Pigeon Trap to Get Pigeons Out of a House

01.25.2008 - Pigeons are opportunistic animals. Like any animal, they need shelter, and the females seek out a safe place in which to raise young. Just as is the case with raccoons, squirrels, rats, and other animals, pigeons have found that the attics of homes make an ideal place to live - they're safe from the weather, dry, warm, and safe from predators. Thus, pigeons love to live in the attics of homes when possible. They need a certain amount of room in order to enter and exit. In this case, it's a classic scenario. This house has a barrel tile roof, and one of the eaves, with a flat bottom, does not sit flush on the roof. In fact, there's a downright huge gap leading right into the attic. Perfect for a pigeon to enter!

I was called out to the home because of all the noise the pigeons were making up in the attic. Normally what I do is set exclusion devices - either special netting or modified one-way doors that pigeons can use to exit the building, but not re-enter. In this case, I used a one-way door with an attached trap, so that I could trap the pigeons, which is what the homeowner wanted, since the birds were roosting on the roof as well, and creating a mess. Thus, I trapped and removed 8 adult pigeons from this attic, and removed two nests with young from inside.

This photo is of one of the birds in a pigeon trap. This trap is not sold in stores or marketed under the name of pigeon trap, but it's a modified one-way door with an attached cage that I created. I modified it by removing the torsion spring that normally holds the door shut. Pigeons are rather bold birds, and they actually push and shove in order to gain access to areas they want to roost in. Thus, this kind of door works just fine, because when the pigeon wants to get out, it simply pushes its way through the door. However, it lacks any ability to open it back up again. Many pigeon traps are engineered around this principle of one-way doors that pigeons push open and enter, but can't get back out of.

I usually prefer a standard exclusion procedure to get pigeons out of an attic, but sometimes a pigeon trap is the way to go. If you want to know other ways to get pigeons out of a house, browse this site. Methods include physical removal, and even the use of leaf-blowers in the attic to scare them out! But usually, a good exclusion device is the best way.

Do it yourself: Visit my How To Get Rid of Pigeons page for tips and advice.
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Pigeons can be obnoxious housemates. They cause a lot of damage to piping and wiring systems, and their nesting activities are potential fire hazards. The wind easily carries their dry feces, and this can cause respiratory discomfort; they deface structures with their droppings and are carriers of a wide range of diseases.

Pigeons, like all pest animals, look for food and suitable shelter to raise their young ones. The pigeons usually find out that the attic and roof of structures is the ideal shelter for them because it is warm, dry, and safe. In the attic, they do not have to be wary of predators and can leave their young ones for hours as they search for food. Once they find a roof with entry and exit sites, they make their home and settle there.

Many methods are available for pigeon eviction and exclusion. One of these methods is the use of trap cages. The trap cage is humane and does not cause harm to the pigeons in any way, and there are varying sizes of cages. Your best bet is to allow a professional to handle the trapping and removal because they have all the equipment and skills that are necessary for the pigeon eviction. They can also advise on pigeon exclusion methods and answer all questions that you may ask.

TIPS FOR TRAPPING

To effectively trap your pigeon housemates, here are some guidelines for you:

Choose The Right Cage: there is a wide range of traps on the market, however, to get the best result, you must choose the cage that is best for the pigeons. Your best choice is to go for large cages with just a one door entrance. With this, you are sure to trap the pigeons successfully.

Place Your Cage Properly: though pigeons are not the brightest birds, they are still very cautious birds and will avoid any strange looking equipment in their space. Therefore, to trap them, the cage must blend in with their environment, and for this reason, you should set up the trap at a corner of the roof and camouflage it with leaves or grass.

Bait The Trap: in baiting, you must understand pigeon feeding patterns and their favorite foods. Pigeons usually eat kernels and grains, so these will serve as perfect bait for the pigeons. Most times, the pigeons will not go into the cage immediately, and so you may have to feed them for a while to get them to be comfortable with eating in the cage. After some time, you can shut the trap door when they are feeding.

Pigeon Removal: unlike most pests, you cannot relocate pigeons because they can travel through vast areas and find their way back home, so you may have to kill them after you trap them. To save yourself from this messy part of pigeon removal, you can hire a professional or call the wildlife control center in your area.

Prevention: to prevent another infestation, fix all entry and exit points in your house and roof. Avoid leaving debris and seeds around your home because this will attract the pigeons to your yard.