Pigeon Control

Although you may not consider birds to be a classic household pest, unfortunately in many towns and cities pigeons have become just about as big a problem as rats and are very often referred to as ‘rats with wings’.

Pigeons live quite happily amongst humans but they are disease ridden and pose a health risk to children and adults, in particular OAP’s because the disease they mainly carry is similar to flu or pneumonia so OAP’s are most vulnerable to catching it. Many experts don’t consider them to be that harmful, but they are nevertheless annoying and pigeon droppings can cause a dreadful mess around public areas, parks, homes, cars and gardens.

Pigeon droppings can actually cause long term damage to property, such as rusting away at car paint, along with posing the risk of infection.

Feral pigeons can work their way through an inordinate amount of food and can be particularly bothersome on farms and in rural areas.

One way to get rid of them is by shooting them and many farmers do this and then sell them on to restaurants and hotels. In general however, this is frowned upon and most people don’t have access to guns in any case. Research has proven that culling them is a very short-term solution because they just reintroduce newly hatched pigeons in a matter of weeks or months.

There are a few other alternatives. Roost Modification is quite common and a humane option. This is the use of pigeon anti-roosting spikes which, when attached your property, will deter the pigeons from roosting there. The anti-roosting spikes are recommended by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds; they are usually made of plastic and stick out in rows to deter the birds from perching. They don’t harm them in anyway, if they fly into them then they’ll just get a fright. Specialist Bird Netting works in a similar way and can be purchased online or from pet supply stores.

Pigeon contraceptives have been tested out over the years but not with renowned success.

Pigeon traps are used to capture pigeons, usually by people who wish to keep them as pets or sell them on. It’s not a very productive option because pigeons live in flocks and you can’t really capture an entire flock, so it’s not likely to eradicate them from your home.

There are many pigeon repellents on the market but they are not particularly suitable for every day individuals to handle due to their strength, if you were to administer too large a dose, then you could be putting other birds and domestic pets in danger as well.

As with most household pests, the best option is really to contact your local pest control professionals who are specially trained to rid your home of these annoying creatures and protect your property in the process.