Starlings in PA

What do they do?

Starlings are very destructive birds that have a variety of destructive behaviors that harm our ecosystems and man-made structures. They can monopolize feeders, impact milk production in cows by picking out strong protein from the feed, and they also leave polluted droppings. Moreover, their dense bodies and large, tight flocks disrupt airplane engines causing accidents.

They often build their nests in homes or businesses. One of the most common places to build a nest is in the dryer or bathroom vents where their nesting debris causes ventilation issues or even a fire hazard. They also displace other birds by taking over their nesting spaces, destroying eggs, and harming the young. The female starlings will return to the same nest each year and add to it.

Starlings find any opportunities to take over nesting areas such as holes in trees and covered industrial nooks.

Where did they come from?

Starlings are not native to the United States, they actually came from Europe, Western Asia, and Northern Africa. They were introduced into the US’s ecosystems in 1890 during a celebratory act. It was a large misstep as the starlings populated quickly.

What do they look like?

They are chunky and blackbird-sized with short tails and long, slender beaks. During their flight, their wings are short and pointed which makes them appear as small four-pointed stars which is how they earned their names. They are also known for their gracefully synchronized murmuration dances.

How do we get rid of them?

Due to their invasive nature, starlings are not protected by the Migratory Bird Act. We are permitted to perform nest removal, trapping, and use one-way doors to flush them out of man-made structures. One-way doors ensure the birds have an escape point but are not able to return.

Starlings also nest behind shutters which creates a mess and their droppings carry parasites. We offer custom solutions for starlings behind shutters including removal, cleanup, and repair with color-matched aluminum to prevent any future issues.

After we remove the birds, we close off all active and potential entry points. For vents, we create custom screening solutions or use vent covers when applicable.

Starlings are not easily ignored, give us a call or check out our contact page if you believe you have starlings invading your property!

COVID-19 Animal Transmission

We have the same questions you do – can animals spread COVID-19 to humans? Here’s what science has told us so far.

Overview

Currently, evidence suggests humans can pass the virus to animals during close contact. However, the likelihood of animals passing it to humans is rare.

To clarify, coronavirus is a family of viruses and has multiple strains, including COVID-19. Some strains of coronavirus can only infect animals. However, COVID-19 was believed to have mutated into a strain that jumped from a bat to a human.

Current Evidence and Published Studies

According to the CDC, cats and dogs have been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. Earlier in the pandemic, lions at Barcelona Zoo tested positive in addition to snow leopards. A variety of feline species can and has tested positive for COVID-19.

Another study showed that fruit bats, ferrets, and golden Syrian hamsters can be infected with the virus and spread it to each other in a laboratory setting. However, in the same study, mice, pigs, and poultry did not become infected or spread the infection.

Recently, we have learned that animals around the world have been infected with COVID-19. Other companion animals such as ferrets and hamsters have been infected. A more extensive list of infected animals from the CDC can be found here.

CDC Recommendations

The CDC recommends those who test positive for COVID-19 should avoid close contact with pets, livestock, and wildlife.

For house pets, the CDC recommends isolating your pets as you would another human living in your household. It is proven that house pets can spread it to other house pets. Moreover, humans can spread it to animals. If one pet is sick, the CDC also recommends isolating it from other pets in your home.

As more information becomes available, we continue to research and learn as much about the virus as possible. As we work closely with animals, we take all proper precautions outlined by the CDC and PA Game Commission to keep you, your family, and our team safe.

Bat Houses

Over the years, we’ve received a fair share of questions about bat houses. The most common ones are “Will adding a bat house draw them out of the house?” or “Can you seal the home and install a bat house to keep them around?”

Most of the time, the houses are ineffective. This can be due to a variety of factors from location to temperature. We’ll highlight why bat houses aren’t a solution for bat exclusion.

What are they supposed to do?

The main theory of a bat house is to deter them from entering your home or structure. It’s thought to provide a small space for bats to comfortably reside with nearby food and water source. Bats then take care of insect pests like mosquitos.

Why bats rarely use bat houses

If bats aren’t using the bat house, more than likely it was incorrectly constructed. On the other hand, it could be constructed perfectly and placed in an unfavorable location.

A perfect example is Sugarloaf Bat Tower in the Florida Keys. A very large bat house was constructed for mosquito control. Over the course of 80 years, not a single bat lived in the tower.

When given the option, bats will most likely choose an attic over a bat house. They want to live in a home or structure that is warm, dry, and safe. This is why exclusion is the most important part of preventing bats from entering your home. Bats can easily squeeze into any space the size of a quarter, and make your attic their new home. Any potential entry points near a bat house will most likely be exploited.

