Bird-B-Gone, Inc.

City of Newport Beach Guards Against Pest Birds

The city of Newport Beach Fire Department has approved installation of plastic bird spikes on the main lifeguard station in Newport Beach California.  Eric Bauer, Lifeguard Battalion Chief says “we have been fighting pigeons and seagulls for years on the lifeguard station.  The poop was just pilling up on the roofs and access areas.  Each night the dew would set in and drag all of the bird feces on to the roof access creating a horrendous smell and a certain health hazard.” They had tried sonic devices and motion controlled sprinkler systems in the past to try to get rid of the birds, but to no avail. Bauer then contacted John Rabun of J.M. Rabun Company to help him come up with a solution.

Rabun suggested using a product from Bird-B-Gone, Inc., to keep the birds from landing on the roof area.  Bird-B-Gone, Inc. is the largest manufacturer and distributor of pest bird deterrents in North America.  Jeff Watts from Bird-B-Gone met Rabun at the lifeguard station to help suggest a bird control system that would work.  Watts says, “they have a large infestation of pigeons and seagulls on the roof area, the best solution is some sort of physical deterrent that keeps the birds from landing and roosting on the roof.  I suggested using the Bird Spikes on the roof peaks and edges.  This will make it difficult for the birds to land and they will choose another more suitable area.”  Battalion Chief Bauer chose to us the Plastic Bird Spikes from Bird-B-Gone, Inc..  The plastic spikes are made of a sturdy polycarbonate plastic, they are durable and virtually invisible when installed.  The plastic spikes carry a 5-year Guarantee and are the lowest cost bird spike available. 

 Rabun says “the installation of the Bird Spikes was very easy to do.  In no time we had most of the roof done!”  He used adhesive to adhere the spikes to the roof peaks and edges of the roof.  They used the clear plastic spikes on the roof as it is virtually invisible from a distance, and they used the white spikes on the parapet wall that surrounds the roof access as the white spike matches the white paint. 
Along with the Bird Spikes Rabun is installing the Bird Spiders by Bird-B-Gone, Inc..  The Bird Spiders have eight stainless steel “arms” that move with the breeze discouraging birds from landing.  They are installing the Bird Spiders on the open areas of the roof to keep Gulls from landing there.  Jeff Watts of Bird-B-Gone, Inc. says “ this is what we call an integrated bird control solution.  Sometimes more than on method or product is needed to keep pest birds away.”

Chief Bauer says, “ we are pleased to finally be rid of the countless pigeons and seagulls from our main life guard facility in Newport Beach.  The building is a big part of the charm of he Newport Beach Pier and surrounding area, it just has much better “eye” appeal without all of the birds and their poop!”
For more information on Bird-B-Gone, Inc. products and pest bird solutions call 1-800-392-6915 or visit www.birdbgone.com.

Manatee tries sound method to shoo birds

BRADENTON Every 10 minutes, a bird calls out from the roof of the new courthouse.

It could be a red-tailed hawk or another bird of prey. Other times it is the call of a pigeon in distress.

The calls can be heard blocks away -- the high-pitched hee-hee-hee, the whistling.

But leave the binoculars in the car and the field notebooks closed.

The calls are real-life recordings that carry across downtown from two speakers, one facing east and the other west. They are supposed to minimize the presence of roosting pigeons, whose droppings have become a problem on the roof of the nine-story judicial center.

"Pigeons," says the building manager, Phillip Hoffmann, "were not a priority."

In looking for ways to solve the pigeon problem, county officials settled on a simple method from a California company called Bird-B-Gone.

Bird-B-Gone makes a product called "Bird Chase Super Sonic," which resembles a portable radio with knobs and buttons. The device, which plugs into a standard outlet, comes with two speakers designed to carry the frequency of bird calls.

There are several settings, depending on the bird that is the nuisance. Among them: woodpeckers, starlings, crows and sea gulls.

Every 10 minutes, the system kicks on and runs for about two minutes. You can set it for day or night, or both. "Bird Chase Super Sonic" runs about $225.

The last thing a pigeon wants to hear are the calls of predators such as hawks and falcons, says Bird-B-Gone owner Bruce Donoho. Additionally, a pigeon distress call, he says, is a sure way to keep pigeons out of a particular area.

There is a whole market out there for people who want to use nonlethal measures to try to deter pesky birds.

One device emits ultrasonic sounds waves, using frequencies humans cannot hear.

But that system works best in enclosed or semi-enclosed areas.

A fake owl -- such as the one atop the historic courthouse in Bradenton -- works until the birds get hip to the fact that the predator is not a genuine threat.

And then there are nets and sets of plastic or metal spikes that deter birds from landing in an area.

One product shocks birds when they land. Donoho says the county may not be interested in that product, for fear of public criticism.

"They may be sensitive to shocking birds, but it's an excellent system," Donoho said.
The next time you are near the judicial center, you might hear a hawk, but you will not see the bird.