Pigeon Problems and Bird Infestations

Unfortunately, not all of us see pigeons in the same light as this guy. And for good reason; pigeons carry over sixty transmittable diseases...while also being quite the nuisance.

Barry Schader had a problem. Bird droppings were constantly holding up his construction projects.

And draining his bank account.

In a Pest Control Technology Magazine article, Schader, owner of general construction firm Tischler Brothers, says bird droppings affected multiple aspects of his business.

“Bird droppings tend to seriously degrade roofing materials,” he said.

And the acidic nature of the droppings was not his only problem. Pigeons, that eat gravel, would defecate on the roof and their fecal matter would clog the drains. That created an even costlier problem: germiniation.

The high nitrogen content of the droppings offered a great environment for seeds to grow at an accelerated rate in the drainage system. Without sunlight, the plants die and clog the drains.

Once droppings dry, it is a race to get them off the surface to avoide degradation of the mostly organic roofing materials. Bird droppings on asphalt and pressed wood fiber, found in roofing materials, can mildew.

This is a common issue with roosting pigeons. They find a spot that provides all the amenities they need to be comfortable; places like drains provide a spot to rest, water and sometimes food. Not to mention the easy access; most people don’t really deal with the drains on the roof until they absolutely have to which, in this case, means it would be too late.

Pigeons are most densely located in the urban U.S., Mexico and southern Canada. City living provides endless amounts of food and water with practically no predators. The real estate is prime; they make their homes on window ledges, rooftops, bridges and in warehouses.

With their high dependency on humans for feeding and roosting as well as their social natures, it is no wonder people get so aggravated when they spot a “rat of the sky” setting up shop near them.

The best way to get rid of pigeons? Well, killing them sure isn’t on the list. Killing birds, while completely inhumane, is futile. It doesn’t change the fact that the area is attractive to the unwanted guest.

So what’s the secret? Changing the environment. Make it so uncomfortable for them to stay on your property that they have no choice but to leave immediately. The best way to do this is through a multi-sensory attack. Putting down bird spikes to disrupt their roosting patterns affects them physicaly, while erecting an ultrasonic sound device will annoying their hearing.