Specialist Bird Control with Harris Hawks
Sustainable, professional bird control for pigeons, gulls and other pest birds across southern England.
See the hawks in action
A short film of our Harris hawks working a gull site. It shows what a visit actually looks like — and why the resident birds decide to leave.
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Why hawks?
Pigeons and gulls are wary of birds of prey by instinct. When a Harris hawk appears, the reaction is fright, then flight. Flown regularly over a site, the hawk convinces the resident birds that a predator lives there, and they choose to move on. In the trade we call it creating a hostile environment.
Regularity is the key. A single visit is a passing danger the birds soon forget; a planned programme is what makes them decide your building isn't safe.
Which birds?
Mainly feral pigeons and gulls. We’ve also used hawks against starlings, parakeets and Canada geese — every species behaves differently, so whether hawking is the right tool is something we’ll confirm at the survey.
How a programme works
Every site is different, so we don’t offer a standard package. In broad terms, a programme runs in phases — an intensive period when the hawk is flown frequently to establish its presence, followed by a gradual reduction to maintenance visits once the birds have moved on.
Timing matters, particularly for gulls. Gulls return to the same rooftops each spring, and once they’ve begun nesting it’s an offence to disturb them. Gull work is therefore planned to begin well before the nesting season, and we’ll advise on the right window for your site.
Part of an integrated approach
There are places a hawk can’t safely be flown — near busy roads, power lines or airfields, for example — and days when it can’t fly at all. So our falconers arrive with other deterrent options, and we’ll often recommend combining hawking with proofing such as netting or spikes on the spots birds favour most, or with licensed control where appropriate. The right mix depends on the building, the birds and the surroundings, which is what the survey is for.
Where we’ve flown
Film studios, warehouses and distribution centres, hospitals, stadiums, landfill sites and waste transfer stations — anywhere the scale of the building or the sensitivity of the site rules out conventional proofing on its own.
Our hawks and handlers
Frequently asked questions
The aim is deterrence, not hunting, and our falconers manage the hawks to keep it that way. The hawk's job is to be seen and to chase; pest birds leave because they don't want to become prey. That said, a hawk is a predator working on instinct, and very occasionally a bird that's sick, injured or slow to react will be caught. We're straightforward about that rather than promising something no falconer can.
Not on its own, and anyone who promises that is overselling. Hawks are highly effective at moving birds off a site, but lasting results usually mean combining them with proofing of the areas birds return to.
Not always. Heavy rain and strong winds mean the hawk stays in the box for its own safety. Our falconers carry other deterrents so the visit still counts, and we plan programmes with weather in mind.
Yes. Harris hawks are calm around people and always under the handler's control. We've flown on busy hospital and stadium sites without issue.
Yes — near major roads, power lines, airfields and some other restricted areas. If hawking isn't right for your site, we'll say so and recommend what is.
Most sites see a clear reduction in the early weeks of a programme. Gull work is seasonal and results depend on starting at the right time of year.
It depends on the size of the site, the number of birds and the length of the programme, so we quote after a survey rather than off the shelf. The survey itself is free.
Got a bird problem?
Call us on 01525 863 951 or use the contact form to arrange a free site survey.