It looks as if the ultimate revenge: birds have been discovered developing nests from the very spikes meant to discourage them from perching on buildings. But whereas people don’t have any scarcity of techniques to wage in opposition to undesirable birds, specialists say it’s time to desert the warfare.
Though there are myriad methods to discourage or take away birds from metropolis roofs, prepare stations and different settings – from spikes to fireplace gel, skilled falconers and even plastic owls – it appears many result in solely a brief reprieve.
“These kinds of bird deterrents – in most circumstances, they’re at best pointless and at worst, actively dangerous for wildlife,” mentioned Jeff Knott, the director of coverage and advocacy on the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
Knott mentioned the emphasis ought to as an alternative be on a harmonious coexistence. “We’re facing a nature and climate emergency,” he mentioned. “And in that context, we desperately need to be finding more ways to welcome wildlife into our everyday lives wherever we live, rather than excluding it from ever greater areas.”
Dr Madeleine Goumas, an skilled in herring gulls on the University of Exeter, famous that chook management methods weren’t infallible, together with the usage of predator species.
“There is very little evidence that decoy predators or predator calls work,” she mentioned. “Birds may show avoidance of plastic owls [for example], but this avoidance does not last long. If something is not a real threat, birds will soon habituate to it – they learn it is not to be feared.”
Goumas added that the usage of falconry, as favoured in some settings, together with Wimbledon, additionally had downsides. “Real predators can cause birds to flee, but these birds are flown for a short period of time, so the deterred birds will usually return.”
Even in conditions the place it was permitted to take away or kill birds – which Goumas emphasised was unlawful besides in very particular circumstances below licence – such interventions might not be a everlasting repair as they didn’t stop different birds from transferring into the identical space, whereas netting is also problematic. “If a good-quality material is used, and the netting is well-fitted and regularly checked, it should not pose much of a problem, but there are numerous reports of birds becoming trapped and getting injured or killed in them,” she mentioned.
While Knott and Goumas acknowledged there have been sure eventualities the place it was essential to discourage birds – similar to airport runways – in lots of different circumstances it was merely a human choice as a result of the birds have been perceived as a nuisance.
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“If birds defecating in a particular area is a genuine risk to health and safety, then of course prevent birds from landing there, said Goumas. “But people do tend to forget that we are supposed to share our world with wild animals such as birds, and that it is as much their habitat as it is ours, and we are giving them fewer and fewer places to go.”
Knott added: “Often what is actually happening is these birds are moving into urban areas, because we’re knackering their actual homes and the countryside.” He pointed to gulls as a basic instance.
With about 45 million birds misplaced from UK skies in the past 50 years, Knott mentioned there was each an ethical and obligation to assist wildlife get better. “We need to find ways to welcome wildlife into our everyday lives whether those be towns, cities, or indeed rural areas and help them.”
Tom Stewart, from the British Trust for Ornithology, agreed. “We shouldn’t think of birds as an enemy,” he mentioned. “We should think of them as species that we have a responsibility to protect.”
And that, mentioned Knott, may convey advantages for individuals too. “We know that people that go and spend time in nature, have access to nature [or] rich green space, tend to live longer, healthier, happier lives,.” he mentioned.
