The short version
Around Birmingham, the most common animals are raccoons, squirrels and opossums. Identify yours first. Then get it out and seal the gap.
- Never handle a wild animal.
- Figure out which animal it is first.
- Check for babies before sealing.
- Use metal mesh, not foam.
- Secure trash and pet food.
Anyone in Birmingham dealing with wild animals around the house.
What to look for
Around Birmingham, the usual animals are raccoons, squirrels, opossums, skunks, groundhogs, armadillos and bats. Each one gets in differently and needs a different fix. Babies are usually born from about March through June.
- 1Scratching or thumping in the attic.
- 2Torn vents, soffits or shingles.
- 3A musky or skunky smell.
- 4Dug holes under decks or sheds.
- 5Trash bins knocked over.
- 6Droppings on decks or in the attic.
Why it’s worth acting soon
- Chewed wires and damaged insulation.
- Droppings that can spread disease.
- Babies make removal harder.
- Rabies risk from bites.
Treatment options and typical costs
Inspection and Species Identification
$100–$300
Before anything is trapped or sealed, a provider in Birmingham walks the roofline, attic, crawl space, and foundation looking for entry points and nesting sites. The report should name the species and mark every opening.
- Time
- 60–120 minutes
- Best for
- Every job; the species decides the method
Humane Live Trapping and Removal
$150–$500 per animal, plus trip fees
Ask how many trap days are included. Clear answers separate careful operators from cheap ones.
- Time
- Several days to two weeks
- Best for
- Animals already inside or denning under structures
One-Way Doors and Eviction
$200–$600
Ask what happens after the door comes off. The device comes off and the hole is closed with metal.
- Time
- 3–7 days
- Best for
- Squirrels, raccoons, and birds using a single main entry
Exclusion Repairs (Chimney Caps, Vent Screens, Foundation Mesh)
$300–$2,500+ depending on scope
For groundhogs and skunks burrowing under a shed or porch in Birmingham, providers trench and bury an L-shaped mesh skirt a foot down and a foot out. The animal digs down, hits the mesh, and gives up.
- Time
- Half a day to two days
- Best for
- Sealing the home after animals are out
Prices are typical published ranges. Ask what’s included before you compare quotes.
In the attic, look for flattened insulation, droppings and nests. Leave big cleanups to someone with the right gear.Animals around Birmingham.
Homes from Birmingham out to Vestavia Hills and Hoover see much the same mix. Groundhogs and armadillos both live here. Dug-up yards can mean either. Around Birmingham, the most common animals are raccoons, squirrels, opossums, skunks, groundhogs, armadillos and bats.
Local wildlife conditions in Birmingham.
Across Birmingham, the area is mostly urban, so wildlife pressure can differ from one block to the next depending on how tight the entry points are and how much food, water, or shelter is close by. An inspection in Birmingham usually starts outside and works inward, checking the foundation, gaps around doors and windows, and any moisture or clutter near the structure first. Knowing Birmingham's seasonal timing lets you schedule treatment before the busy stretch rather than after it, which usually means faster service and a more accurate quote. A provider who works Birmingham and Alabama every day can point out the specific conditions that matter most here, and getting the scope, price, and follow-up terms in writing makes it easier to compare options. Birmingham sits in a humid subtropical climate, and that sets the pace for wildlife activity here: spring denning and fall (animals seek winter shelter).
Walk the foundation with a flashlight. Gaps at ground level let animals under the house.What’s that noise?
- A big burrow beside the shed: groundhogs. - Quick scurrying at dawn and dusk: squirrels. - Heavy thumps at night: raccoons. - Rustling at dusk at the roof edge: bats. - A strong smell under the deck: skunks. - Small cone-shaped holes in the lawn: armadillos.
Baby season.
Mothers look for warm, dry spots like attics and chimneys. Never seal a hole while babies are still inside. Bat exclusion waits until pups can fly, usually by mid-August. Around Birmingham, most babies are born from about March through June.
A year of wildlife in Birmingham.
- Winter: mild in Birmingham, so animals stay active. - Spring: babies are born from about March through June. Don't seal while young are inside. - Summer: highs near 91°F in Birmingham. Animals roam at night. - Fall: animals hunt for winter dens. Seal gaps now.
Raccoons.
They tear open vents and roof edges. Never handle one. Heavy thumps at night usually mean a raccoon.
Tree squirrels.
Squirrels are busy at dawn and dusk. They chew small gaps into bigger holes, and wires too.
Opossums.
Opossums are quiet, slow and mostly harmless. They move into crawl spaces and under decks.
Skunks.
Skunks den under decks, sheds and porches. A strong smell after dark is the giveaway.
Groundhogs.
Groundhogs dig big burrows beside sheds, decks and foundations. Around Birmingham, they sleep through winter and wake hungry in early spring.
Armadillos.
Armadillos dig small, cone-shaped holes hunting grubs. They're most active at night in warm weather.
Bats.
Bats slip through gaps as small as a thumb. Look for droppings under a gap at the roofline.
Getting them out the right way.
- Recheck: make sure nothing is trying to get back in. - Identify: figure out which animal it is. - Check: look for babies first. - Door: a one-way door lets the animal leave. - Seal: heavy metal mesh on every gap.
Where animals get in.
- Under decks, porches and sheds. - Roof vents and soffit corners. - Gaps where the roof meets the wall. - Uncapped chimneys. - Crawl-space doors and foundation vents.
If an animal gets inside the house.
Open an outside door or window in that room, then leave. Keep kids and pets away. Is it a bat, and was someone asleep there? Call your health department first. Close interior doors so it stays in one room.
Droppings and cleanup.
- Large attic messes are a job for pros. - Don’t sweep or vacuum droppings dry. - Wear gloves, a mask and old clothes. - Wet droppings down, then bag them.
