"Let this damn thing disappear as soon as possible!" - writes ornithologist Paweł Pstrokoński about metal bird spikes, which he believes are not just deterrents but bird killers. Installing such structures is not prohibited by the Nature Protection Act, so they can be installed without permission. It's also a relatively cheap method to keep birds away, with the cheapest metal spikes available for as little as 7-8 PLN. This is why they are mounted on almost every building.
Metal Spikes Are Killing Birds Across the Country
And this is not good news for birds. In fact, it's a tragedy for many of them. Poorly installed spikes pose a significant threat to birds. In an emotional post on social media, Pstrokoński describes how these spikes were installed near the nest of house martins on one of the buildings in Warsaw. Unfortunately, shortly after, he found one of the birds impaled. And it was just one year old.
An inexperienced, poorly flying bird might have misjudged the distance to the nest, or perhaps it ran out of strength or was hit by a gust of wind, causing it to impale itself on the spikes, which literally pierced it through
- he describes the possible circumstances of this tragedy. He adds that improperly and overzealously installed spike modules are responsible for the deaths of various other birds, including city pigeons, fieldfares, and kestrels. This is why ornithologists are advocating for their ban.
Will GDOŚ Ban Metal Spikes?
The General Directorate for Environmental Protection (GDOŚ) recommended as early as 2018 the use of wire spirals or rotating wires instead. These alternatives also prevent birds from building nests, unlike spikes. This solution has been implemented, for example, on buildings at the University of Warsaw and in the Warsaw metro. However, GDOŚ has not banned the use of metal spikes. Instead, they issued several guidelines on when they should not be used.
It should be emphasized that deterrents in the form of spikes, when improperly installed, can pose a threat to birds. Improper installation includes any situation where the device is not visible to animals from a distance, such as spikes installed in balcony or window recesses on their ceilings or side walls (pointing downwards or sideways). Additionally, it is unacceptable to install the device in a way that obstructs birds' access to breeding sites or habitats, such as partially or completely covering the entrance to holes, crevices, already occupied nests, etc.
- the statement reads.
