Pigeons are not looked upon favorably by most people, although some love to sit in the park and feed them.
It is important to note that pigeons are monogamous, and pairs stay together for their lifetimes. As long as the food is plentiful, they will breed two to four times per year, laying two white, nondescript eggs in a haphazardly built nest. It only takes four to six weeks for their young to be semi-independent, and it is at this point that the pair will start another brood. Once they establish themselves somewhere, their numbers can grow substantially.
Additionally, while many birds seek warmer climates in winter, pigeons are an exception. They are naturally attracted to warmth and can quickly find places where heat is escaping from buildings. Needing only a gap of one inch to squeeze inside, they will enter attics and chimneys to set up their winter nests. Nesting materials can spread diseases, cause damage, and create fire hazards. In urban areas, they take advantage of whatever warmth they can get from lights and vents to huddle together.
Residential Pigeon Problems
Whether living in a residential suburb or urban neighborhood, pigeons are a general nuisance. From excessive noise and getting underfoot to their excrement on driveways, sidewalks, park benches, and buildings, they are unwelcome and unwanted.
Pigeon poop consists mainly of uric acid, a decay agent. Over time, pigeon poop will decay and deface residential homes and large city buildings alike. Aside from this damage being aesthetically ugly, it does real chemical damage to painted surfaces, stone, metal architectural elements, and bridges. In addition to weakening structures, there are many historical and cultural heritage objects, such as monuments and statues, that need to be preserved.
Attics
Deterrent and exclusionary methods can reduce the possibility of pigeons getting inside attics. Making sure you have screens on windows and caps on vents also help. However, pigeons are smart, so even these methods don’t guarantee you won’t find pigeons roosting in your attic. Once inside, it’s best to call in professionals to eradicate them, as injury and disease transmission are not worth the risk. Critter Control uses humane and effective methods and will also repair and clean damage created by pigeons.
Roof & Balcony
Flat surfaces such as your home’s roof, eaves, or balcony are a perfect landing place for a flock of pigeons. Unlike a roof, where deterrents can be effective, balconies with outdoor furniture and where residents like to spend time cannot be remedied by deterrents without also being a human deterrent. Scare tactics like wind chimes or ultrasonic devices can provide a short-term solution.
It is at this point that professionals are your best choice for getting rid of pigeons.
Commercial Pigeon Problems
Store Signs
Store signs, especially those with lights, are a favorite roosting spot for pigeons because they give off heat that pigeons love. Not only can these signs become defaced by the pigeons, but their feces make the signs unsightly, and the sidewalk below becomes a slipping hazard for customers walking by.
Warehouse
It’s difficult to control bird activity in warehouses because it is an environment in which doors are continually opened in the regular activity of doing business. Pigeons roosting on beams and high shelving cause a hazard. Their poop is slippery, and workers are at risk of slipping. In addition, they can become a distraction or create a scare when using machinery and tools.
Solar Panels
Whether you have solar panels on your personal property or a commercial enterprise, chances are pigeons will discover them. Installed on a roof, solar panels have a small gap between the roof and the panel. This empty gap makes a perfect place for pigeons to build their nests out of the sight of predators. Unfortunately, the abundance of droppings on the panels can cause reduced efficiency and costly damage.
How Does Critter Control Get Rid of Pigeons?
Controlling pigeons is quite different than any other type of nuisance animal. They cannot be trapped and released elsewhere as they’ll fly right back. And in many geographies, relocating pigeons is prohibited because of the risk of spreading disease.
The risk of disease is also one of the best reasons to pass on getting rid of pigeons yourself and call in Critter Control.
Critter Control will assess your specific situation and develop a custom solution based on where pigeons are roosting and the severity of the problem. Often we employ multiple solutions from the list below to make the area inhospitable to pigeons so they go away on their own:
- Install barriers
- Clip and clear roosting branches
- Fixing or adding vent screens and chimney caps
- Installing bird spikes
- Setting up wires
- Fencing gardens
- Sealing gaps in roofing, sheds, and warehouses
Busy homeowners and business owners rely on Critter Control’s certified wildlife specialists to effectively and humanely get rid of pigeons and keep them out. Critter Control restores the damage created by nuisance animals as well. Best of all, we guarantee our work.