Houses these days just aren’t built to the same standard that they were in the ‘old days’. It means that problems, such as birds in soffits that are damaged or suffering from general wear and tear, are becoming increasingly common. Gaps in soffits enable not just birds, but other small wild animals also, to gain access to your attic, and once they are in there, they pretty much have full reign over the rest of your home too. Not just the birds themselves (or other wild animals), but diseases will also now be present in your home, including parasites.
The parasites, bugs and various diseases are what makes these birds in your soffit so dangerous, and is the reason behind you wanting to get them out of your home as quickly as possible. Sadly, this isn’t a job that you can enter quickly, and without reasoning. You will need to plan the operation in advance, making sure that you have the right tools for the job. In many situations, the professionals are called in after a DIY homeowner bodge job, and it’s the most expensive way to go about things.
Certain bird species, such as European starlings, will have multiple sets of babies if they are left to their own devices, and this makes getting rid of them all the more difficult. When a bird enters your home or attic, they are doing so to build a nest. This nest is so they can lay eggs, and after an incubation period, these eggs are going to hatch. You will then have a number of birds on your hands — the mother AND her young, rather than just the mother and a nest full of eggs.
We’ve said this may times before, but as is the case with *all* wild animals, the removal of birds from soffit is best left to someone who is an expert in such a task. There are a lot of variables to take into consideration and as well as locating exactly where the damaged soffit (or other area of your home) is, you will need to identify the bird itself, to ensure you're not harming the populations of endangered or threatened species. It is often the case that homeowners believe they have birds in the attic when they actually have a colony of bats. If that is the case, you will need to wait and call in the professionals, because there are a lot of legalities surrounding the topic of bats and their removal / release.
Most species of bird that you are likely to find in your soffit, home or attic will have legalities surrounding them, and you will need to check out the rules and laws in your state or area. There are specific types and pieces of equipment necessary to remove these creatures, and it is actually unlawful in some states to handle such machinery or equipment yourself. This is definitely the case when it comes to using chemicals, such as with bird fogging.