Wildlife

Always clean grease and food residue from barbecue grills, including the grease cup underneath, after each use.

While it's okay to feed birds with bird feeders, they can also attract other types of nuisance wildlife. Here are some ways you can avoid attracting wildlife other than birds:

• Do not allow a large amount of bird seed to stay on your lawn
• Fill bird feeders only through the winter months
• If you are experiencing a wildlife nuisance, do not use bird feeders at all

Food waste in composters and garbage often attract wildlife. Here are some storage and disposal tips to keep wildlife at bay:

• Do not put meat, fish or sweet food, including fruit, in your outdoor composter
• Frequently wash garbage cans and recycling containers and lids with vinegar or a strong-smelling disinfectant
• If you do not have curbside pickup, take your garbage to the dump often
• Put garbage and compost containers out on the morning of garbage day, not the night before
• Use rodent-proof composters, and put garbage in containers that have tight-fitting bear-resistant lids

Here are some ways you can avoid attracting wildlife to your property if you have fruit trees and bushes:

• Avoid landscaping with trees, shrubs or plants that produce food known to attract bears (such as crab apple trees, mountain ash, beech and oak)
• Pick all ripe fruit from trees and bushes and pick up all rotten fruit off the ground

Beavers are usually found in forests and are protected and regulated by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. They may also move into non-forested areas, where waterways are bordered by trees or shrubs. This can bring beavers into parks, green space or private properties where they may damage or cut down trees.

We do not lethally trap beavers. We can live trap and relocate beavers within one kilometre. Beavers are very territorial and will try to return to where they were captured, so permanent relocation is usually not possible.

We suggest you wrap certain at-risk trees in a wire fabric for protection from beavers.

Only in very extreme circumstances, where there is a significant threat to public safety, would we consider other measures to address the issue.

Learn more about beavers with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.

A small number of bear sightings have been reported in semi-urban areas within Halton Region, specifically in Milton and Burlington. To learn about bears, how to prevent conflicts and what to do if you see a bear, check out Ontario's Bear Wise Program. If you see a bear, you can report it to the Bear Reporting Line at 1-866-514-2327. In a life-threatening emergency, call your local police or dial 9-1-1.

Although Canada geese are not usually hostile, geese that have become used to humans can be aggressive.

To keep geese away from your home or workplace, follow these tips:

• Clean up seeds spilled from bird feeders
• Do not feed them
• Mow your lawn less frequently or plant coarse grass seed
• Use flashing lights, air horns, sirens or lengths of shiny or bright materials tied in trees or on stakes in the backyard to scare them off. Mix up the locations of these items as geese will become used to them
• Play a recording of coyotes or eagles or place models of coyotes and eagles in your yard to scare them

For more information on Canada geese, visit the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry or Environment Canada.

Learn more about living with coyotes and what you can do to deter coyotes from your property.

Foxes have adapted well to city life as there is food and shelter and natural predators are limited. A healthy fox will not generally approach humans unless it has learned that humans supply food. If a fox approaches you, clap your hands or make a loud noise to scare it off.

If you see a fox growling and attempting to attack people, larger animals or inanimate objects, call Animal Services at 905-335-7777. Make sure other people and animals are safely away from the fox and if you can safely, observe it until Animal Control arrives.

To keep foxes away from your property:

• Enclose areas under patio decks, sheds and other potential den sites. Do this by digging a trench around the base of the structure and installing heavy wire screening
• In early spring, increase use and activity in back and side yards. Foxes are less comfortable denning in areas with high human activity

Large numbers of pigeons in one area can:

• Speed up deterioration of buildings and vehicles
• Create unsanitary play conditions for children
• Spread fleas, ticks and mites

The best way to control pigeons is to remove food and shelter. You can discourage pigeons from coming to your property by:

• Keeping areas free of food and animal droppings
• Fixing broken windows and screens
• Closing off access to attics
• Using wire mesh, plastic netting, pull-down blinds or a commercial barrier to keep pigeons off balconies or ledges
• Attaching tin flashing to ledges at an angle of at least 45 degrees to discourage pigeons from landing
• Attaching stainless steel strips of needle like pieces (commercially available) to the top of all potential landing sites.
• Stringing thin, stretched wire four centimetres above a roosting area to discourage pigeons from landing