Birds

In the Bloomington area, birds are an essential part of our natural environment. As predators, they feed on insects, rodents, worms, fish and countless other animals. Game birds, songbirds, hawks, and other bird species contribute to outdoor recreation and the overall enjoyment of nature.  It's best to contact Critter Control of Bloomington because birds are often protected by laws, regulations and public sentiment that controls what kind of bird control can be implemented. If you are experiencing bird problems, give Critter Control of Bloomington a call today! 

Bird Removal Services in Bloomington

Pigeons, Starlings and House Sparrows are the most common birds in the United States that end up becoming a nuisance. If you have ever tried to get rid of pigeons, you know just how difficult it can be to try to remove these nuisance birds. When blackbirds and crows roost in suburban areas, they become pests and result in you needing help with bird control or bird proofing. Woodpeckers may peck holes into house siding while looking for insects, to make nest cavities and to communicate with other woodpeckers. Seagulls can feed on food-plants, and they roost and nest on large flat roofs with crushed stone. The most common bird situations that need professional help are: 

• Feeding on agricultural products
• Roosting or nesting around human habitations
• Destroying vegetation and contaminating foods
• Noises, droppings, odor, and feathers
• Diseases or ectoparasites affecting man including histoplasmosis and cryptococcosis
• Unpleasant or hazardous working conditions

Types of Birds We Manage

House Finch

Gaining ground in the United States since 1940, house finches are robust birds and populations in North America are estimated between 300 million and one billion individuals. The birds are just as likely to be seen at bird feeders in urban areas as they are to be spotted in the wild. Humans frequently come into contact with house finches, which are considered destructive pests by farmers and gardeners alike.

Male house finches have brown bodies streaked with white and touches of red on their heads and breasts. Females are entirely brown and white, which helps with camouflage. The birds grow between 5 and 6 inches (13 and 15 cm) and have wingspans of about 9 inches (23 cm). As their diets primarily include seeds, house finch beaks are deep and short.

Pigeons

The presence of pigeons has been affecting history for more than 5,000 years, as demonstrated by Mesopotamian cuneiform tablets and Egyptian hieroglyphics that mention the domestication of the bird. Charles Darwin used pigeons to formulate parts of his Theory of Evolution and modern-day people raise them for food, to race and for the delivery of messages. Despite all the ways pigeons can be utilized for human needs, the birds are considered the most common avian pest.

Pigeon bodies are traditionally gray with a whitish rump, but the birds may also appear in shades of white, tan and black. They have characteristic double black stripes on their wing feathers, a single black band on their tail feathers, and bright red feet. The average pigeon weighs 13 ounces (369 g) and measures 11 inches (28 cm) in length.

Sparrows

Sparrows are some of the most common birds in the United States. They were originally introduced to North America in the mid-1800s and populations have since grown to include an estimated 70 million individuals. The two most abundant species in the region are song sparrows and house sparrows. They are usually found in close proximity to humans, are opportunistic feeders, and compete with native bird species for food and nesting sites.

The two types of North American sparrows are similar in size but have slightly different features and markings. House sparrows are typically chestnut brown on top with tawny or white underbellies and black, gray, or brown patterns on their backs and wings. Males have black bibs, short black beaks and gray patches on the top of their heads. Females tend to be duller in color with unmarked breasts and tan beaks. The coloration of song sparrows is dependent on their location in the United States. Some bear dark plumage, while others have lighter brown or gray feathers.

Starlings

In the 1890s, approximately 100 starlings were introduced to New York as an invasive species. Since then, the bird's numbers have soared over 200 million and they can be found from Alaska to Mexico. Adaptable, resilient and intelligent, starlings negatively affective native populations of hole-nesting birds, like bluebirds and species of woodpeckers, by aggressively running them out of their natural habitats. They travel in large flocks and forage in open fields for their favored food source: insects.

Chunky and roughly blackbird-sized, starlings grow between 7 and 9 inches (20 and 23 cm) in length and weigh about 3 ounces (about 90 g). They have strong jaws and long, pointed beaks that are well suited to plucking insects out of the ground. Starling feathers are dark, usually black, and change depending on the season, displaying white spots in the winter and glossy sheens in the summer. Their wings are triangular, short, and pointed. During flight, starlings resemble four-pointed stars, hence their name.

Woodpecker Removal Services

Distributed widely across the world, woodpeckers are known for their loud food-seeking behaviors. By drilling holes into trees, the birds gain access to a variety of insects. Even though the birds possess remarkably small brains, they are able to accomplish astounding feats. However, they persistently and unknowingly pester building residents and owners.

Woodpeckers typically have red markings on their heads and long, sharply pointed beaks built for sustained rapping on trees. Most common types of woodpeckers also have black and white plumage. The pileated woodpecker is one of the largest and most recognizable of its kind, as it grows to about 15 inches long and can weigh up to 14 ounces, which is comparable to the size of crows. Their distinctive red crest markings and mostly black bodies, which display only a few white stripes, distinguish the birds from other woodpecker species.

Bird Proofing

Controlling birds is a difficult task; their mobility and high nesting areas are a challenge for most people and businesses to deal with. The secret to controlling birds is to deny them space to land and nest on around your building. Another method of controlling birds is to trap the current roosting birds, immediately ending the problems they cause. It is more likely, however, that our experts will do both of these things to ensure that we can control your bird problems.

The best bird control and bird proof approaches emphasize deterrents, exclusion or modification of buildings. Critter Control’s knowledgeable technicians have several bird control methods to bird proof your home or help to get rid of birds that congregate on municipal and commercial buildings in urban settings. We will work with you to bird proof your property in the most humane way possible that is also going to be effective. We use other bird deterrents in rural and agricultural settings for bird control. 

Full-Service Critter Control 

For more information on bird control and bird proofing, please contact Critter Control of Bloomington today. We will get them out & keep them out!