Page 6 - New England Condominium March 2022

6 NEW ENGLAND CONDOMINIUM -MARCH 2022 NEWENGLANDCONDO.COM MANAGEMENT For many, birds are a particularly con- tentious class of animal. Some people are in general, anyone who lives in, owns, Egypt as early as 3000 B.C., today’s feral extremely fond of them—admiring their or manages a multifamily property must pigeons may have lost their homing abili- colorful plumage, their melodic calls, or contend with their presence. Whether ties, but they have not lost their comfort their enviable ability to soar effortlessly this takes the form of inviting them in with humans, and are now ubiquitous on above whatever mess we have going on with feeders and ponds or deterring them any park bench in any city in the world. down here. For others, avians come with with spikes, netting, sonic emissions, a whole host of nuisances—droppings, or—yes—even lasers, co-ops, condos, and has developed between pigeons and hu- disease, damage—and perhaps thanks HOAs should have a plan for addressing mans over the centuries has led to some to Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds” or the problematic bird populations and dealing pretty disgusting consequences, often left Daphne du Maurier book by the same with their less-than-desirable contribu- name, some people feel that birds have an tions. undeniable ominousness about them. A group of crows is called a “murder,” after all. Indeed, the horror in Hitchcock’s film properties in New York, New Jersey, and worst when it comes to New York and is effective because it is actually loosely Connecticut, explains that there are par- based on a true event that took place in ticular nuances to bird control and miti- the early 1960s, when a California town gation that property owners and man- was inexplicably bombarded with dead agers should be aware of. “Proper bird a half pounds!” and dying seabirds (decades later found control requires scientific evidence for an to be the result of a shellfish toxin). And effective plan, including a full evaluation deterred city-dwellers who insist on feed- just recently, the Guardian reported on of the property in addition to monitor- the nearby town of Sunnyvale that is cur- rently experiencing a problematic influx mented to ensure good results,” says the familiar with the Department of Health’s of crows. The New York Times picked up company. the story in “A California City Is Overrun by Crows. Could a Laser Be the Answer?,” especially in urban settings, Assured En- pointing to the coast-to-coast reality of vironments confirms that the number- feeling besieged by birds. However one might feel about birds that were used as messengers in ancient Birds of a Feather Assured Environments, a pest con- trol company that services multifamily ‘street pigeons’ may be the worst of the ing the situation after the plan is imple- For the Northeast region they cover, lic service campaign, meant to discour- one Problem Bird is none other than the also encourages and sustains the rat pop- pigeon. Descended from carrier varieties ulation, which is already over-abundant Unfortunately, the camaraderie that on parapets, gargoyles, terraces, awnings, and any other outdoor appurtenance of a building or community. According to Assured Environments, “‘City doves’ or New Jersey bird pests. This is because of the colossal amount of excrement each bird produces annually—nearly two and As gross as that is, it has somehow not ing the local wildlife. If you live in or have visited New York City lately, you might be recent “Feed a Pigeon, Breed a Rat” pub- age people from tossing feed or seeds to their feathered friends, since doing so and destructive. Rats have the reputation of being disease carriers—and they cer- tainly can be—but according to Assured Environments, pigeons actually have the greater potential to carry and spread dis- ease. That’s why having a plan to control them is essential for multifamily prop- erty owners and managers to protect the health and safety of their residents. “Birds themselves are a vector for dis- ease,” Assured Environments says. “Their feathers, droppings, and nests can all contain potentially dangerous pathogens. Salmonella, meningitis, tuberculosis, and encephalitis have all been found in pigeon excrement. Combine pigeon fleas, pigeon parasites, and diseased pigeon feces with an infestation, and you’ve got an extreme- ly bad, possibly disastrous situation.” And it’s not just pigeons that have the potential for problems in multifamily communities. Other nuisance birds in this category that are prevalent in the Northeast include starlings, house sparrows, Canada geese, and seagulls. Cheep-Cheepskates In addition to the health of humans and pets, property owners should also consider the risks that nuisance birds pose to their building’s or community’s financial health. “Safety, sanitation, and health hazards caused by bird droppings can pose serious liability risks, and if left untreated, can lead to accidents and law- suits,” Assured Environments explains, suggesting that boards consider the costs of not addressing bird nuisances when evaluating proposals from pest manage- ment companies. Additionally, while birds themselves may be considered beau- tiful or at least interesting to look at, their feces, nests, and the debris they leave be- hind are not a good look for any building or community and can negatively affect property values. The ammonia and oth- er caustic elements in accumulated bird droppings can also degrade certain build- ing materials and cause further damage by clogging drain pipes, sewers, or exter- nal HVAC equipment. For example, “Starling droppings can severely degrade a steel building’s com- ponents and cause substantial structural damage,” warns Assured Environments. “If a starling infestation is not removed in a timely manner, the corrosive droppings will not only dissolve building material Multifamily Bird Control Coping With Feathered Pests BY DARCEY GERSTEIN continued on page 13