All posts in “Birds”

Flapper dryer vent

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Flapper dryer vent

Flapper dryer vent cleanout – ProBest gets calls quite frequently on birds building nests inside the dryer vent covers on the outside of the home. When that little flapper gets bogged down with lint, it stays open. When in the open position it allows birds or other critters access into the vent opening. The flapper works off the principle of air flow, when the dryer is on, it pushes the flapper open and when the dryer shuts down the flap is supposed to close.

Did you know that over 15,000 fires occur due to build up of lint in that hose? Some homes never have it cleaned, and it’s a wonder more fires are started. The other issue is pests, birds and rodents in general. Normally this would be cleared out on the first dryer use, but if you don’t use the dryer often the rodent could chew its way out of that hose. The biggest threat is when the rodent becomes trapped inside the structure, and it panics. Birds can build nest and block the flow of air, causing heat build up and possibly a fire.

Call ProBest today to have the dryer vent checked, and cleaned 602-249-7378 or 623-414-0176

Dryer Vent lint

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Dryer Vent lint

Dryer vent lint causes up to 15,000 house fires each year, not as much as termites at 5 billion but it all adds up in damage. I know its one more thing to think about when you own a home. I would wager that since you have lived in your home – it has never been done. In the extreme heat of Arizona it really gets hot and that lint is a common place. 34% of home fires are a result of not cleaning the dryer vent, causing 51 deaths, 380 injuries and 236 million in property loss. The question to ask is how well the dryer is working, how long does it take to dry clothes? The picture above had over 4 lbs of lint throughout the tubing, and much like your arteries there were blockages.

Lint clogged vents, birds nesting or rodents finding their way in.
Poor installation or service.
Bearing and breaker issues.
Inappropriate use.
Drying things that shouldn’t be in the dryer. Some items throw off the spin and cause damage to drum.

OMG

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OMG

I thought I had seen it all, OMG check out the designer shoes. I know I’ll get a ton of comments but come on, ugly right? I’m not a woman, but just because I wouldn’t wear them, right? Here are some facts on birds (not shoes):

Pigeons are highly sociable animals.
Pigeons often mate for life, and generally raise 2 chicks at a time.
Some pigeons can live 15 years.
They can find their way home from 1300 hundred miles away
Did you know Dodo’s are related to Pigeons.
They can fly above 6000 feet and fly at speeds of 77 to 95 mph.
Their name derives from Latin meaning young chirping bird.
They are everywhere except Antarctica, the Artic and the Sahara Desert.
Here is Arizona they can breed all year round.
I still wouldn’t wear those shoes.

Call us today to have us to your pigeon work, pest control needs, termite treatment or weed jobs 602-249-7378 or 623-414-0176. We are here to take care of all your pest needs. Call A Pro… Call The Best. PROBEST!

I need to give credit to the shoe designer – When the Japanese Artist Keiko Ohata decided to befriend a group of pigeons, she knew exactly she had to do it: design & wear a pair of shoes that would look like real birds.

Pigeon hideouts

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Pigeon hideouts

Boy it’s a pain when pigeons or birds set up your house as their house. Those birds won’t leave unless they are made to leave. It’s something called generational and that basically means that once born on your roof they will continue to stay FOREVER. They give birth, they raise their young and their young will stay on that roof.

So we call it exclusion, we use hardware cloth (not chicken wire) it’s the stuff that looks like fencing. We cut it at angles and secure it to the roof line in manner that looks professional and neat. I have seen many DIY jobs that look like crap, honestly. HOA’s can be very picky so its imperative to be judicious in design and work. I’m going to mention chicken wire again, don’t do it. It looks terrible and when people come to your to buy it – they won’t. Spend the extra money and hire a Professional expert to to do it right.

There is nothing worse than someone arriving at your front door – being greeted by poop. They then track it into your home. Then people lay on the floor or your dog tracks it deeper into the house. Call a Pro… Call the Best. ProBest! 602-249-7378 or 623-414-0176

By the way now is the time to do Pigeon work – it’s cooler.

Birds & Pigeons

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Birds & Pigeons

Birds & Pigeons I have to say I’m not a big fan of pigeons but birds in general are OK but in my line of work they just cause problems. Woodpeckers are like my nemesis. We build and we build without any thought to their homes etc. Termites, they love wood and what do we do, we make homes out of wood. Building goes up and the first complaint, the pigeons are pooping on us – in our outside eating areas to our business luncheon areas. I guess its just like me thinking about how we do our business? Sidebar – its like those garage cabinets, they are built in place – why staple the bottom board down? Gravity will keep it there, but termite work would be better if it wasn’t stapled or nailed down. Just sayin!

