Pigeons are a nuisance to many people, yet others adore them and keep aviaries for showing and racing birds and many look towards bird control. However, these people will almost certainly look after their pigeons correctly, and practise good bird control, so they won’t cause a problem for you or your property. It’s feral pigeons that cause a headache for many people living in towns and cities across the country.
Some of the main issues people have with landing or nesting pigeons:
- They leave a terrible mess with their dropping, which is harmful to human health, not to mention detrimental to your property.
- Their noise, especially when young are in the nest, can be very distracting and annoying.
- Fleas and bird mites may get into your home.
- Dust from their feathers can cause breathing problems.
- The dust can also cause skin irritation.
- Nesting materials and dead pigeons can block your gutters and drains.
- If a pigeon gets into your water tank it will drown and contaminate your water supply.
So, if some or many of these issues are causing you a problem, how do you prevent pigeons from landing or nesting on your property?
There are two ways to tackle the problem. Firstly, you can try some home bird control yourself. Secondly, you could call in bird controllers, who specialise in dealing with bird problems.
Home remedies may be the best way to start and if they fail it will be time to call in the bird controllers. Try the following methods to see whether they are effective.
Tie strips of brightly coloured fabric or plastic which flap about in the breeze as a deterrent to prevent pigeons landing.
Use mirrors on balconies, as pigeons don’t like the light reflection, CD discs may also work in the same way.
If you have problems with nesting birds don’t give them the opportunity to build a nest. They nest on flat surfaces, so make any inhospitable by placing large pines cones on ledges and window sills – fix them with glue to prevent them from being blown off or falling.
Use netting to cover any nooks or crannies.
Anti-bird wiring can also be strung across ledges and flat surfaces.
Fastening zigzagged string across balconies and flat ledges may also be effective.
Don’t provide food for them, intentionally or inadvertently – a lack of readily available food usually means they’ll go somewhere else.
Ask neighbours to stop feeding pigeons.
Make sure you place wild bird food in hanging nets and cages rather than sprinkling onto the ground.
Anti-bird spikes will help prevent pigeons from landing.
It’s worth noting that it’s illegal to kill any wild birds, so don’t be tempted to take this approach to get rid of them. Local councils won’t be able to help you either. They will only assist if there are other circumstances included, such as neighbours leaving out so much waste food that it encourages rats and mice, as well as pigeons.
If you have a real problem with nesting or landing pigeons call professional bird pest controllers for help and advice.
Or you can always call Safeguard Pest Control on 0800 328 493.
