Spring is the season of sparrows

Spring is the time when nature begins to come alive—flowers bloom, insects emerge, and birds begin to sing and build nests. For commercial properties, the last item on the list is something you should be aware of, especially house sparrows. These birds are particularly fond of man-made structures because they often provide many safe nesting spaces and many potential food options.

Problems with House Sparrows

House sparrows are small birds that can cause big problems. When they get indoors, they can cause trouble for many types of facilities, such as large warehouse-style stores or food processing plants. If not removed quickly, sparrows may make their home indoors because of the abundance of food or safe spaces to nest.

Both sparrows and their droppings can carry pathogens that are harmful to humans. Their nests are often hotspots for bugs and parasites that may make their way into buildings. Additionally, in some areas, sparrow nests can be a fire hazard.

Sparrows like to squeeze their nesting materials into tiny cracks—one to three inches is the ideal size. This can include the framing of a building, the letters on a sign, corrugated overhangs, and even the vents of your dryer.

Sparrow Problems

These birds are also quite intelligent. In fact, they are able to learn and pick up behavioral patterns very quickly. Sparrows have been known to find ways to activate sensors on automatic doors in order to get inside, learn to recognize the faces of people who feed (and try to catch) them, and so on.

Solving a Sparrow Problem

However, this is not something that anyone should take on. In fact, if you think you have a sparrow problem, you should contact a professional to help protect the birds and your brand.

“When working with bird control, it is important to be aware of the sensitive nature of this pest business,” says Kim Lewis, former Division Manager of Bird Control Services at Rentokil North America. “Most people love birds! Even if they are creating a problem or are considered a nuisance, it is important to always be humane and respectful when dealing with the problem. Failure to do so could lead to negative brand perception through unwanted media attention, social media posts, and even word of mouth.”

In addition, hiring a professional bird management company ensures that you are properly identifying bird species and complying with all regulations regarding how to manage them. Many bird species are protected by federal, state, and local laws. While sparrows do not have any specific federal or state protections, your facility may be subject to local ordinances.

Sparrow nest trapped in building sign

Bird control for businesses

Once you have correctly identified the bird as a sparrow, there are a number of solutions that can be deployed both inside and outside your property. Pest control companies can provide the following solutions, including:

Use netting, metal sheets or metal cloth to exclude nesting areas

Use mist nets or single-catch sparrow traps to remove birds from inside buildings

Use repellents or tactile gels to modify perches to eliminate roosting and roosting

Use repellent systems to disperse irritants to create a negative environment that discourages birds from roosting

Sanitation services to treat nesting sites and remove droppings and related debris