3 Great Ways To Deter Pesky Pigeons From Home Invasion

Waking up in the morning to the sweet sing-song sound of birds chirping isn't a half bad way to start the morning. However, your feelings may differ when you hear the loud, annoying coo of a pesky pigeon. Feral pigeons can pose a problem to your health – and your sanity – if left to roost in or around your home. Fortunately, there are some great ways to deal with the peckish pests before they peck on your nerves.

Failed Feeding Frenzy

Pigeons love to eat. A lot. Perhaps that is why the average pigeon can produce approximately 25 pounds of droppings a year. Aside from being unsightly, pigeon poo is a danger to human health. Pigeon droppings contain a fungus known as Histoplasma capsulatum, which can cause a disease known as Histoplasmosis.

Histoplasmosis can cause the following:

• Fever
• Pneumonia
• Blood diseases
• Death

Fortunately, there are ways to deter pigeons from your home, and it starts by taking away their source of food. For starters, when you take your trash out, make sure you place the bag in a trash can with a secure lid. Look for trash cans with a lid that latches down to the can.

If you are a bird lover, you likely have bird feeders around your home. Birds find feeders an attractive and easy source of food. Unfortunately, your bird feeders may attract the wrong kind of bird, such as the pigeon. That does not mean you need to remove your bird feeders. Instead, purchase bird feeders with small perches so pigeons cannot latch on for a free meal.

Posing as Predators

Perhaps you're not a bird lover at all. Maybe you don't enjoy the sound of any bird near you home. If that is the case, you're in luck! You can purchase fake birds of prey, such as replicas of hawks or owls. Larger birds, especially hawks, pose a danger to pigeons. You can place replicas in trees and on your rooftops to deter pigeons from roosting in or near you home.

Although it is unlikely that a hawk or owl would kill a pigeon, they could still cause serious harm to the creatures. In other words, pigeons will not likely take the chance of tangoing with larger birds of prey. Instead, they will take to roosting elsewhere, and since other bird species will likely find the replicas frightening, they will also take flight in a different direction.

Poke the Pests

Pigeons prefer to roost on ledges, such as those found on window sills and rooflines. Unfortunately, bird droppings contain uric acid. If left untreated, pigeon droppings destroy gutters and eat away at wood, vinyl, iron, stone, steel and even vinyl. Using a little creativity, you can deter pigeons from landing on your roof and your window sills.

You will need to make a pigeon poke. To do this, you will need a 2x4 wooden board, L-brackets, nails and a hammer. First, you will need to hammer the nails in the board. Make sure the point of the nail pokes out on the other end. Screw the L-brackets onto the board and secure the boards to your roof and window sills.

The pigeons will not want to land on the nails so they will look elsewhere for a place to roost. If you find yourself concerned as to whether or not this method is humane, make sure you use short nails. Shorter nails will simply "poke" the birds rather than skewer them. In other words, you can say bye-bye to those pesky pigeons without the extra weight of a guilty conscience.

If all of your natural deterrent methods fail, or you find that your pigeon problem is too far out of hand, you will need to contact a pest control professional in your area to handle the problem. A pest control professional from companies like Ace Walco & Sons Termite & Pest Control can assist you in the removal of pigeons, their nests and their young in a safe, effective manner.