How to Rid Your Property of the Pigeon Scourge

Once upon a time, when you were young and responsibility was an alien concept, pigeons were kind of fun. You probably tossed handfuls of bread to them, just as you did the ducks and geese in your local park. How were you to know that one day these cute, plodding creatures would wreak such havoc on your property? Introduced to Australia in the late 19th century, feral pigeons (or rock doves) are notoriously difficult to remove once they set up home. 

The problem with this is that not only do pigeon droppings cause structural damage to buildings, even being cited as one of the contributing factors to the collapse of a bridge in 2007, pigeons also attract parasites, such as ticks and fleas. 

 Try these non-lethal methods and deterrents to get rid of the flying rat.

Remove Food Sources

Pigeons just love humans. They will eat anything from garbage to plants. However, if you deprive them of food and water, they'll need to seek out another food source. If you can't completely eradicate all sources of food, try covering them up with materials such as wire mesh. 

Stake Roosting Spots

Pigeons love congregating on railings, and windowsills. This causes an unsightly and acidic buildup of pigeon poop. One way of preventing them from roosting on and around your property is to attach rows of small stakes to every awning, windowsill and railing that they tend to favor. Deprived of their favored gathering spot, they'll move on to somewhere else. 

Sticky Feet

Coat the pigeons' favored roosting spots with sticky substances like honey and treacle. No bird likes a sticky landing surface, and they'll scarper the second they plant their feet on your little surprise. 

Recorded Predators 

Birds of prey such as hawks, hunt pigeons for their meat. To keep pigeons away from your property, play recordings of hawks and other larger, territorial birds on a loop at certain times of the day. Don't play them continuously, however, as the pigeons will quickly realize that there is no danger of being eaten. 

By using the above non-lethal methods you should be able to successfully keep pigeons at bay. However, pigeons can be very stubborn once they locate a prime roosting location. If, despite your best efforts, they continue to plague your property it is probably time to call in the experts. Seek out a reputable bird removal company in your area to get rid of those pesky pigeons once and for all.