Pests of the Backyard

Pests can be very disheartening to the backyard birder. It doesn't matter whether they are four legged, have wings or creep and crawl, they all can cause problems. Some of these pests are:

• Cats
• Squirrels
• Chipmunks
• Rats and mice
• Deer
• Raccoons
• Insects
• Birds...yes, BIRDS!

Cats need to be kept indoors. They will stalk and kill any bird they can get. Squirrels are probably the worst pest after the cat. They will not only consume large amounts of feed, they will destroy feeders if the food is not easily accessible. Squirrels can be held off by using Squirrel proof feeders and providing Squirrel feeders if you want them in your backyard. Squirrel proof feeders work well for chipmunks also.

Rats and Mice provide a different problem. They eat feed that has accumulated on the ground. The first line of defense is removing the environment they like. Keep debris cleaned up and keep the area around feeders clear of accumulated feed on the ground. Trapping them in a Havahart trap or using other types of traps is an option. Using poisons must be done with extreme care! Often, birds and other animals, such as your neighbors' pets, could get in contact with the poisons and get sick, or worse! Poisons should only be used if Rats and Mice become too numerous for regular control, and with the help of a professional.

Deer will do more damage to your landscape than to feeders. This may make your yard less desirable to the birds. Use plants and shrubs that deer don't like or fence in your yard or a portion of your property.

Raccoons usually are not a big problem unless you have a high population in your area. The best defense against them is not keeping feed out at night. Either put only enough feed out that the birds will eat during the day or bring in your feeders at night.

Insects will invade your feeders, waterers and birdhouses. The easiest way to control them is by keeping everything clean. If your bird seed gets wet, clean the feeder ASAP. Change water frequently. Mosquitoes will lay eggs in the water non stop. Clean and disinfect birdhouses in the fall. It is a good idea to put a cover over the entrance hole during the winter. This will keep rodents from using it as a winter home.

Birds can be pests too! Two birds that are considered pests throughout the US is the European House Sparrow and the Starling. Blue Jays, Cackles and any birds that visit your yard in large numbers can be considered pests. Birds are very difficult to stop visiting your yard. Some tips to help reduce their stay are:

• Stop feeding during their migration through your area.
• Move feeders to a new location.
• Destroy their nests before they can set eggs. This is usually easily done. Starlings and House Sparrows usually make nests in cavities and eves of houses. If you put up birdhouses, make sure that the entrances are small enough to keep starlings from nesting in them.
• Feeders with screens and smaller feeding holes with short or no perching spots will keep larger birds like Cackles, Crows and Blue Jays from feeding at the bird feeders.
• Woodpeckers can cause damage to trees, your home, or any insect-riddled wooden object, and can be very noisy. We have never experienced this specifically but have been told of others who have. Be aware that often, woodpeckers are pecking at your house because there are insects in your siding. They will also do it for territorial reasons, and sometimes, if there are no suitable trees nearby, they will try to make a nest in your siding.
• Hawks can present a problem around the bird feeders. They look at the birds around the feeders as easy pickings. Place your feeders and waterers in areas that give birds a 360 degree escape area. The feeders should also be near shrubs that the birds can escape into.