Bird control and bird proofing
Pigeons and sparrows nesting over a loading dock or in a canopy are a contamination problem for food sites and a cleaning cost for everyone else. Proofing removes the place to roost rather than the birds themselves.
Which birds can be controlled?
Bird work is limited to introduced species that the Wildlife Act 1953 lists as not protected. On warehouses, food sites and apartment buildings in Auckland those are usually the rock pigeon (Columba livia), the house sparrow (Passer domesticus), the common starling (Sturnus vulgaris) and the common myna (Acridotheres tristis).
Native birds are protected. If a native species is nesting on your building, it is left undisturbed, and you will be advised to contact the Department of Conservation before any work goes ahead.
Why birds are a pest on a food site
The Food Regulations 2015 define pests to include rodents, insects and other animals that are likely to make food unsafe or unsuitable. Birds roosting over a loading dock, an outdoor dining area or a food store fit that description: droppings, feathers and nesting material can fall onto goods, and nests attract mites and insects into the building. For other sites the cost is cleaning, damaged signage and blocked gutters.
Bird netting, spikes and deterrents
Proofing methods and where they suit
| Method | Suits | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bird netting | Loading docks, canopies, plant decks, internal roof trusses | Closes off a whole space; needs a clean, sealed edge to work |
| Spikes | Ledges, beams, signage, parapets | Stops landing on narrow surfaces; does not suit wide ledges on its own |
| Wire and tension systems | Ledges and ridges where spikes would be visible | Low-profile alternative for building facades |
| Deterrents | Areas where physical proofing is not practical | Used alongside proofing, not instead of it |
Every option starts with cleaning out existing nests and droppings, because birds return to established sites. Proofing is quoted after a site audit, and the scope will say if any part of the work needs access equipment.
Questions facility managers ask
Do you trap or cull pigeons?
Bird work under the programme is proofing: netting, spikes, wire systems and deterrents that stop birds roosting and nesting. Removing the birds without removing the roost simply makes room for new ones.
Can bird netting go up in a loading dock that operates all day?
Usually, with the work staged around the dock schedule. The written scope sets out the stages and any time the area needs to be clear.
Related pages
Sources
- Wildlife Act 1953, Schedule 5 (wildlife not protected)
- Food Regulations 2015, reg 3 (definition of pest)
Request a site audit. Our partner's technician walks the site and checks the records your verifier or committee will ask for. You receive a written scope with a monitoring layout and a quoted visit schedule.