Pigeons are often called the rats of the sky. These flying pests are well known scavengers and like to feed off the waste humans leave behind. In their natural habitat they’re certainly not a nuisance, but if they get into your house they can cause considerable damage and annoyance. We decided to give you a few tips on stopping them from ever becoming this kind of problem to you.
Did you know that pigeons are actually grey doves? These creatures are synonymous with certain parts of London culture, although if you look around this famous city there are all manner of preventative measures to stop pigeons from nesting on buildings. This is due to the damage they cause and the foul smell of their droppings. Equally you’ll want to keep these urban pests away from your property, so let’s take a look at some easy steps you can take to do this.
- Loose tiles and holes in the roof can provide access for pigeons. If you are unsure of your footing on a roof you may want to hire a professional to look at the state of your tiles. Internally, check in your attic for any rips in the felt. Before fixing holes, it’s important to check on what kind of felt has been used as some types can be repaired easily with acrylic tape, whilst others will require the laying of a new patch.
- Open, unattended windows are a very easy place for pigeons to get into your house. It can be a real pain if you have to try to capture a frightened bird that’s entered your property in this way, before you even start to look at the damage the acidic droppings can do to carpets and stained wooden floors. If you must leave windows in this manner for ventilation in the summer, consider purchasing mesh screens or external shutters to stop this kind of access.
- Although bird feeding has been seen throughout the last few decades as a pleasant and worthwhile past-time, remember that by feeding pigeons you are normalizing them with proximity to people and your property. If you want to avoid problems later on we’d advise not feeding the local pigeon population. This might mean you don’t feed other birds, but it is a small price to pay for keeping your house pigeon free.
- You can get sonic pigeon deterrents from your local home improvement store or DIY center for a few pounds. These are a good investment, especially if you have an old roof full of holes where pigeons could enter. They work on emitting a low frequency noise, well below the hearing range of humans, that these pests find unpleasant.
- Branches that overhang property are another obvious place for pigeons to rest. This may mean that your find your roof stained with smelly droppings. The simple solution here is to get a ladder and trip back the troublesome branches. However, be careful of removing large sections of any tree on your own. It might be advisable to hire a tree surgeon in these instances.
- Pigeons getting in your house isn’t the only problem. Pigeons will rest from flight on any available surface around your property, particularly in built up areas. You can purchase specially made spike strips to stop these pests from landing on window ledges and flat surfaces.
Finally, only resort to poison or other deadly measures against these birds as a last resort. The key to stopping these pests becoming a nuisance is adopting a an attitude of regular checks and keeping one eye on the problem. If you don’t scrimp on preventative measures then you’ll never find yourself in a situation where your considering such solutions.
This article was supplied by London pigeon exterminators, Bypest.com, a leading provider in the assessment, treatment and prevention of pigeons in both homes and businesses.