Bird Removal from Vents, Chimneys and Attics in Michigan

Which birds are protected and which are not?

Federal law splits them in two. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s updated list of birds the Migratory Bird Treaty Act does not protect includes the rock pigeon, and it places the house sparrow and the European starling in families the Act does not cover at all. All three are introduced species. The USDA’s invasive species center lists the starling as native to Eurasia and northern Africa and now common and widespread across North America, and a Forest Service study recorded starlings taking over or raiding the nests of five native bird species.

Native birds are a different matter. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act prohibits taking protected migratory birds without authorization from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Service’s guidance spells out that this covers the birds’ parts, nests and eggs. Since 2004 the Act applies only to species native to the United States, and the protected species are listed in federal regulation at 50 CFR 10.13. A USFWS nest memo draws the line a homeowner needs: destroying an in-use nest, one with eggs or young in it, requires federal authorization, while an inactive nest can be destroyed without a permit as long as no one keeps the nest or its contents.

State rules are a separate layer, covered below. If you cannot tell what the bird is, a clear photo of it at the opening settles the question on the call.

What are the signs of birds in a vent or soffit?

Check the places a bird can get in: vents, soffits, eaves and gaps along the roofline, and any vent that has lost its screen or cover. The National Park Service counts pigeons and other birds among the pests that get into buildings, and its guidance on closing up a building screens attic and crawl space vents with bug mesh or heavy wire, depending on the pest. A bird going in and out of one of those openings, or nest material showing behind a vent cover, is the sign to act on.

Timing matters when the bird is native. A USFWS nest memo recommends doing work outside the nesting season, because that lowers the risk of harming a protected bird, and treats a nest with eggs or young as in use. If a nest is active, identify the bird before anything is moved.

If the noise is in the attic rather than a vent, the noise guide helps narrow down the animal.

What does bird removal from a vent involve?

1. Identify the bird. Starlings, house sparrows and rock pigeons fall outside the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. A native migratory bird’s nest with eggs or young needs USFWS authorization before it is removed, so leave it and check with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
2. Make sure no birds are inside. The National Park Service’s order for closing up a building is to get the animals out first, then seal off their access.
3. Clear the nest material from the vent or duct so air moves again.
4. Cover or seal the opening. Vents get a guard or screen rather than a solid seal, so they keep venting. For a hole in siding with a hollow space behind it, the Park Service’s rodent-proofing manual uses thin galvanized sheet metal, painted. It notes that aluminum keeps out birds other than woodpeckers, but that mice, rats and squirrels can gnaw through it.
5. Ask about roosting ledges if pigeons also gather on the house: what would be fitted there, and how it would be attached.

Who is allowed to remove birds in Michigan?

Federal law answers part of it. For a native migratory bird, the rules above apply, and a nest with eggs or young needs USFWS authorization. For starlings, house sparrows and rock pigeons the federal Act does not apply, but USFWS notes that states and communities may still protect non-native, introduced species at their discretion. Before work starts, ask the operator which state permits cover bird work in a building; for Michigan’s rules, see the DNR’s wildlife damage and nuisance control permits page. Either way, ask the operator which bird it is and whether any are still inside before an opening is sealed.

Are bird droppings in the attic a health concern?

In quantity, yes. Histoplasmosis comes from breathing spores of a fungus that spreads in bird and bat droppings mixed into soil, the CDC explains. Most people who breathe the spores do not get sick, but adults over 55 and infants are at higher risk. The National Park Service warns that pigeon and bat droppings damage wood finishes and can be a serious, sometimes deadly, health hazard. The CDC advises that large amounts of bird or bat droppings be cleaned up by companies that specialize in hazardous waste removal. A few droppings at a vent cover are a different scale from years of pigeon roosting in an attic, and the cleanup should match.