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Sep
27

Eagles & Buildings – Prevent Your Carport From Becoming a Nesting Ground

By Carport Central   |   Posted In: Eagles & Buildings

eagles-and-buildings

 

If you were asked to brainstorm a list of factors that could potentially cause harm to your metal building, what would come to mind? Bad weather, wind storms, falling tree limbs, constant exposure to UV rays, and perhaps the simple passage of time might make the list. But there’s another threat to metal buildings that breathes and flies – birds. Yes, you read that right – birds like eagles, hawks, and vultures.

It’s not that birds are bad.  Marveling at these beautiful creatures in flight, or just doing some birdwatching out in nature is a majestic scene to be sure. But do you know how much damage these feathered friends can cause to your home and metal building? Read on to protect your carport from becoming an eagle’s nesting ground:

  • Poop/dropping: It is unsightly to have bird droppings lining your metal building! Not only is it ugly to look at, but bird poop can cause real damage to your building. Bird droppings are acidic in nature, and over time acid corrodes metal. This problem is made even worse when larger birds of prey or scavengers are involved. Birds like bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, and turkey vultures tend to eat more acidic foods than other birds, and their poop can effectively eat away the paint and coating of your metal building. Over time, bird droppings like these will continue to have negative impacts on a metal building and effectively shorten its life.

Bird droppings have other negative impacts, too. If you have solar power, bird droppings can negatively impact the efficiency level of your solar panels. These droppings also provide a breeding ground for algae and moths, which could then create a whole other category of problems. And we haven’t even touched on the health concerns – there are over 60 diseases and 50 parasites that birds and their droppings can carry!

  • Nests: Bald eagles prefer to build their nests on the branches of tall trees. However, in places where there is a scarcity of tall trees, they will nest on the roofs of buildings. Even small spaces like gutters and eaves have been found to contain eagle nests. A particular hazard associated with these nests is the fact that nesting materials such as dried twigs, grass, and other organic material are highly flammable. One spark or one exposed wire is all it takes for a nest to burst into flames. And while your metal building itself may not burn, its contents certainly can!

The solution

A carport full of birds can wreak havoc on your car’s paint, too. You can choose to hose down the car every evening before sunset, but the only practical way to solve this problem is to keep these lovely creatures away from your carport. Read on….

Tip 1

Inspect your carport for any sources that might attract these birds to your real estate. Birds will eat pet food, and pet food that isn’t tightly contained can attract insects … which birds also eat.  If a lot of plant material or other organic matter collects in or around your building, this could also become a source of food or nesting material. You should conduct a full inspection of the structure to clear it of dead leaves, dirt, spider webs and cobwebs, etc. – from the floor all the way up to the rafters. Make sure to seal pet food and any other such attractions in a bin with a secure lid.

Tip 2

Go to your local hardware store and buy some bird netting and/or bird-control strips if the birds still want to gather in your carport. Bird netting is a strong mesh made of polypropylene. Nail or staple it across the whole ceiling of your metal building to prevent birds from getting to the rafters. Bird-control strips, also known as “porcupine wire” or “bird spikes,” consist of thin steel wires and spikes which protrude in all directions. Attach these along beams and other places to which eagles might be drawn to stop them from roosting. Both of these tactics are effective in helping to keep birds away.

Tip 3

Apply methyl anthranilate to those surfaces in which these birds roost if you prefer not to attach physical barriers to your carport. Methyl anthranilate is a food-grade component that is made from grapes. It’s fairly easy to obtain, is nontoxic and environmentally friendly, and has a pleasant grape smell to the human nose – but birds hate it. Methyl anthranilate is applied with the use of a sprayer every few weeks; as an added benefit, it also stops paper wasps from building colonies.

Tip 4

You can also try a sonic bird deterrent if you prefer to avoid any physical or chemical bird blockades. These devices run on batteries or electricity and use distress & predator calls, along with other sounds, to humanely deter a wide variety of birds. These sounds won’t annoy your pets or neighbors, but they have been shown to be annoying to birds.  There are also device options available that operate at silent-to-humans’ ultrasonic frequencies.

Final thoughts

A well-maintained metal carport can last you a lifetime, if you’ll just invest a little effort in protection and prevention from things like nesting birds.  Your carport is a protective shield around your valuables. Make sure to protect your investment by preventing your carport from becoming a mating and breeding ground for birds and other pests.

Author

  • Carport Central

    Carport Charlie knows everything (almost) about metal buildings. Carport Charlie loves to show off his knowledge about steel structures and you can benefit of it too.

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