Retail properties such as standalone stores, kiosks, restaurants, shopping centers, strip malls, and large shopping malls face challenges from migratory and non-migratory birds throughout the year. Retail properties also have a high concentration of people, which produce large amounts of food waste (food) and garbage (nesting material). Retail properties typically have sizable parking lots, limited landscaping, and plenty of building-specific aesthetics that provide shelter and can be conducive nesting sites for small nuisance birds, including pigeons, sparrows and starlings.
Common bird problem areas at retail properties include but are not limited to:
- Building signage
- Building eaves and awnings
- Windows
- Rooftops
- Assets (e.g., HVAC)
- Parking lots and garages
The Issues Birds Cause
Property & Asset Damage
Accumulated bird droppings and nesting materials can damage building signage, eaves and awnings, roof membranes, HVAC units, and clog roof drains. The presence of these substances can increase associated cleaning and maintenance costs. Birds of varying sizes can also damage windows either unintentionally (collision) or intentionally (pecking).
Revenue Loss
The continual presence of nuisance birds and the accumulation of their droppings and nesting materials present aesthetic challenges, which may deter customer foot traffic.
Human Health & Safety Risks
Bird droppings and nesting materials have been documented to harbor more than 60 diseases, including salmonella. In addition to creating an unsanitary environment, bird waste can increase the risk of slip hazards, which may result in injury and, at an extreme, legal action. Furthermore, during their respective nesting seasons, nuisance birds can become aggressive, endangering employees, customers and passersby.
Retail Bird Management Solutions
Retail properties can manage their nuisance bird issues by leveraging bird management solutions, including nest management, window decals, and structural deterrents. The most appropriate solution will be property-specific and should be based upon the specific bird species involved and the behaviors the birds exhibit.
