About Us

The Bird Control Company was established in 1985, as part of the UK’s National Falconry School, and is a pioneer of the use of hawks as a method of bird control.  The company has been providing bird control services in the UK since its inception.  In 1995, the Company became a stand-alone business, as part of The Honeybank Group.  As such, the Company is dedicated to bird control, and is one of the leading UK companies in this demanding field.

The Bird Control Company James McKaydirector, James McKay, is a zoologist and Scientific Fellow of the Zoological Society of London.  With a keen professional interest in falconry, James has over 40 years of extensive worldwide experience of all types of falconry, and the use of birds of prey as a form of biological control of nuisance or “pest” species of bird (i.e. bird control).  James is internationally acknowledged as a leading authority in bird control.

The Bird Control Company successfully uses hawks and falcons to displace nuisance bird species from urban, suburban, rural and industrial locations – both outdoors and within buildings.

You can be assured that all our work is both legal and ethical.  Our in-depth and up-to-date knowledge of all relevant UK and European legislation ensures licences are in place to undertake bird management activities.

The Bird Control Company specialises in the use of non-lethal, environmentally friendly methodologies, particularly the use of birds of prey (hawks and falcons – collectively referred to as hawks) to displace problem/pest bird populations.  These techniques are designed as biological control methods, and their presence alters the behaviour patterns of the problem birds, making these pests leave their normal haunts for other environs.

The use of these specifically trained and handled hawks is particularly useful 

  • Clearing large sites of pest birds;
  • Operating in (usually) urban areas where proofing methods are unsuitable or access is for our technicians is difficult or impossible, e.g. shopping malls, flats, city centres, hospitals etc.;
  • Preventing nuisance birds from roosting or nesting on buildings;
  • Clearing pest birds from sites prior to the bird proofing installation;
  • On listed buildings where physical deterrents cannot be fitted without compromising the fabric of the building;
  • Where the sheer size of the building makes the fitting of physical deterrents impractical;
  • In open areas, e.g. farmland, sports fields, municipal parks etc.

The Company uses a combination of hawks and a range of physical deterrents in Integrated Avian Pest Management (IAPM) programmes, thus ensuring an extremely effective service for clients.  All of the materials and devices used by The Bird Control Company are of the highest quality, often exceeding industry standards, and designed to give long and effective service.  Our technicians are qualified and highly experienced.

The birds used by The Bird Control Company are produced in our own breeding facility.  The young hawks are carefully selected, and those best suited are trained using techniques developed and refined by us over many years.  This ensures we always have enough top quality and highly trained hawks to fulfil our service obligations.

Our hawks are used solely for bird control; only hawks trained and used exclusively in this way should ever be introduced to the conditions required for bird control duties.  Hawks trained and used for falconry can, and inevitably do, cause severe problems when used in an attempt to disperse pest birds.

For each client’s premises, we conduct a full survey looking at both daytime and night-time pest bird issues. Once completed, we present to the client a detailed report which outlines the issues, and our strategies for combating them.  Within this report is a bespoke programme, designed to specifically address the individual client’s problem.  As no two problems can ever be the same, no two solutions will be identical.

Male Harris' Hawk

Our USPs

  • Innovation – We take pride in the fact that we do not follow the crowd – we lead.
  • We use sound scientific principles, tempered by our extensive practical experience, to formulate and implement our methodologies.
  • We always use a programme designed specifically for each client; this programme is constantly monitored and tweaked throughout the contract to ensure effectiveness.
  • Management is very hands-on, and approachable (24 hour contact).
  • Our hawks are bred, trained and used exclusively for bird control duties.