Birds Are Nesting on Your Commercial Property — What Should You Do?

Spring is when many New Zealand businesses begin noticing birds moving beyond occasional visits and starting to build nests around commercial buildings.

Once nesting begins, managing the problem can become more complicated. What you should do depends on the bird species involved, where the nest is located and whether it is active.

Simply removing a nest isn’t always the right solution. Before taking action, it’s important to understand what you’re dealing with and what options are appropriate.

Where Birds Nest on Commercial Properties

Commercial buildings can provide birds with many of the conditions they look for when choosing somewhere to nest. Roof structures, equipment, canopies and internal spaces can provide shelter from weather and predators, while elevated areas can offer relatively undisturbed places to raise young.

Common nesting locations include:

• Roof cavities, gutters and spaces beneath roofing
• Ledges, parapets and sheltered rooflines
• Canopies and covered loading areas
• Rooftop plant, HVAC units and other equipment
• Beams and rafters inside warehouses
• Gaps around cladding, signage and other building structures
• Areas around roller doors and other access points

Some nesting sites can be difficult to spot from ground level. Activity around rooftop equipment, internal beams or cavities may only become obvious once nesting material, droppings or regular bird movements are noticed.

For warehouses and other enclosed buildings, finding the nest is only part of the problem. It’s also important to understand how the birds are getting inside. Open roller doors, damaged cladding and gaps around the structure can provide access to sheltered areas that would otherwise be unavailable.

Identifying both the nesting location and the access route gives a much clearer picture of what will eventually need to be addressed. which makes identifying the bird an important next step before taking action.

Identify the Bird Before Taking Action

Before disturbing a nest, it’s important to know which bird species you’re dealing with.

New Zealand commercial properties can attract a range of species, and identifying the bird matters for two reasons: its legal status may affect what action can be taken, and different species can require different management approaches.

Appearance is an obvious starting point, but behaviour can also provide useful clues. Consider where the birds are nesting, how many are present and whether they are regularly entering a building, gathering on particular structures or defending a nesting area.

If you’re unsure which species is present, New Zealand Birds Online is a useful resource for identifying birds found throughout New Zealand.

You should also establish whether the nest is active. Birds regularly entering and leaving, adults tending the nest, or the presence of eggs or chicks can indicate active nesting.

Getting these details right is particularly important before attempting to remove or disturb a nest.

Can You Remove a Bird Nest in New Zealand?

Not every bird or nest can be treated in the same way.

Under New Zealand’s Wildlife Act 1953, different species have different levels of protection. For protected or partially protected wildlife and game birds, there are legal restrictions around disturbing or destroying nests without lawful authority.

This means a bird causing problems on a commercial property does not automatically mean its nest can be removed.

If you’re unsure about the species, whether the nest is active or what action is appropriate, get advice before interfering with it.

When Should You Get Professional Help?

If birds are actively nesting on a commercial property and you’re unsure what you’re dealing with, an onsite assessment can help determine the most appropriate next step.

Professional advice can be particularly useful when birds are nesting inside warehouses or difficult-to-access areas, eggs or chicks are present, the species is unclear, or bird activity is affecting operational areas of the property.

An onsite assessment also looks beyond the nest itself. Understanding where birds are entering, which parts of the building they’re using and whether activity is occurring elsewhere on the property can help identify the wider cause of the problem.

No More Birds offers free commercial site inspections across New Zealand. Our team can assess the bird activity, nesting location and surrounding property before recommending an appropriate course of action.

Any recommended work is provided as a no-obligation quote, so you can understand the options and costs before deciding how you’d like to proceed.

How Do You Stop Birds Nesting in the Same Place Again?

Once the nesting situation has been appropriately resolved, the next step is preventing birds from using the same location again.

If birds are getting inside a building, the priority is usually securing the access points. Warehouses are a common example, where birds may enter through roller doors, damaged cladding or gaps in the structure. Depending on the site, bird netting, bird brush and other exclusion measures can help prevent access to sheltered internal areas.

If birds are nesting or settling on external structures, the approach may be different. Bird spikes or pulse-wire systems may be suitable for protecting ledges, parapets, rooflines and other surfaces where birds are repeatedly landing or settling.

For larger or more established pest bird problems, treating one nesting location may not address the wider bird activity around the property. Population management or Marksman services may also be considered where appropriate alongside physical bird proofing.

The layout of the property matters too. A large commercial site may have several separate areas being used by birds for different purposes. Birds could be entering a warehouse through one part of the building while also using external rooflines or equipment elsewhere on the site.

This is why there isn’t one bird control solution that works for every property. The right approach depends on the species, nesting location, access points, surrounding bird activity and design of the building.

Addressing these factors provides a more effective long-term approach than simply removing the immediate nesting problem.

Birds Nesting on Your Commercial Property?

If you’ve discovered birds nesting on your commercial property, No More Birds can help determine what you’re dealing with and what options are available.

Book a free commercial site inspection and our team can assess the property and provide a no-obligation quote for any recommended work.

[Book a Free Site Inspection →]

Related Reading

Why Spring Is the Best Time to Get Ahead of Commercial Bird Problems
Learn how to recognise the early warning signs of bird activity before birds become established.

Why Birds Keep Returning to Commercial Properties
Learn why recurring bird problems develop and what can be done to reduce the likelihood of them returning.