Sparrows, like pigeons, are not indigenous and therefore aren’t protected. They don’t typically cause problems on building exterior features, they tend to be more of a problem inside a facility, like a big box store. And because of their small size and fast breeding rate, they can get inside a building and become a big problem quickly.

If sparrows are inside a facility, there is a two-step approach that should be considered:

1. Stop them on the outside, before they get in
   • Close openings to the inside
   • Stop them becoming comfortable on building features near doors
2. Capture them and remove them from the facility

How to Stop Sparrows from Getting In

Small Openings

• Stuff Copper Mesh into holes. This will act as reinforcement for the Black Foam that is about to be applied. As birds peck at the foam they encounter the metal mesh and cannot continue.

Large Openings

• StealthNet is used to exclude large areas from sparrow ingress. This can be thousands of square feet of netting under an overhang, or smaller panels that are secured to the structure to keep birds out of openings. Use 3/4 in. (19mm) mesh to keep out all birds.
• PVC Coated Black Metal Mesh is used for smaller areas than StealthNet. Typically openings of less than 12” in one direction, and several feet in the other direction. The mesh can be bent into pre-formed shapes so birds can’t get in behind it. It can be glued or screwed in place depending on the structure.

How to Keep Sparrows Away from Open Doors

Sparrows can easily fly in open doors. More amazingly, they can hover in front of electric eyes (motion detectors), and open electric sliding doors themselves. The main strategy is to remove birds that know how to do this, and stop future birds from doing the same thing. Birds that can open doors, or fly through open doors, have first become comfortable on parts of the building’s exterior, like ledges, pipes, signs, etc. As they become comfortable in these areas they the move closer and closer to the doors, eventually entering the building. In other words, they do not just fly in from a field across the parking lot and enter the store.

Keep them Off Signs, Ledges, Etc.

• Bird-Shock Flex-Track is easy to install to most building surfaces. It features two electrical conductors. When a bird stands on the track it gets a shock through its feet. Birds of all species learn to avoid this and will not return.
• BirdSlide completely blocks ledges that have a back wall. Birds cannot land on these ledges, and they can’t drop nesting materials on the product like the can with spikes. Anything the drop simply Slides off the ledge.
• StealthNet is the ultimate bird control solution. It is used to keep all bird species away from sensitive areas on or around structures. It should be considered first before any other option.
• Optical Gel is fast and easy to install after a thorough cleaning. Two-inch dishes of pre-packed gel are glued to the building surface in a pattern that protects all the attractive spots. This remarkable product repels birds based on its smell and visual qualities. It smells like peppermint, which birds hate. And because birds see ultraviolet light that humans don’t, it also appears to the birds as some sort of flame or smoke. The result is that they avoid it when it is placed directly on their usual perches.

How to Deter Sparrows from a Building

Once sparrows are inside a large facility, especially if there is food and water inside, they most likely will not leave on their own; they need to be captured and removed. And importantly, they must be released many miles from the building in which they were captured, or they will return.

• Sparrow Trap Door is the trap that doesn’t look or act like a typical bird trap. Sparrows are attracted to food on the trap, and an audio sparrow call. When they land on the top of the trap they fall inside safely for removal.
• Sparrow Traps A wide assortment of sparrow traps can be considered for trapping sparrows.
• Mist Net Kits are typically a tool used by professional bird and pest control companies, the Mist Net is hung vertically (like a tennis net) between two poles. Birds cannot see the net and fly into it, becoming tangled and caught. The operators will lower the net, remove the bird and place it into a metal transfer cage.