Keeping your yard less inviting.
- Cover: clear brush and wood piles near the house. - Trash: locking lids, or keep bins in the garage. - Pets: feed them indoors. - Birds: use a seed tray, and sweep up spills. - Fruit: pick up what falls.
Wildlife myths.
- Lights and radios work: only briefly. - Out in daylight means rabid: not always; mothers forage by day. - Moving them is kind: often illegal, and babies get left. - Mothballs drive them out: they don’t, and they’re a health hazard.
Birds in vents and chimneys.
Most native birds are protected while nesting. Wait until the young have flown. Then fit a vent cover that still lets air out. Chimney swifts nest in chimneys in summer and leave in fall. Starlings and sparrows love dryer and bath vents.
If an animal seems sick.
Keep people and pets inside. animal control or your local health department. Don't try to trap or touch it. Staggering, circling or acting unafraid can mean illness.
Pets and wildlife.
Bring pets in at night. your vet if your pet tangles with a wild animal. Keep pets' rabies shots up to date.
What a wildlife visit looks like.
They look for tracks, droppings and torn vents. They set a one-way door or trap. Later, they come back and seal up. Cleanup comes last. The tech walks the roofline and the foundation.
If a skunk sprays.
- Under the house: air it out; the smell fades over days. - People and pets: wash with peroxide, baking soda and dish soap. - Tomato juice: it doesn’t really work. - Eyes: keep the mix out; rinse with cool water. - Clothes: wash with baking soda added to the load.
Babies found alone.
Leave them be and watch from a distance for a day. Hurt or clearly orphaned? Call a wildlife rehabilitator. Baby animals alone are often just waiting for a parent.
Fencing that works.
- Gates: keep gaps underneath to a couple of inches. - Diggers: bury wire mesh a foot down, bent outward. - Climbers: an electric wire near the top stops raccoons. - Gardens: hardware cloth beats chicken wire.
Questions to ask before you sign.
- Is cleanup included? - Which animal is it? - Where is it getting in? - How will you handle babies? - What happens to the animal? - What will you seal with?
What affects the price
- Trip fees for daily trap checks over multiple days.
- Protected bird species requiring seasonal timing.
- Number of entry points that must be sealed.
- Roof height and pitch affecting ladder or lift needs.
- Square feet of insulation removed and replaced.
- Presence of a raccoon latrine requiring special cleanup.
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What worries you most about wildlife?
When to call for help
Babies and droppings need careful handling. right away if one acts sick or aggressive. Call if an animal is in the attic, walls or chimney.
What you can do yourself
Getting an animal out of the house is a pro's job. Never corner or handle one. Secure trash, bring in pet food and trim branches.
Wildlife in Birmingham
Winter lows near 33°F in Birmingham slow animals down, but don't stop them. About 54 inches of rain a year in Birmingham softens fascia and soffits, and soft wood is easy to chew through. In Alabama, raccoons and bats carry most rabies. Across Birmingham, animals live comfortably in town, using alleys, storm drains and older buildings.
Local research
Wildlife in Birmingham, AL: what the public record shows
Before you compare quotes, it helps to know which wildlife actually live in Alabama, when they are busiest around Birmingham, and what the state figures look like. Everything below links to the agency or university page it came from.
Nuisance Wildlife species recorded in Alabama
- Raccoon (Procyon lotor) — Top terrestrial rabies vector in the East; relocation banned in most states.
- Striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) — Primary rabies reservoir in Texas and the central U.S.; Illinois requires euthanasia of trapped striped skunks.
When wildlife are busiest around Birmingham
Spring denning, fall baiting. Southeast ORV projects run October; Georgia forbids relocating carnivores.
Based on Birmingham’s humid subtropical climate profile.
Alabama regulation 220-2-.27 governs permits to take protected wildlife causing crop damage, property damage or a human safety concern.
Rules that apply in Alabama
For context, nationally
- Around 4,000; more than 90% in wildlife — Animal rabies cases reported per year. CDC
- More than 20% each — Skunks and foxes that expose people or pets and are rabid. CDC
Sources: Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; Rabies in the United States: Protecting Public Health; Class A (commercial) Nuisance Wildlife Control Permit study packet (17 Ill. Adm. Code 525). Figures are quoted as the source prints them. How we check our sources
Simple ways to keep wildlife away
- Use locking or strapped trash lids.
- Bring pet food in at night.
- Cap the chimney.
- Trim branches back from the roof.
- Bury wire mesh around decks and sheds.
- Pick up fallen fruit and spilled bird seed.
Metal mesh keeps animals out of vents for good. Foam and light screen won't hold.Did you know?
Opossums play dead involuntarily; the response is a fainting reflex
Flying squirrels glide up to 150 feet using a skin membrane
Questions people ask
Are bird nests protected?
Most native bird nests are protected by federal law. Starlings, house sparrows and pigeons aren't.
What season is worst for wildlife problems?
Spring babies and fall den-hunting are busiest around Birmingham.
What is included in attic cleanup?
Removing droppings and soiled insulation, then sanitizing. New insulation goes in if needed.
What if there are babies in the attic?
Around Birmingham, babies are usually born from about March through June. A pro finds them and reunites them with the mother.
Will the animals come back?
Others will try. Sealing every gap with metal is what keeps them out.
Which animals are most common around Birmingham?
Mostly raccoons, squirrels, opossums, skunks, groundhogs, armadillos and bats.
When are wild animal babies born in Birmingham?
Usually from about March through June. Don't seal a hole while babies are inside.
Nearby cities
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Sources (10)
The facts in this article come from the public sources listed above. Every home is different, so ask the company you talk to about pricing and what’s included. Published by Wildlife Exterminator · Updated September 11, 2026 · How we write these guides