With soft insulation and shelter from the elements, roof spaces make the perfect home for birds to build their nests.

Unfortunately, the longer birds are left to nest, the harder it can be to remove them, which is why you should act quickly to prevent or manage them.

There are some tell-tale signs that birds have taken up residence inside your home.
As spring approaches, you should keep an eye (and ear) out for:

• Bird noises, particularly the cries and chirps of young chicks after eggs hatch
• Nest debris or birds picking up sticks and other materials in your garden to use in their nest
• Large amounts of droppings all in one area (this may be a sign that a bird is living there, rather than just passing by)
• Feathers in gutters and blocking drains
• Nests under solar panels

As spring approaches, we recommend you carry out preventative measures to reduce the risk of pest birds becoming a problem. This is a simple checklist of things you can do to prevent birds this time of year:

• Although it can be nice to provide your local birds with food and water, you might also be attracting pest birds. Discourage unwanted birds from arriving and nesting by removing access to food and water sources during spring.
• You should frequently assess your roof for access points or hire a professional to do so. Many pests, including birds, may enter your home via small gaps, overhanging branches, and loose tiles. Pigeons are frequent culprits because they only need a gap of 25 mm to enter the roof void. Pigeons will even shift loose or damaged roofing tiles to gain access.
• If you have solar panels, you should consider bird proofing.

If birds are still causing you issues, our team can help you with more targeted bird prevention, bird removal, and cleaning up bird mess from your roof.

Bird mites are tiny arachnids that are incredibly difficult to see, but make their presence known in a similar way to fleas and bed bugs. As the name suggests, bird mites thrive by feeding off the blood of bird hosts and dwelling in their nests. Common on pigeons, sparrows, starlings and poultry, bird mites usually infest your home when you have pest birds living in or on your roof.

Can humans get bird lice?

Bird lice prefer bird blood, but when their bird host dies or moves location they will make their way down into the home and feed on pets and humans instead.

While pet and human blood keeps bird lice alive, it prevents them from reproducing and so they will usually die out within about three weeks of losing access to their bird hosts.

What do bird lice and their bites look like?

Bird lice are very difficult to see – they are less than 1mm with a flat oval body. They are white/translucent coloured before feeding, red/brown immediately after feeding, then black after digesting their meal.

Unlike scabies mites, bird mites don’t burrow into your skin, instead leaving symptoms similar to the bites of fleas and bed bugs. The usually cause small red bumps and itching, which can sometimes be quite severe.

When should I be worried about bird lice?

Like birds, bird lice favour warm conditions and are most active during spring and summer.

The best way to reduce your risk of a bird mite infestation is to stop them from coming near your home. Here are some ways you can stay bird lice free:

Regularly maintain bird cages

Thoroughly clean and wash your bird cage/s, and frequently change bedding and litter.

Maintain a clean home

This is especially if you have pets or birds. Make sure to vacuum carpets daily, wash and change bed linen and clothing regularly, change pet litter and wash their bedding.

Check over new pets and birds before bringing them inside your home

If you’re unsure, take them to the vet first.

Regular building maintenance

The best way to protect yourself from bird lice is to prevente pest birds and their nests by:

• Inspecting for possible entry points and sealing them, particularly around the roof, eaves, check for gaps or loose tiles
• Keeping chimneys covered when not in use
• Ensuring vent covers are secured
• Cleaning and maintaining your solar panels: learn more about Allstate’s solar panel maintenance service here
• Read our blog for more advice about managing pest birds

Besides disturbing you at home, bird lice can spell trouble in facilities where there are employees working or people staying overnight. Not only does this compromise the wellbeing of guests, patients and staff, it also makes them hesitant to return.

Over time, bird mites become a major distraction to your day-to-day operations, tarnish the reputation of your business, and can lead to significant fines for breaching health and safety regulations. To top it off, you may need to purchase new carpets, furnishing and linen if there is a severe outbreak.

Hospitals, medical centres and aged care facilities

These places are frequented by people who are already experiencing health issues, so a bird mite infestation will disrupt and further complicate treatment and care programs.

Read more about pest control for aged care here.

Hotels, hostels and accommodation facilities

Guests often cut their stay short if they’re unhappy with the hygiene standards, and are much more likely to leave negative reviews if they realise there is a bird lice outbreak.

Read more about pest control for accommodation facilities here.

Get professional pest control

Some Adelaide bird mite problems are best handled by the professionals. This includes instances when:

• The infestation is heavy
• There is a large affected area
• Bird nests are located in hard to reach places
• The nests have been abandoned – these are best handled by our technicians to limit the spread of bird mites

We offer targeted, effective solutions with follow ups

We’ll thoroughly assess and inspect your outbreak to come up with an immediate and long term treatment plan.

Our treatments are non-toxic

We only use products that are child, pet and environmentally safe.

We work around your schedule

This will minimise disruption to your home and business.