At some point, you’re going to say enough is enough. There are a number of new technologies available today to mitigate those pesky things. There are devices that continuously move, (a requirement for birds) they will get accustomed to devices that don’t move. Holographic devices that shine & detract the bird into thinking that a predatory bird came between them and the sun. Almost anything can be fixed, I was told recently that another company had said nothing could be done. It might take a few tries but something can always be done.

I think the key is, it needs to move. Stationary owls don’t do it, flashing things must move to flash and if its woodpeckers you may have to try and try again.

Bat Rescue

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Bat Rescue at a DayCare, this Big Brown bat couldn’t make it home. She decided to take a rest in a corner of the playground and we couldn’t let her stay there. The children are the most important factor in this relationship. We sent out a technician and he captured her in a webber broom and transferred to a bucket. We then took her to Liberty Wildlife (our partner in the rehab business). This gave her a quick physical and will hold her overnight and then take her back to her home territory.

We extended Professional Courtesy on this Bat Rescue to her since she’s in the same business, killing mosquitoes and bugs. Did you know that a single bat can eat 1,200 mosquitoes each hour and maybe up to 8,000 each night. Bats can live up to 40 years. Bat droppings in caves can support whole ecosystems, including bacteria useful in breaking down wastes. Here in the desert many species of cactus including the Arizona Saguaro and Organ Pipe cactus rely on bats to pollinate.

Some useful tips:

Never pick up a bat, it could be sick and bite.
Call a Professional like this DayCare, I then explained to the kids the process and they were excited to learn about bats.
If you decide to use a plastic figure owl, it need to be moved frequently. Pigeons and bats become familiar with them not moving.
Shining light on an area 24/7 can be useful
Again as I have mentioned previously, do a monthly inspection of your house and at night with a flashlight. Look up and chek all areas.

Construction errors

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Construction errors

I don’t think that most people in the construction trade think about a home after it is built. Many things that we think are architecturally beautiful often can be a haven for animals and birds. The corner in the picture is in a hidden area and birds can build nests and raise their young. Pigeons are generational, raising their young on a home which they will continue to return to forever. Birds like sparrows can take up smaller spaces while pigeons occupy larger spaces, pigeons love corners which allow them to protect their backs. Nobody can sneak up on them like hawks, eagles and other predators.

One of my pet peeves are those closets found in garages. They secure the bottom boards with staples and prevent the termite technicians from accessing the expansion joints. I think the boards would stay in place just by gravity and allow us the ability to pull up the board and drill the slab at the expansion joint. But I’m not a builder or carpenter and they are often mandated by City, County and State code laws. Maybe not directly related to birds or pigeons but an example of building issues associated with homes or sometimes businesses.

Carpet Tack

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Carpet Tack is usually reserved for carpet, however I recently saw something unique in bird avoidance. By the way as you can see it isn’t working. It was a good try but the nails are not long enough to persuade the birds from landing. Also these are probably sparrows, not pigeons so it really needs to be bird spike. The technique of bird spikes is that they prevent the birds from landing, hence bird deterrent.

Leave it to the professionals when it comes to the outside of your home, we have been providing excellent work for almost 40 years. We have all the tools necessary to plan and carry out the work. I have experimented with many things, especially when it comes to woodpeckers. So call us and at least get an estimate before you attempt this on your own. Often times it may be less expensive and it will diffidently look better. Call 623-414-0176 or 602-249-7378 for a free estimate, save yourself the hassle.

Woodpecker

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Woodpecker damage can be quite the issue with homes in Arizona. Most of the time the woodpecker stays with natural habitat like cactus and other tree nesting sites. For me its the drumming or the sound of the woodpecker in trying to get into a hole or make a new one. Sometimes they get it all wrong and drum the band around a chimney and it sounds terrible.

Now for the bad news, it is a bear to get them to stop. Sometimes the flashy things work and sometimes not. One of the newest is a rotating device mentioned in previous blogs. Again they are for the birds that swoop into your rook lines. Call ProBest for all your pest needs at 602-249-7378 or 623-414-1076.

Whirlybird

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Whirlybird, newest technology in the constant war against the birds. The device reflects the sun as they attempt to land on your home. Bird scare devices are a popular choice when trying to rid your property of nuisance annoying birds. Using bird scare devices takes a great deal of persistence. They can be a valuable addition to your bird control tools. That is the reason that we use multiple devices and offer options, and a whirlybird is just another tool. There are numerous devices that offer a wide variety of frightening devices, including visual and audio products, which will help you get rid of nuisance birds .

The other thing to remember is that if we exclude a certain area, the birds may move. This causes considerable issues, but honestly I don’t always know which way they may go. The best part of working with ProBest is that we have seen lots of things work and many DIY fails. Call us today 602-249-7378.