Pigeons are city birds at heart, but they're just as happy on a house in Kenilworth if it offers the right perch. A pair on the roof soon turns into a group, and before long you're cleaning droppings off the porch, the car and the windowsills. The good news is that pigeons follow simple rules, so you can usually change their minds. Below, we'll cover why pigeons choose certain homes, why their droppings are worth taking seriously and the humane ways to keep them off. If you'd rather have it handled, our bird control team can install exclusion for you.
Why Pigeons Choose Your Home
Pigeons, also called rock pigeons, originally nested on cliffs. Buildings give them the same thing: flat ledges and sheltered nooks high off the ground. On a house, that usually means:
- Roof peaks, ridgelines and flat roof sections
- Gutters, chimneys and window ledges
- The space under solar panels
- AC units, dormers and porch roofs
- Eaves, soffits and gaps in siding or vents
Food keeps them nearby. Spilled bird seed, open trash, crumbs on patios and people feeding them all give pigeons a reason to stay. They also nest year-round when conditions allow, so a pair that settles in can keep raising young through much of the year.
How To Tell You Have A Pigeon Problem
Pigeons are easy to spot, but the signs that they've moved in for good are worth watching for:
- Droppings building up on the same ledges, walkways or vehicles every day.
- Nesting material, such as loose twigs and grass, in gutters, under panels or on ledges.
- Cooing and scratching above ceilings, near vents or under solar panels.
- Feathers collecting in corners and around the roofline.
Are Pigeons Harmful?
Pigeons themselves aren't aggressive, but their droppings cause most of the trouble. They're acidic, so over time they can stain and wear down roofing, paint, stone and car finishes. Wet droppings on steps and walkways are slippery. Nests and droppings in gutters and around vents can block drainage and airflow.
Pigeon droppings can also carry fungi and bacteria. When you clean them up, wear gloves and a mask, lightly wet the droppings first so dust doesn't get into the air and never dry-sweep them. Anyone with a weakened immune system or lung condition should leave cleanup to someone else, and see a doctor with any health concerns. Nesting birds can also bring mites indoors. Our guide on whether bird mites are dangerous explains what to look for.
What The Law Says
Pigeons are not native to North America, and they aren't covered by the federal migratory bird law that protects most native birds. That said, state and local rules can still apply, so check them before doing anything beyond exclusion. Humane exclusion is the approach that lasts anyway. Removing birds without changing the building just leaves the perch open for the next ones.
How To Keep Pigeons Off Your Home
- Remove food. Clean up under feeders, keep trash lidded and ask neighbors not to feed pigeons.
- Install bird spikes. Spikes on ledges, ridgelines and sign tops don't hurt pigeons. They just make landing uncomfortable.
- Use bird netting. Netting closes off larger sheltered areas, such as under porch roofs or in recessed corners.
- Guard solar panels. Wire mesh around the edges of the array keeps pigeons from nesting underneath.
- Slope the ledges. Angled covers on flat ledges leave nowhere to stand.
- Seal gaps and vents. Close openings in eaves and siding and fit vents with sturdy covers. Make sure no birds are inside before sealing.
Fake owls and other scare devices usually work for a short time at best. Pigeons quickly learn they don't move.
Order matters. Clean off old droppings and nesting material before you install anything, because the smell and the familiar spot keep drawing birds back. Then cover every favored ledge, not just one. Pigeons blocked from one perch will simply move a few feet over to the next. Check the work after a few weeks and close any spots they've shifted to. Persistence is what finally convinces a flock to roost somewhere else.
When To Call A Professional
Work high on a roof or around solar panels is risky without the right equipment. It's time to call a pro when pigeons are nesting under panels, inside vents or in the roofline, when droppings have built up heavily or when DIY deterrents haven't worked. EcoFusion technicians inspect where the birds are roosting and getting in, and recommend the exclusion work that keeps them out.
Pigeons stay where there's a good perch and food nearby. Take away the food, block the ledges and seal the gaps, and your Kenilworth home becomes a much less attractive place to land. If they won't take the hint, EcoFusion Pest Control can help.