“May this scoundrel disappear as soon as possible!” – I'm writing ornithologist Paweł Pstrokoński on metal spikes that repel (although he believes they kill) birds. The installation of such structures is not prohibited by the Nature Protection Act, so it can be done without a permit. It is also a relatively cheap way to control birds, because the cheapest metal spikes can be bought for as little as PLN 7-8. This is one of the reasons why they are installed on almost every building.
Metal spikes are killing birds across the country
And this is not good news for birds. It is actually a tragedy for many of them. Poorly installed spikes pose a great threat to them. In an emotional post on social media, Pstrokoński describes that such spikes were installed on one of Warsaw's buildings near a house martin nest. Unfortunately, shortly after, he found one of the birds pierced through. And it was only one year old.
“The inexperienced, poorly flying bird may have misjudged the distance to the nest, or perhaps it ran out of strength or was hit by a gust of wind. windas a result of which he ran into the spikes, which literally pierced him through and through” – describes the possible circumstances of this tragedy. He adds that spike modules installed incorrectly and overzealously are responsible for the death of various other birds, e.g.in. city pigeons, fieldfares, kestrels. That is why ornithologists are trying to ban them.
Will SOMEONE ban metal spikes?
The General Directorate for Environmental Protection recommended using wire spirals or moving rotating wires in 2018. Birds do not build nests in such protections, unlike spikes. This solution was used, among others, on the buildings of the University of Warsaw and in the Warsaw metro. At the same time, GDOŚ did not prohibit the use of metal spikes. However, it issued several guidelines on the circumstances in which they cannot be used.
“It should be emphasized that spiked deterrents, if incorrectly installed, may pose a threat to birds. Incorrect installation is considered to be any situation in which the device is not visible to animals from a distance, such as spikes installed in balcony or window recesses on their ceiling or side walls (directed downwards or sideways). Furthermore, it is unacceptable to install the device in a way that makes it difficult for birds to access breeding sites or habitats, e.g. by partially or completely covering the entrance to holes, gaps, nests already occupied, etc.,” we read.