The removal of farm buildings has encourage pigeons to take up residence in our homes and gardens, which is causing both health and safety i...
Case Studies
As the sun sinks slowly and day turns into night, the glowing skies at dusk often carry the soft sounds of the fluttering wings of the majestic... pigeon? Oh, yes.
Columba livia – the Rock Dove, or common pigeon – has found a good thing within many towns and villages across the UK. Providing both agricultural land and a ready supply of seeds and nuts from garden bird feeders, pigeons are thriving.
Vast amounts of the countryside used to be littered with barns and outbuildings within which pigeons would roost. Now these are being torn down and the birds are seeking out new places to live – in people's homes. Added to this, the fact that pigeons tend to stay in the same area from one generation to the next, and we begin to see why it is so difficult to persuade them to move.
Pigeons don't discriminate between types of roofs and will perch on traditional shingles or Spanish-style tiles alike. But they do prefer the tallest heights. It's a nuisance more commonly associated with large urban cities like London, but now it's an issue that some town officials are starting to pick up on.
Not simply a health and safety issue, pigeons are a nuisance in terms of noise. These birds can coo with the best of them, and is one of the main reasons that so many people (and rightly so) are unwilling to play host to the so-called "rats with wings" day and night.
Local planning authorities, in particular, are taking note of the increased populations of feral pigeons in our towns and villages. Pitched roofs and enclosed arcades are being discouraged through fears that they would provide prime nesting territory.
Homeowners are facing increased maintenance bills on their homes: the replacement of roof gutters during 2007 has been commonplace in towns across the UK simply because they have pulled away from the house under the weight of accumulated droppings; and not to mention the extra cleaning required to remove the unsightly business of the birds' droppings.
But despite the nuisance and health hazards, pigeons are extremely dirty and can carry a bevy of communicable diseases, including the deadly respiratory disease citicosis, not to mention their propensity to carry fleas.
There are a few things you can do on your own to pigeon-proof your home, including eliminating all nesting sites with wire netting or nail strips. If that doesn't work, you can invest in a pest control company that can safely apply chemical repellents that can last a few years, or electric shock strips in extreme cases.