How To Get Rid Of Birds - Pigeons



Pigeons are a common sight in many, if not most cities in the United States. Many people enjoy going to a park and feeding them. However, too many of these birds can be a nuisance. Their droppings can damage the finish on buildings and cars, and make a mess on sidewalks, statues, roofs, and many other surfaces.

Besides being unsightly, pigeon droppings carry diseases and dangerous fungi. Some of the diseases include Psittacosis, Histoplasmosis, St. Louis Encephalitis, and Cryptococcosis. The problem is how to get rid of your pigeon overpopulation without resorting to lethal methods.

Of course, depending on your local gun laws, you can shoot them. But that won't be possible in a city, nor would it be safe. Poisoning is another option, but again, not a very good one. Any other animal that eats a poisoned bird will also get sick and most likely die. There are also ultrasonic devices that will discourage pigeons from congregating on your property, but these devices may scare off other birds or animals that you don't mind having around. So we need to examine some other means of ridding your property of pigeons.

Pigeons are homing birds, meaning once they choose a home, they will likely stay there for life. We are all familiar with the homing pigeons, how they can deliver a message to a certain place, then return home, often with a returning message. Understanding their nature may help you in keeping your building or property pigeon-free. When one or more pigeons have chosen your building or property as their home, you will have to get humanely aggressive with them in order to persuade them to find a new home.

Predators
One method of getting rid of pigeons is to purchase a lifelike owl or hawk. These birds are predators and a pigeon will try to avoid them. There are a few people who own hawks and hire them out to scare off unwanted birds. They will come to your property, allow the hawk to fly around the area or just perch and observe for a while. The idea is that the nuisance birds will see the hawk in its territory and will choose to leave rather than confront its predator.

Reflectors
There are several types of reflectors that can be used to scare away the pigeons. Holographic tape is one option. You can fasten this tape in place around the areas you wish to keep the pigeons out of. There is a large ball that has big, predator-like holographic eyes on in that is supposed to scare away pigeons. Anything that is shiny and reflective, if hung in strategic places, will discourage pigeons from making your home theirs.

Nets
Bird nets are available to purchase that will keep pigeons out of certain areas when they are hung. Use them to protect your growing produce or to cover openings in buildings.



Bird Spiders
No, these spiders aren't of the eight-legged kind. A bird spider is a device that has a circular ring base and a spray of curved wires. The wires move constantly, swaying and bouncing in the wind, which distracts the pigeon and makes it not want to get near the device.

Spike Strips
Anti-roosting spike strips will attach to nearly any place that a pigeon might want to land. These can be found either in metal or plastic. As a cheaper alternative, buy a Slinky toy, stretch it out along the roofline, gutter, or wherever else you want to deter pigeons from landing, and fasten it down with tape or staples.

Traps
Multi-bird wire cage traps are useful for trapping and relocating pigeons, if that is your desire. The repeating trap door on certain of these traps will catch and hold up to 30 birds. Bait the trap with whole kernel corn. Place a water dish inside the trap to keep the birds from suffering until you can relocate them. The major drawback to trap and release is that the pigeons will find their way back. If you have any way to confine the birds to their new area until they nest and raise babies, that will then become their new home. Since they lay up to six clutches per year, this shouldn't take too long.

Spices
Generally, pigeons don't like spices such as cayenne pepper, black pepper, or cinnamon. Sprinkle it generously on the areas you want to deter pigeons from roosting.

Prevention
The place to start is by making your home, building, or property as pigeon-unfriendly as possible. Don't ever feed them or they will move in to stay. Don't leave animal food outside. Block or cover up any openings into attics, basements, outbuildings, or anyplace where a pigeon might find to get inside. If they can't find a safe place to build a nest, they may leave your property and go somewhere else.

Read the How to get rid of birds page or these other pages:
About Pigeons: Appearance, Biology, Life Cycle, Habitat, Diet, And Behavior
Pigeon Prevention Tips: How To Keep Pigeons Away
Pigeon Trapping: How To Trap A Pigeon
Pigeon Repellent
How To Kill A Pigeon
How To Get Pigeons Out Of Your Attic
How long does it take to remove birds in a building?
Home remedies to keep away birds and get rid of them
How much does professional bird removal cost?
How to get rid of birds without killing them
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