More →]]> Known for its substantial collection of Asian and Egyptian art, The Cleveland Museum of Art is nestled into the east side of the city in the Wade Park District.

In 1913, three prominent Cleveland residents, Hinman Hurlbut, John Huntington and Horace Kelley, bestowed an endowment of $750 million dollars to build the museum, all with the intention of keeping admission to the public free.

The centerpiece in the middle of the 75-acre Wade Park was built at a cost of $1.25 million dollars and designed by Hubbell & Benes. The white, neoclassical-style Georgian marble building provides great contrast with the stunning green from the park.

Over the years the museum has had many renovations and additions. In 1971, it was expanded to hold another wing. Marcel Breuer used two-toned granite in his design to break away from the original neoclassical style. In 1983, a library was built to house nine new galleries for all the art.

But the most comprehensive expansion of all is the one of the future. In 2005, the museum’s “Building for the future” project became the most expensive cultural project in Ohio’s history at $350 million. The project brought new east and west wings to the museum property as well as an atrium courtyard under a glass canopy.

Today the Cleveland museum has landed a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. With the help of the Ohio Art Council, the museum is still able to operate under free admission for everyone.

Art is timeless, and as the operators said on the museum’s opening day in 1916, it’s “for the benefit of all people, forever.”

BirdMaster is proud to support the arts and we’re happy to protect the museum from damage as long as it stands!

More →]]> For the state of Oregon, the answer to bird control is using fireworks. You read that right. Fireworks.

House Bill 2432 has been approved by The Oregon House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources to expand the use of using fireworks as active bird control management.

Right now, the bill exists to use fireworks to protect crops and forest products. With an expansion of the bill, fireworks would be used to protect golf courses, landfills, airports and seafood facilities, as well as other properties and buildings as necessary.

Previously, the State Fire Marshall was issuing permits to scare off birds in these places but in 2010, legislation noted that it’s not included in the bill. So the house in process now would move to make fireworks legal.

Animal advocates are concerned about the use of fireworks injuring the birds and other animals in the area. As are we! Fireworks aren’t really a safe and humane way to deter birds from hanging out. If you ask us, there are plenty of other bird deterrent systems that would work!

According to the Audubon, 5,000 red-winged blackbirds died as a result of illegal fireworks in 2010. The startled birds were disoriented in the darkness causing them to collide with trees, cars and buildings. Plus birds can get severe burns and injuries from the chemicals in fireworks, often affecting their abilities to fly, if they aren’t immediately killed. They can also suffer gastrointestinal problems if parts of the fireworks are ingested. And, to top it all off, birds can also suffer hearing loss due to the noise.

Fortunately, the bill is still pending in the house while legislation further discusses it and makes any possible additions.

Any situations with roosting birds should be dealt by humanely relocating the birds without causing damage to any proprieties or harming the bird.

More →]]> On any given day in downtown Springfield, Ohio, there are more crows than people. And it’s becoming a growing concern.

In fact, according to city officials- they’re everywhere! And it doesn’t look like the crows want to leave anytime soon.

With fields surrounding the county, crows have always had a longtime home there. But Roger Sherrock, CEO of the Clark County Historical Society, said that crows have been roosting downtown by the thousands for the last three years.

He even said he estimates that 50,000 crows gather downtown at a time! Now, that’s a lot of birds!

Businesses are beginning to lose hope that something can be done about the roosting. Since bird guano is very acidic, it corrodes surfaces and it has been leaving damage to buildings across the city. Not to mention the amount of bacteria that gets left behind.

Officials have tried several inhumane bird deterrence methods from noise devices to laser pointers with little success.

It’s hard to guess why the birds have congregated there, but Federal Wildlife has said some possible reasons are that the birds are safe from predators in the city and that rural areas are warmer in the winter.

In order to resolve their roosting problem, officials will need to understand how these crows think! And who better than BirdMaster!?

More →]]> Nestled in Silver Spring, Maryland sits a memorial honoring environmental advocate, Rachel Carson.

The Carson Memorial displays thick glass panels etched with the words of Carson’s most memorable writings.

Most famous for her 1963 book, Silent Spring, the advocate’s memorial is causing quite a stir. The book strongly detailed the affects, and her opinions, on pesticides and songbirds. But according to Steve Lapham, who works in the town, her very memorial is what’s damaging to the birds.

Lapham claims the memorial’s glass panels are taking the lives of birds that simply think they can fly right through. Donald Hague, the president of Home Properties who constructed the memorial, seems to think otherwise.

The American Bird Conservancy said that birds are more likely to avoid windows that have vertical stripes that are four inches apart, or horizontal stripes that are 2 inches apart or less. Something that Lapham doesn’t think the construction appealed to.

Each year, it’s estimated that 300 million to 1 billion birds die each year due to a bird striking glass on buildings or landmarks. Birds can’t process how reflection works, so seeing trees in the glass means a continuation of the landscape; essentially, glass is invisible to the bird’s eye.

The fall is when birds begin their migrations and bird strikes are very common during this season. Any architect should know the importance of protecting a memorial or other historical landmark, from wildlife such as pest birds.

BirdMaster knows just what to it takes to humanely protect architectural work from birds!

More →]]> Virginia Metro has recently received a citation issued by the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry for an alarming pigeon infestation at its Four Miles Run bus garage. Health hazards are the main concern of residents and state officials.

“Virginia officials have cited Metro for having a ‘serious’ health violation: too much pigeon poop.

The state’s Department of Labor and Industry issued citations to the transit agency for a problem with pigeons — and their droppings — at Metro’s Four Mile Run bus garage in Arlington in April. The problem was supposed to be fixed by May 21, but the case remains open, records show.

‘Pigeons were roosting in the ceiling on ledges, air ducts and any horizontal space available to them,’ one of the citations reads.

The agency had a contractor clean the area three times in May, then power wash the entire area in June. But crews had to remove new debris and sanitize the bay less than two weeks later.”

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/dc/2011/08/pigeons-making-roost-nuisance-metro#ixzz1U5pahnaD

The monthly maintenance and cleaning costs to get rid of all the mess left by the pigeons could be easily offset by installing effective and humane bird control systems.

By preventing birds from roosting and nesting in the ceiling, businesses can save countless dollars and be worry free.

BirdMaster Bird Control Systems specializes in humane and environmentally friendly bird deterrent systems. They have been protecting historic and commercial buildings for over 20 years. BirdMaster protects buildings from the damaging effects as well as the health hazards associated with bird guano. Their systems do not harm bird or the environment.