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How to Get Rid of Pigeons: A Complete Guide
One common problem that is faced by a lot of people is about how they can get rid of pigeons from balconies, roofs as well as other kind of industrial facilities.
Pigeons can cause a lot of health hazard as well as inconvenience. Besides this, pigeon feces can be corrosive and it can even pass through concrete or steel.
So, in this blog, we would discuss about how to get rid of pigeons using different methods. Let us have a look:-
What are the problems that are faced by pigeons?
- Disease
Pigeon can drop carry disease which includes cryptococcosis, histoplasmosis and psittacosis. All these diseases can be life-threatening as well as dangerous for the people who tend to have certain kind of conditions. These include weakened immune systems or asthma.
- Food Contamination
In agricultural or rural areas, the pigeons can contaminate the foods that are meant for human consumption and livestock.
- Fall and Slip Risk
It is generally seen that people tend to gather in doing a certain behavior which is known as roosting. This can cause the defecating of the structure where they are present. Besides this, the dropping that is left by pigeons is quite slippery. Hence, the areas such as decks, walkways and porches as well as various areas can become quite difficult to walk by foot. This can in turn cause a lot of problem for commercial and residential properties.
- Damage to the buildings
Generally, it is seen that pigeon feces can be very acidic and it can cause significant damage to siding, buildings, landscaping and vegetation.
- Blocked drainage and gutters
If pigeon nests are present in downpipes or gutters, then it can cause flooding, backup as well as other kind of damage.
- Risk of Fire
When the pigeons build of the nest that can block flues or chimneys, then buildup of various poisonous gases can happen that can increase the risk of fire. So, if you are facing any kind pigeon problem in your property, then it is important that you act properly. Further, the longer that you wait, the more you have to go through costly repairs as well as irreversible damage.
How to get rid of pigeons from the Balcony?
- Deterrents
Are you looking to remove the pigeons without even hurting them, and then you can make use of deterrents. Deterrents such as stainless steel wires, wire coils as well as spikes are considered as low-profile additions which prevents the birds from roof perching. So, if you are looking out for the best results, then get it installed on a flat surface where the pigeons can easily land which includes flashing, roof drip edges and caps. The various benefits of this method is that it is effective, easy to install, low-profile and non-lethal. The only downside is that it can prevent the pigeons from perching on particular kind of surface. But, you can’t keep them away from the property completely.
- Parallel Wires
If you wish to keep the pigeons away from the balcony, then it is important that parallel wires are run across the structure. This would prevent the pigeons from landing or nesting on the surface. Moreover, parallel wire can be installed on your own or a professional pigeon control company such as Safai Wale can do it on your behalf. It is a very affordable, effective and low-profile method but it can sometimes be very difficult to install.
- Bird Gels
Bird gels are basically a kind of sticky gels that can be placed on the roof such that pigeons are deterred. The part is that gels won’t trap the pigeons but it can create a sensation that birds may not like. In this way, they don’t like to land on the roof or balcony. So, if you are low on budget, then you can use this method as it can turn out to be very affordable and effective. The downside is that it would need regular replacement and it may not to be easy to install in roofs that are steeply-pitched.
- Decoy Kites
In these methods, decay bird images that are shaped like a kite are fixed on the balcony. So, basically what happens is kites tend to fly in wind and in the process it prevents the pigeons from landing on the balcony. This is an effective methods but it may not work if you have a lot of pigeon population. This method is non-toxic, affordable, humane and effective.
- Lasers
With lasers, the movement of pigeons can be deterred. Lasers are activated by motion. So they flash once the pigeons lands on the roof. Hence, it discourages and starling them from doing roosting. It is humane and non-toxic for the pigeons. The reason is that they can become downside to the lasers over a span of time.
- Netting
Nylon bird netting can turn out to be quite effective for the balcony that tend to have eaves and pitches that tends to be attractive for the pigeons. It is hung vertically on the side of the building. Further, with bird netting, birds can be prevented from perching on the surface or roof of the building. So, when it comes to pigeon control, it is recommended that you use 50 mm gauge net. This option tends to have virtually invisible appearance and it is quite effective and non-lethal to prevent perching and roosting. The downside is that it can be time-consuming to maintain and hang.
- Falconry
If you are looking out for a natural way to deter the pigeons, then you should consider hiring professional falconer. Falconers make use of live prey birds such as falcons and hawks in order to scare the pigeons away. In this, the bird handlers leave the falcons in particular area that is infested by pigeons. This lets the pigeon know that the predator has occupied the area. In this way, pigeons would move away and perhaps not come back. It is a very humane, effective and non-toxic method. Likewise, it may not be available in all the areas.
Final Verdict
If you are looking to get rid of pigeons, then above are some of the techniques and tools that you can potentially use. However, you should hire a professional such as Safai Wale if the problem is too difficult for you to handle. In this way, you would save a lot of energy and time as compared to DIY methods. Besides this, they would have access to various tools and equipment through which you can remove them effectively and humanely.
