Herbicides are primarily utilized to manage which of the following?

Herbicides are specifically designed to target and control undesired plants, commonly referred to as weeds. These chemical agents work by affecting various physiological processes in plants, inhibiting their growth and ultimately leading to their death. The use of herbicides is an essential practice in agricultural management, landscaping, and garden care, where the primary goal is to reduce competition for nutrients, light, and water that weeds present to crops and other desired plants.

The other options refer to different categories of pests: mites are handled by miticides, birds may require bird repellents or traps, and rodents are typically controlled using rodenticides or traps. Each of these pests has specific control methods tailored to their biology and behavior, making herbicides uniquely effective for weed management alone.