How to Get Rid of Pigeons

We are experts in pigeon control methods, having performed thousands of pigeon prevention and control jobs nationwide.

Pigeons are very common in cities, and are well known as urban animals. They are terribly annoying and they often leave their mark on your roof by leaving you gifts of their unappealing pigeon poop, which is unhealthy, unsightly, and can corrode metal, wood, or other structures. Pigeons like to eat on fruit found in trees and seeds found in the ground. They can be of many different sizes which can help you determine the depth of their population. Yet, they can also carry diseases which can be dangerous for you and your family. Getting rid of them isn't quite that easy; however, here are some tips to help with your pigeon problem.

Need pigeon removal in your hometown? We service over 500 USA locations! Click here to hire us in your town and check prices - updated for year 2020. In the event that you wish to hire a bird removal company, you may want to see how much does bird removal cost?

#1 Thing to Know - Physical Prevention is the Only Way
Gimmicks such as plastic owls, predator bird noise machines, shiny streamers, etc won't work. You can also attempt trapping or killing them all, as discussed below, but this is only a temporary solution. The only way to get rid of pigeons roosting in an area is to prevent them from being able to land in an area. This means physical deterrents. The most popular is the bird spike. These are simply strips of spikes that protrude upward, installed on beams, ledges, etc that prevent the birds from being able to safely land on an area. These bird spikes must be installed on every surface that the birds can land or roost on. Other options include electrified bird track that gives the pigeons a shock when they land, or simply wires that prevent landing. There is also a bird gel that the pigeons don't like to roost on. Finally, installed across a large expanse, can prevent the birds from gaining access to a large area.



Do Not Feed The Animals
First of all, stop feeding pigeons. It's a great past time for sure, and seeing people feeding pigeons at parks and by water fountains is common in movies, television and commercials. However, if you want to get rid of them, then feeding them will not help your cause. Feeding pigeons is not so cute and nostalgic when you suddenly find your home surrounded by flocks of them, tearing up your yard, squawking and leaving their droppings everywhere.

Do Repellants Work?
There are many methods that people have suggested over the years to get rid of annoying pigeons such as using different types of repellants. There are a variety of them on the market that claim to make the pigeons flee. These products are known to use offensive smells that are supposed to drive the pigeon away. It's certainly something that will make a human being leave, but does it really work for pigeons? Repellant glue and moth balls all give off an odor that pigeons just cannot tolerate, but eventually the pigeons will become immune to the smell and eventually return To get pigeons off of the property some people have used ultrasonic bird repellant devices. It's an audible device that produces a sound that birds are supposed to not like. Humans cannot hear it; just our annoying little friends. Unfortunately, these devices are not the most popular and if they do work, it will only be for a short period of time. It makes no sense at all to invest money in a product that doesn't offer long term results.

Evict Them
Most of the time when you see pigeons in the area it means that they more than likely have a nest somewhere nearby. If you check all around your property carefully, you may be able to find it. When you do find it, you need to knock it down immediately forcing the pigeons to rebuild their lives somewhere else. This is also only a temporary solution and they may begin building another nest in the same spot.

Kill the Pigeons?
Many people write to me asking how to kill pigeons. Some people even try to poison pigeons with feed, though illegal and not effective. The best way to kill pigeons is actually via a night shoot. Just wait until they are roosting at night, asleep, and shoot with a 1000 FPS air rifle. Done over the course of a few nights, this can take out quite a few of the pigeons and perhaps convince others to leave. But it's only a temporary solution. If your building is a desirable habitat for pigeons, new ones will surely roost there shortly. Read more about pigeon shooting tactics.

Cage Trapping
Pigeon traps can be an effective way to get pigeons off of your property for good and it'll probably work better than other methods because pigeons have a strong homing instinct that drives them back to where they began building their lives, even though you have probably ran them off several times with repellants and knocked their nests down. Regardless, they seem to come back every time. However, with a trap, you get to relocate them yourself. Setting a trap is not always easy and is best left to a professional but you can still try it yourself. Traps should be harmless and only used to catch the pigeons. They should never be used to hurt the intended animal or any of its predators. These traps consist of a cage that has a trigger on the inside of it that forces the door to close tightly once it has been activated. Lure the pigeons into the cage by placing their favorite foods on the trigger. Once the pigeon tries to enter and eat the food, the door quickly shuts and you've caught yourself a pigeon. Once you have caught the pigeon, you're ready to drive it away from your property and free it somewhere else. Considering that these clever creatures are good at finding their way home, you'd want to drive them a good bit of a distance before letting them go. You could also hire a professional to catch the pigeon and take him away for you. They have more knowledge about how pigeons operate, so they'll know exactly what to do. Learn more about get a pigeon out of a house or how to trap pigeons.

Trivia
They are known for carrying letters, objects and other things during the World War years. This was possible because pigeons are the only bird that has a unique way of finding its way back home with every trip that it takes. They have an impeccable sense of smell and are able to recognize landmarks to help them reach their destination.