras are often used to discourage crime Closed-circuit television (CCTV), as a collection surveillance cameras doing video surveillance, is the use of television cameras for surveillance. ... A rain gutter (also known as eavestrough, guttering or just gutter) is a narrow channel, or trough, forming the component of a roof system which collects and diverts rainwater shed by the roof. ... City Centre is a Local Government ward in the City of Manchester. ... Rugged coastline of the West Coast of New Zealand The coast is defined as the part of the land adjoining or near the ocean. ... The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom which aims to protect the wildlife and countryside of the United Kingdom. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Racoon is a Dutch rock band, formed in 1997. ... For other uses, see Snake (disambiguation). ...

Some bird control spikes are electrified, using the same principle as an electric fence to increase effectiveness, and the distress call of the shocked bird can frighten others in the area. However, such devices cause unnecessary harm to birds, and are therefore illegal in some areas, such as the United Kingdom.^[9] Sharp tipped bird control spikes, although common in the USA, are illegal in much of the rest of the world,^[9] and are unsuitable for areas which are regularly accessible for humans. As a result, some companies manufacture special blunted spikes for use where sharp spikes are dangerous or illegal. However, the blunt spikes are less effective at deterring birds, and cannot block climbing animals.^[9][5] An electric fence is a barrier that uses painful or even lethal high-voltage electric shocks to deter animals or people from crossing a boundary. ...

Alternatives

The spikes can become clogged by leaves, debris and bird feathers. If left unchecked, this can allow birds to perch easily on top. In addition, spikes can make buildings appear less attractive or untidy, especially historical buildings.^[10] In these cases, other methods of control must be used, such as bird scarers playing bird distress calls or shining bright flashing lights at the required areas. Walls and ledges can also be modified to include a sloped surface, as birds cannot stand on the slanted surface and seek other perches.^[9] History is often used as a generic term for information about the past, such as in geologic history of the Earth. When used as the name of a field of study, history refers to the study and interpretation of the record of human societies. ... A typical propane gas gun bird scarer. ...

References

For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... February 23 is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... February 23 is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... February 23 is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... February 23 is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... February 23 is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is Europes largest wildlife conservation charity. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... February 23 is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is Europes largest wildlife conservation charity. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... February 23 is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is Europes largest wildlife conservation charity. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... February 23 is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries and rural communities. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... February 23 is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

See also

• Animal repellent
• Barbed tape
• Barbed wire
• Pest control

Animal Repellants are products designed to keep animals away from objects. ... Barbed tape or razor wire is a mesh of metal strips with sharp edges whose purpose it is to prevent passage by human beings. ... A selection of forms of barbed wire. ... Pest control refers to the regulation or management of another species defined as a pest, usually because it is detrimental to a persons health, the ecology or the economy. ...

External links

• Pigeon Control Advisory Service (PiCAS)
• RSPB advice on deterrents for use in gardens
• RSPB advice on gull control