The downsides of active bat houses

Most recommendations for placing a house state that attaching it to your home is more attractive, rather than mounting it onto a post or in a tree. Home-mounted ones are most successful due to the warmth homes produce. However, this is also attracting them to your home and enticing them to search for entry points.

Moreover, bats are common carriers of rabies. If you have children or live in a neighborhood with children, the risk of someone being bitten is higher. In addition, guano (bat droppings) can contain histoplasmosis which is fatal to humans.

While we don’t recommend placing bat houses on your property unless your home is sealed by a professional, The National Wildlife Federation outlines a step-by-step process for constructing one.

Hibernation Habits

As we progress into the colder months, it’s important to be aware of animals to look out for. Some animals will be entering hibernation and searching for warmer spots to migrate to. On the other hand, some animals do not hibernate at all.

We’ll go over common animals we see in the winter, their hibernation habits, and telltale signs to watch out for.

Opossums

To start off, opossums do not hibernate due to their low body fat content, but they do search for warm shelter. This includes venturing indoors into your attic, chimney, or crawlspace.

Opossums move around throughout the winter to avoid predators. A male opossum, fitted with a tracking device, visited over 19 different dens in 5 months according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Bats

Bats such as little brown bats and big brown bats can hibernate for more than 6 months waiting for the return of insects. They prefer caves, mines, rock crevices, attics, and chimneys. However, bats do not stay asleep the whole time. A common sign of bats in your attic includes noise or rustling. If an area gets too cold, it’ll move to a warmer area or vice versa.

Moles

While it may appear that moles have disappeared from your property, they have only burrowed further below the frozen surface during the winter. Their molehills may not be present, but as the ground thaws in the spring, the mounds will reappear.

Raccoons

Similar to the opossum, raccoons do not hibernate but search for warm dens. However, in extreme temperatures, they can sleep up to a month. Although they are usually solitary creatures, some will den in groups during the coldest days of the winter.

Squirrels

During the warmer months, squirrels gather and stash their food for the winter season because they do not enter hibernation sleep. Throughout the day, they are active outside. However, they do stay in their nests during extreme weather conditions. If you hear rustling coming from your attic during the day, squirrels may be nested in your attic!

Groundhogs

Groundhogs are one of the few critters we deal with that do hibernate from the first frost until April. The first frost usually happens between October and November, they then retreat to their burrows. The colder weather triggers a hormone that helps them sleep for the duration of winter.

Removal and Preventative Services

While winter is a less active season for animals, it is the perfect opportunity to have your home inspected and sealed prior to their reappearance in springtime. Chimney caps, vent guards, and custom screening protect their most common entry points.

If you believe animals have made their way into your home for the winter, give us a call or use our contact form for removal and remediation!

7 Signs You Should Call an Animal Removal Professional

We’ll highlight some telltale signs that you might need assistance from an experienced wildlife technician

1. Seeing an animal in your home, or around your porch, garden, or shed.

If there is a bat present in your home, it may indicate a maternal colony living in your attic! Furthermore, it informs us there are entry points, or weak spots, around the exterior of your home allowing the bats to enter. Squirrels enter through unprotected chimneys or chew through components of the home. Other common animals lurking around your property include raccoons, opossums, mice, and birds.

2. Noticing damaged elements around your home.

Fascia, wooden components, gutters, and vents are a few examples that are exploited by a variety of animals.

3. The presence of animal droppings or nesting materials in the home.

Many animal droppings are highly hazardous, and cleanup should be handled by a professional wildlife technician. Moreover, bat droppings (guano), mice droppings, and opossum droppings are just a few common examples we often observe inside homes.

4. Burrows or tunneling in your yard or garden.

Moles and voles are usually responsible for tunneling and burrowing. In addition, moles will tear up your yard and create a large mess of molehills throughout your yard, destroying grassroots and plant roots along the way.

5. Pets sprayed by a skunk multiple times.

This usually indicates a skunk or a family of skunks are living on or near your property. For skunk removal, we only use traps and methods approved by the PA Game Commission.

6. Trash dug through on multiple occasions

The culprits behind this are usually raccoons or opossums, they will eat anything! Opossums also carry EPM which affects the spinal cords of horses.

7. Chirping or scratching sounds coming from attics or walls.

Bats, squirrels, and mice are just a few animals that cause noises like this in your home. Mice can get into walls and in some cases, trapped. Bats often cause scratching and chirping noises.