Cell-phone towers are becoming as ubiquitous as trees. Over 100,000 towers are listed in a federal database, with some 22,000 new towers having been erected in just the past five years. Without proper bird deterrents, the towers can be dangerous to birds. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, between 5 million and 50 million birds die each year when they slam into towers that are used to power cellular telephones, pagers, televisions and radios, Migrating birds crash into these towers because they are lighted at nigh and attract birds.
Bird deterrents can prevent these mishaps.
According to environmentalists, birds killed or injured include such endangered migratory songbirds as the black rail, Bell's vireo, the golden-winged warbler and Henslow's sparrow. Most songbirds fly at night and orient themselves via starlight. In bad weather, birds often mistake tower lights for stars. The birds keep circling until they collide with the tower, support wires, or each other. The problem is that birds are sensitive to magnetic radiation to the point where microwaves interfere with their sensors and misguide them while navigating. Environmentalists have urged cell phone companies to install
bird deterrents to save the birds.
But collisions aren't the only danger cell phone towers pose to birds. A study by a team in Panjab University found that the EMR (electromagnetic radiation) could damage bird eggs and embryos. The frequency of 900 or 1,800 MHz can result in thinner bird skulls and eggshells.
Then there's the damage birds inflict on the towers. Bird droppings can corrode copper fittings and connections and thus interrupt service. They can also corrode supporting braces and structures and damage plastics. Bird nests can plug rain gutters and vents, which can lead to water damage and short circuits.
Another problem with bird droppings on cell phone towers is that the droppings carry diseases. Maintenance workers can become seriously ill when they disturb dried droppings and nests and inhale the dust, bacteria and spores that live in bird droppings.
Finally, bird droppings can cause potentially lethal slip-and-fall hazards as maintenance workers maneuver around cell phone towers—some of which are in dangerously lofty perches. The right
bird deterrent can keep pest birds away from these towers.
One way to discourage pest birds from avoiding cell phone towers is through the use of
Plastic Bird Spikes. Plastic bird spikes are made of a rigid polycarbonate plastic. They are U.V. protected and non-conductive, making them ideal for installation on cell phone towers. Plastic bird spikes come in a variety of colors to match the towers, so once installed they will be virtually invisible. The best
plastic bird spikes will come with a 5-year guarantee making them one of the longest lasting bird deterrents on the market.
