NWCO - Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator Bat and Bird Management Questions and Answers

Question 1

A homeowner in a midwestern state calls in early June about a large colony of little brown bats in their attic and wants them removed immediately.
What is the most appropriate and legally sound advice the NWCO should provide?

Accepted Answer

The client must be advised to wait until the end of the maternity season, typically late summer, before an exclusion is performed.

Answer

A registered fumigant should be used to quickly eliminate the colony before it grows.

Answer

An exclusion can begin immediately by sealing all entry points except one, where a one-way door will be placed.

Answer

The primary entry point should be sealed at night while the entire colony is out foraging for insects.

Question 2

Which of the following physical deterrents is specifically designed and most effective for preventing large birds like pigeons and gulls from landing and roosting on long, flat surfaces such as building ledges, parapets, and signs?

Accepted Answer

Bird spikes.

Answer

Ultrasonic repellers that emit high-frequency sounds.

Answer

Reflective scare tape.

Answer

Aromatic gels that produce a scent birds dislike.

Question 3

When performing a bat exclusion, a NWCO installs a device over the primary exit point that allows bats to leave the structure but prevents them from re-entering. Which of the following is a common term for this type of device?

Accepted Answer

A bat valve or one-way door.

Answer

A repeater trap.

Answer

A positive-set body-gripper.

Answer

A funnel snare.

Question 4

A client reports a woodpecker is creating numerous large, deep, and relatively round holes in the cedar siding of their home during the spring. This specific type of damage is most likely associated with what behavior?

Accepted Answer

Excavating a cavity for nesting or roosting.

Answer

Drumming to attract a mate or declare territory.

Answer

Foraging for insects located just beneath the wood surface.

Answer

Sharpening its beak on the siding.

Question 5

A NWCO is hired to clean a large, dry accumulation of bat guano from an attic. Proper use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including a respirator, is critical to prevent the inhalation of fungal spores that cause which specific respiratory disease?

Accepted Answer

Histoplasmosis.

Answer

Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome.

Answer

Rabies.

Answer

Leptospirosis.

Question 6

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) provides broad federal protection for most native bird species in the United States. Which of the following groups of birds are famously NOT protected by this act because they are non-native, introduced species?

Accepted Answer

Rock pigeons, European starlings, and house sparrows.

Answer

Woodpeckers, flickers, and sapsuckers.

Answer

Ducks, geese, and swans.

Answer

Swallows, swifts, and martins.