Bird proofing a roller door is an important step to take for any home or business owner looking to prevent birds from nesting or roosting in undesirable areas. Birds can cause damage by pecking, scratching, or defecating on doors, eaves, patio furniture, cars, and more. Their droppings can also carry diseases. Effective bird proofing requires understanding which bird species are causing problems, their behavior patterns, and implementing well-chosen deterrents that are safe for birds and humans. This comprehensive guide covers key considerations and proven methods to humanely and legally dissuade birds from roller doors.
Why Do Birds Roost on Roller Doors?
Birds are attracted to roost on roller doors for several reasons:
- Shelter – The underside of roller doors provides cover from weather and predators.
- Seclusion – Birds perceive the confined space under a roller door as an isolated, protected site to build nests.
- Vantage point – Birds use the height to survey for food sources and keep watch for threats.
- Accessibility – The ledges, cracks, and crevices of roller doors are convenient structures birds can cling to and occupy.
- Reflected heat – The metal surfaces reflect warmth that birds find comforting for resting and nesting.
These benefits draw birds to use roller doors despite the proximity to human activity. The most common culprits are pigeons, sparrows, swallows, and starlings. Identifying the bird species and their habits is key to addressing the root causes of the problem through bird proofing.
Damage and Health Risks of Bird Infestations
When birds take up residence on a property, they can inflict a surprising amount of damage and health hazards:
- Corrosion: Bird droppings contain acidic urine that corrodes and degrades roller door materials and finishes, leaving stains and requiring costly repairs or replacement.
- Nesting debris: Birds gather grasses, straw, twigs, and trash to build nests. This debris can collect in door tracks, jam mechanisms, and increase fire loads.
- Scratches: Claws, pecking, and nesting materials scratch roller door surfaces, compromising aesthetics and protection.
- Noise: Occupied nests generate incessant early morning chirping and swooping that disturbs homeowners and customers.
- Slip and fall hazards: Droppings accumulate underneath doors and can cause slippery conditions for pedestrians.
- Disease transmission: Bird droppings contain over 60 transmissible diseases through inhalation or handling, including histoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, and salmonella.
These risks demonstrate why proactive bird proofing of roller doors is so vital for health, property value, operations, and liability.
Bird Behavior to Inform Proofing
To successfully repel birds from roller doors, it is essential to understand their behavior patterns:
Roosting
– Seek sheltered spots like overhangs
– Return to same spots nightly
– Large seasonal flocks rest together
Nesting
– Usually occurs March to August
– Build nests with found materials
– Aggressively protect once eggs laid
Perching
– Survey for food sources and threats
– Often territorial over preferred spots
– Defecate frequently while perched
Chewing
– Sharpen beaks on surfaces
– Strip materials for nest building
Knowing these habits informs the timing, locations, combinations, and types of deterrents needed for an effective bird proofing plan.
Legal and Ethical Considerations
While ridding a property of problematic birds, it is important to adhere to laws, regulations, and ethical standards:
- Most bird species are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Harming or killing birds or eggs is illegal without permits.
- Poisons and toxic chemicals are unlawful and unethical due to risks of unintended wildlife deaths.
- Ensure deterrents don’t trap birds or prevent critical activities like feeding young.
- Seek professional guidance to humanely remove nests with eggs or young birds.
- Prevention is preferable to destructive removal of occupied nests.
- Implement proofing before nesting season begins.
- Combining multiple deterrents offsets limitations of single techniques.
A proactive, integrated bird proofing strategy allows for effective prevention while avoiding harm to birds protected under federal law.
Bird Proofing Methods
Now that the considerations are covered, below are methods for practical, legal, and humane bird proofing of roller doors:
Physical Blocks
Physical barriers deny birds access to roost on doors:
- Hooded baffle: Angled metal or plastic covers physically keep birds from landing on top edges and tracks.
- Wire mesh: Small gauge stainless steel or plastic coated wire mesh blocks perching on ledges and crevices.
- Nest boxes: Installing boxes on-site for safe nesting diverts birds from using roller doors.
Repellent Coatings
Special coatings apply to door surfaces to repel perching. Options include:
- Gels: Clear, sticky gels like Bird-X Transparent Bird Gel prevent footholds on application areas.
- Liquid repellents: Non-drying formulations like Bird-Away Bird Repellent make surfaces tacky.
- Anti-roost spikes: Plastic or stainless steel spikes resonate when landed on, deterring occupancy.
Active Harassment
These devices activate when birds are detected to startle them off:
- Motion sprinklers: Sprinklers triggered by a bird’s movement shower them with water bursts.
- Predator decoys: Lifelike plastic coyotes, snakes, or owls move and elicit bird alarm calls.
- Sonic and ultrasonic: Units emit loud bird distress and predator sounds, ultrasonic noise.
Combinations utilize multiple techniques for the strongest impact:
- Block preferred perches then harassment frightens birds away from alternative spots.
- Apply gels and/or spikes so repelled birds don’t just move over a few feet.
- Use predator decoys and sounds to mimic threats and override nesting instincts.
Following these guidelines, integrating methods, and understanding bird behaviors are key to successfully and humanely stopping birds from occupying roller doors. Once proofed, monitoring and maintaining deterrents will keep problematic birds away long-term. A proactive bird proofing strategy improves safety, preserves property, and resolves nuisance bird issues without harming protected species.
Conclusion
Birds frequently infest roller doors seeking shelter, nest sites, perches, and warmth. Occupied doors face damage from droppings, nesting materials, scratches, and chewing. More importantly, accumulations of bird waste present serious health hazards. Thoughtful planning is needed to deter birds from roller doors without harming protected species or inadvertently increasing problems. This requires identifying problematic bird behaviors, implementing integrated proofing methods before nesting season, and upholding legal and ethical practices. Physical barriers like wire mesh and baffles combined with harassment from sprinklers, decoys, and sounds provide effective, long-lasting bird proofing of roller doors. A strategic approach improves safety and preserves property while coexisting ethically with native wildlife.