Why Is A Bird Pecking At Your House?

Very few people find it challenging to enjoy a soothing bird song on a sunny day or watch as they soar majestically overhead. Unfortunately, while there is a lot to love about birds of all species, these beautiful and often vibrant animals can damage a home, leading to the necessity of bird removal in Oshawa. While bird songs or calls are beautiful, there is another frequent noise associated with the animal that is not settling: pecking.

Understanding Why the Birds Are Pecking

Birds often peck at houses for one primary reason: nutrition. The nutrients they are after will vary based on the design of your home. For example, if your house is primarily made of a wooden exterior, the birds are likely in search of insects. If that is the case, you will need to have the area inspected for wood rot and damage, possibly calling on a professional to treat an insect infestation. Birds will also peck at brick homes, which again is fitting for specific nutrient needs. Mortar, for example, provides seed-eating birds with essential grit for necessary digestive abrasives. A bird may also be searching for calcium carbonate, the main component of eggshells, found in limestone, cement, and mortar, especially in older homes.

Provide Alternatives

If birds are persistent about using your house as a nutrient source, you can try offering an alternative food source. For example, you can provide some coarse sand around the base of a birdfeeder placed away from your house. If the birds have an adequate supply of coarse material, they are more likely to leave your home alone, especially if that source is more manageable to retrieve. For wood houses, you can do something similar. You can place old logs out away from your house, near or directly under a bird feeder. The birds will take care of any insects, and they should stay away from your home.

Deter and Prevent

The name of the game is to deter and prevent, as it is with any wildlife. You cannot permit the continual pecking of your home. The best way to limit any such attacks is by using one of four techniques available to all homeowners.

1. Prune Landscaping

When discussing landscaping, it is primarily about trees and bushes or shrubs. You want to make sure that any overhanging tree branches remain trimmed away from your roof. You also want to keep plantings away from the walls of your house. Birds want shelter when they are scavenging for food, so by trimming branches and pruning bushes, you ensure that any pecking on the house is visible, offering little protection from potential predators, which is often a strong enough deterrent.

2. Offer Nest Alternatives

Some birds may peck at your house searching for a nesting site or materials; again, trimming trees and bushes can eliminate this temptation. You can also limit the hunt for a nesting site or materials by providing them elsewhere. Put up birdhouses in your yard; offer logs and other yard debris, but remember to keep it at a distance from your home.

3. Use Humane Repellants

You can use props or wind-activated devices to keep birds at bay. Securing predator cutouts to your roof or using noise-making devices can limit the amount of bird interaction you see on your property; these tactics are also humane.

4. Contact a Wildlife Specialist

If your bird problem is persistent, and nothing you try seems to deter the ongoing pecking, you may need to call our experts in bird removal in Oshawa. These professionals will assess your property to understand the underlying cause of the problem and then address it humanely. Don’t let your house fall victim to birds. Contact Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control to find a solution.