Home Wildlife ​ Bird Control Signs of Bird Problems

Signs of Bird Problems

Signs of Bird Problems
There are a few signs that suggest a bird is occupying your interior or exterior living space. By identifying them, you are better equipped to make the best decisions for bird removal. It’s important to act quickly when you recognize the signs before any issues develop.

Bird Droppings

The easiest way to identify that a bird is occupying your space is by its telltale white droppings. Why is bird poop white? Birds don’t have separate exits for urine and feces like mammals. Instead, all waste is expelled at once through the cloaca. Birds convert nitrogen, which is expelled in the urine of mammals, to uric acid or guanine. This uric acid is a white, sticky paste, with a dark center (the actual poop). Some areas of the house or yard may be appealing for birds as sites to settle or congregate, causing a buildup of bird droppings that is both unsightly and potentially dangerous.

Similar to birds, snakes also have cloacas and have white coloration in their feces. If you have any doubts, don’t hesitate to contact a Critter Control wildlife specialist. As for raptors and owls, their excrement will not share the same characteristics as songbirds. The poop of larger bird species can be mistaken for mammals, as it is larger and similarly shaped. However, the feces of larger birds will have large quantities of animal fur due to their diet, unlike raccoons and skunks.

Dangers of Bird Poop

Bird droppings spread various diseases and parasites, including histoplasmosis and cryptococcosis. Histoplasmosis is a fungal disease that affects the respiratory system and causes flu-like symptoms. Cryptococcosis can either develop as a lung infection spreading to the nervous system or as a skin irritation characterized by lesions and ulcers.

The bottom line, for the safety of the household and visitors, it’s important to remove bird feces and sanitize the area, deal with the root cause, and prevent reoccurrence. Contact the professionals at Critter Control to safely clean droppings, repair the damage, and remove or prevent bird intrusions on your property.

Bird Nests

In the springtime especially, many birds migrate from the south and look for a new place to call home and create a nest. They look for places offering ample shelter from the elements of weather, typically high off the ground to protect their young. While these birds typically choose trees, shrubs, and other natural sights to build nests, some bird species tend to build them in the crevices of homes, buildings, and bridges.



Bird nests come in many shapes and sizes. Each species has unique methods in choosing a suitable location and constructing nests to house their young. Some species do not build nests at all and instead lay their eggs in the nests of other birds. Those that do build nests generally construct a shell of sturdy materials like sticks, plant stems, and grasses held together with mud. The interior is lined with soft materials like moss, animal fur, dried leaves, string, or bits of cloth.

Bird Nests and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918

Although it may be tempting to knock down an unwanted bird nest with a broom or blast of water from a hose, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 protects most birds, their eggs, and their nests from being killed or destroyed. Disturbing bird nests may be considered a federal crime carrying steep fines and possible prison sentences.

Depending on the species, special permits from state wildlife agencies must be obtained before bird nests can be removed. Instead of risking retribution, individuals should contact the wildlife removal experts at Critter Control to handle the matter of unwanted bird nests in a legal and humane way.

Bird Sounds

Sometimes homeowners can’t find any evidence of the above signs. Instead, you may hear chirping, rustling about, and scratching sounds. While chirping can also suggest a raccoon or bat, birds are often the culprits. These noises can originate from a variety of spaces, including the chimney, garage, gutters, and more.

Bird Control

It’s important not to ignore these signs, as the species may be stuck, or looking for a place to nest.

Nests can turn messy, with the accumulations of bird poop below nests containing harmful diseases such as histoplasmosis, which leads to dangerous respiratory problems for humans. Their droppings can also contaminate food or water sources with diseases such as salmonellosis, Newcastle disease, and psittacosis, each of which incites severe health problems.

Furthermore, the nests themselves often harbor pests like ticks and mites. Lastly, bird nests are highly flammable, built with dried plant matter, making them serious fire hazards.

Learn more about bird control.

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