How to Keep Pest Pigeons off Buildings

If you own or manage a building, you know how costly a problem pest pigeons can be. They gather in ever-larger numbers to deface and damage every part of your property. From the sidewalk and entrances to the AC units on your rooftops, pigeons keep your cleanup and repair crews busy. This is one reason why your maintenance budget keeps growing. Pest pigeons represent a real cost.

The Cost of Droppings

Their droppings are not only unsightly but destructive, eating into wood, plastic, vinyl and stone surfaces. Removing these droppings is not only difficult and expensive but can cause even more damage than bird droppings. Left to gather, pest pigeon droppings are difficult to remove and sometimes require maintenance crews to wear PPE (proper protective equipment). Ladders, scaffolds, and fire escapes coated in pigeon droppings can make them dangerously slippery and unsafe. Even walkways and entryways can become unsafe when pigeon droppings are wet or become damp.

The Cost of Pigeon Nests

The nests built by pest pigeons can easily block rainwater pipes, causing water damage. This allows water to enter and leads to wood rotting fungi. Insects are attracted to this damp, rotting wood, resulting in further decay. Pigeon nesting materials often block parapet gutters and hopper heads, allowing water to enter a building. This can lead to the growth of decay organisms, resulting in even more damage. Pest pigeons nesting in electrical signage or near other electrical wiring can and has led to fires.

Keeping Pest Pigeons Off Your Buildings

The best way to get rid of these “rats with wings” is with professional-level bird control deterrents. Here’s what the bird control pros at Bird B Gone recommend to keep pest pigeons off your buildings:

• Bird Jolt Flat Track Kit. This low-profile, electric track system produces a harmless electric shock that “educates” pest pigeons to stay off ledges, signage, parapet walls and similar building surfaces. Lightweight and flexible, the track is easy to install—it bends 360° without compromising its electrical integrity. It’s the only electric track bird deterrent system with patented anti-arcing and glue troughs designs for improved safety and performance. Available in six colors.

• Stainless Steel Bird Spikes. Recommended to permanently keep pest pigeons off building rooftops, parapet walls, light fixtures and other flat or curved surfaces, Bird B Gone bird spikes continue to be used by building owners worldwide. The spikes come in 1-, 3-, 5- and 8-inch splay widths to provide increasingly wider areas of protection—up to 10 inches wide. These rugged spiked strips feature a patented “bend-and-crush” design, which means the spikes are firmly embedded in an unbreakable UV-protected polycarbonate base. This flexible base bends a full 360 degrees, so it can easily “follow” a variety of curved mounting surfaces.

• Bird Net 2000 Heavy Duty Netting. Ideal for blocking pest pigeons from building overhangs and other semi-enclosed areas, this netting is easy to install using Bird B Gone’s complete line of professional grade installation hardware. Made of a tough UV-stabilized polyethylene mesh, industrial strength Bird Net 2000 is extremely durable, rot and water proof, and flame resistant. The netting comes in several area sizes and colors (black, stone or white) to blend in with its background. Bird Net 2000 is often specified in architectural plans and is backed by a 10-Year Guarantee.

• Bird Wire. An economical and remarkably efficient pest pigeon deterrent, this post-and-wire system keeps pigeons from landing on ledges, rails, signs, rooftops, and many other curved or flat surfaces. The system, uses a wire attached to springs, which are attached to posts, walls or other fixed mounts. When pigeons land on the wire, the system causes them to wobble, zig and zag, making them feel very insecure. This quickly prompts birds to move on to another more secure landing zone.

• Bird Spider 360. Set up in minutes, this multi-legged “Daddy Long Legs” device gets rid of pest pigeons and prevents them from landing on AC units, lights, signs and rooftops. Ruggedly designed for outdoor use, it features marine grade stainless steel “arms” in four leg lengths to protect diameters up to 8 feet. A PVC base allows the Spider to be easily placed wherever pigeons gather most often.

• Solar Bird Chase Super Sonic. This ingenious device strikes fear into the hearts of pest pigeons. It emits pre-recorded distress and predator calls that continually intimidate these birds. Ideal for keeping pest pigeons off lofty, hard to reach areas, the device is water resistant, programmable, and comes with a built-in speaker that will cover up to an acre. Because it’s solar powered, no AC access is needed, so it can be placed wherever pigeons gather most often. The natural bird sounds will not bother customers, employees or tenants.

More Anti-Pigeon Tactics

There are some additional steps you can take to keep pest pigeons off your buildings. These include keeping trash containers closed, eliminating water puddles (caused by rain or sprinklers), and discouraging visitors and employees from feeding them.

Backed by Expert Assistance

If you’re unsure about which product would work best to keep pest pigeons off your buildings, Bird B Gone has over 90 years of combined experience in the field of bird control. We can help you with product selection, installation and cleanup. Just call us at (800) 392-6915 for a catalog, pricing, or product samples or email us at nobirds@birdbgone.com. We also work with a network of authorized