Pigeons (Feral)

Information about pigeons

Pigeons can carry fleas which may bite people and transmit disease.

Pigeons carry diseases which include food poisoning, lung disease, meningitis, pneumonia and blood poisoning. Mites also live on pigeons by biting them and sucking their blood. They can produce painful bites and cause disease in humans.

Damage

Droppings on buildings and stonework lead to acids which cause corrosion. Nests and droppings can block gutters which may result in damp problems or flooding inside buildings.

Safety

The droppings of the birds can accumulate on the ground becoming very slippery, especially when wet. It can make fire escapes and walkways very dangerous.

Control

The best way to keep the number of pigeons down is to avoid feeding them, this is because the number of pigeons is dependant on the amount of food in the area. Don't leave litter about which may provide food for the pigeons.

There are a number of ways that you can help yourself to rid your property of roosting pigeons. Some of these are shown below.

Netting

Bird netting systems can be used against any urban pest species. Nets can be fitted horizontally or vertically.

Spike systems

Spike systems are a very effective method of control but are sometimes not as effective as netting.

Spikes are relatively easy to install but control over a large area can work out more expensive than netting.

Spikes can be fitted to gutters by using gutter clips.

In most cases a neutral silicone adhesive such as Avisil will be used but on damp surfaces an extra strength product such as Avifix should be used.

A chimney spike can also be fitted to the top of chimneys to stop birds from landing.

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