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Pigeon and Bird Removal

Some birds are considered nuisance species. Pigeons primarily live in cities, where they roost on buildings, signs, beams, and other areas. They will also enter buildings and attics, and set up nests. Other bird species can also be a problem, such as grackles or starlings in numbers. Woodpeckers can peck on houses. Canada Geese poop everywhere. Other birds may intentionally or accidentally enter buildings, warehouses, supermarkets, etc. In all cases, the droppings are the matter of primary concern. We can install deterrents that will prevent the roosting, and we can remove single birds from large buildings.

COMMON PIGEON PROBLEMS: Pigeons are of course very common in cities. They roost and nest almost anywhere, particularly areas where they have some matter of protection from rain and the elements. This often includes architectural ledges, roofs, beams, store signs, and so on. They will also enter buildings, particularly open-air buildings, like gas station roofs, warehouses, repair shops, parking garges, etc. Luckily, in most cases, the pigeons can be deterred through the installation of physical deterrents, which basically prevent the birds from being able to land on, or roost in, a particular area. Some of the deterrents include: :

Bird Spikes - These are simply strips, made of plasic or metal, with spikes protruding upward, and which make it uncomfortable or impossible for the pigeon to land.
Shock Track - Like spike tracks, but with an electrified wire, which shocks any bird attempting to land on an area.
Glue - Some sticky glues, applied to beams or other roosting areas, discourage birds.
Netting - In many architectures, we can install nets that prevent entry into an area.

PIGEONS IN THE ATTIC: This is a complex case. This almost always involves adults and several nests of baby pigeons. The nests of baby pigeons must be found & removed, and the adults removed. Here are the general steps for removing pigeons from an attic.

Step 1: Inspect the home, and find the entry hole(s), which are not always obvious.
Step 2: Enter the attic. This is crucial. You will likely see birds and nests and lots of feathers and droppings.
Step 3: Search the attic carefully, and find and remove the nests by hand.
Step 4: Set one-way excluder devices outside, on the entry/exit holes.
Step 5: Wait a few days for all the adults to exit. Any stubborn ones must be removed manually.
Step 6: Repair the entry holes with pro-grade repairs, and fix other damage in the attic.
Step 7: Clean the attic, removing all feces, and spray with enzyme cleaner.

GENERAL PIGEON AND BIRD TRAPPING: Pigeon and Bird trapping is subject to state or even federal laws. Many bird species are protected by the federal migratory bird protection act. However, certain birds, such as pigeons, starlings, grackles, are not covered by this law. You can legally trap pigeons. If you have unwanted pigeon and birds outside the home, in some cases where there is no other alternative, and deterrents like spikes or netting are not feasible, you can consider trapping them to reduce numbers. We can safely, legally, and effectively catch and remove your nuisance pigeon and some other birds. An intimate knowledge of pigeon and bird behavior, both prior to and after trapping, and of various pigeon and bird trap types is necessary to ensure that the birds are trapped and removed.

STEP 1: Determine if trapping is necessary, or if there is a preventative alternative.
STEP 2: Select the right trap for the situation, of at least a dozen types of bird traps.
STEP 3: Set the traps in the correct areas, in the shade, camouflaged, on a flat sturdy surface, away from any obstructions or areas that can be damaged, etc.
STEP 4: Use the correct bait. Don't use meat-based baits, which can attract stray cats.
STEP 5: Monitor the trap daily, remove trapped pigeon and birds.

ATTIC DECONTAMINATION & OTHER SERVICES: In some situations, it may be desirable to clean your attic after you've removed pigeon and birds from the space. They can leave behind large amounts of droppings, feathers, food, nesting material, and so on. These remnants can attract insects like cockroaches, and the scent left behind can encourage new pigeon and birds to attempt to break their way into your house. You might also experience odor problems from the waste. It's possible or likely that mold will grow on the areas of feces and urine, and urine can damage wood or sheetrock. Some of the mold can potentially cause diseases that people can catch, and some of the feces themselves can cause diseases, such as Salmonella or Leptospirosis. It's also adviseable to repair any torn ductwork in an attic, along with any torn pipe insulation.

We remove all nests, eggs, feathers, and dead birds.
We remove or vacuum all droppings, or remove all the soiled insulation.
We fog the attic with a special enzyme-based cleaner that destroys any organic matter and deodorizes the space.
We repair damage, such as ductwork, pipes, insulation, and more.

The above is just a brief explanation of some of our pigeon and bird removal and control methods. I will describe some additional pigeon and bird information below, but just give us a call any time, and we can describe in detail how we will resolve your specific pigeon and bird problem in your town.
Learn how to get birds out from inside a house from my Bird Inside a House page.
This is an interesting technique Using Dogs to Scare Away Canada Geese.
Learn how to solve a problem with Pigeons in the Attic.
Learn more about possible Pigeon Disease from their waste.
Learn if you should bother to Kill Pigeons and if it can be done humanely.
We also perform Dead Bird Removal in case they die inside a building.
Read about Muscovy Duck Removal if these birds are your problem species.
Bird Prevention - Preventative methods for how to keep birds away from your property.
How To Get Rid of Bird - Tips and steps for getting rid of birds.
How To Trap a Bird - Methods for catching bird in cage traps.
Bird in the Attic - Info about what to do if you have bird in the attic.
How to Kill a Bird - Does poison work to kill bird? Is killing bird the best approach?
Bird Repellent - Analysis of various bird deterrents and repellent products.
Bird on the Roof - If you hear scratching on the roof, and think it's a bird.
Diseases from Bird - Analysis of what kinds of diseases bird can carry and cause in humans.
Woodpecker Damage - What kind of damage can woodpeckers cause to houses?

Urban Pigeon Information

Biology
Pigeons are part of the Columbiade bird family, with short necks and bulky bodies. They have short, slender bills and are known to make very lightweight nests which get damaged very easily. They like eating fruits, seeds and plants. There are a few species that are known to survive on insects and worms as well. There are some species of pigeons that consume seeds but not fruits, while there are others that consume only fruits but not seeds. Interestingly, those who consume fruits have short intestines as compared to those surviving on seeds. This is because more time is required to digest seeds as compared to fruits. The size of pigeons varies in accordance with the species. The largest pigeons, known as crowned pigeons, weigh around 4.4 to 8.8lbs while the smallest pigeons, or ground doves, weigh only about 0.05lbs. Ground doves are roughly the size of house sparrows while the crowned pigeons are as large as a full-sized turkey. Pigeons are one of the strongest fliers of modern times and do not have a gall bladder. Depending upon the different species, pigeons may be monochromatic or dichromatic. They are also known to have a good memory and easily memorize the distantly placed areas and the travel routes between their favorite areas. Because of this unique ability, pigeons were used extensively by various countries to deliver vital plans to allied forces during World War I and World War II.

Habitat
Pigeons are found at almost every corner of the earth except a few places such as the Sahara desert, Antarctica and surrounding islands and the Arctic. They are even found in most of the islands around the globe. They are adapted to almost all kinds of habitats and are found in tropical forests, grasslands, savannas, temperate woodlands, deserts, mangrove forests and barren sands. Depending upon the species, they might belong to a category of birds living in tress or to those who live on land. Those living in trees are known as arboreal pigeons while those residing on land are called terrestrial pigeons. There are a few semi-terrestrial species of pigeons as well. The semi-terrestrial female pigeons make nests with the materials gathered by the male pigeons. These nests can be found in tress and on edges of buildings and are generally hidden from direct sight.

Life Cycle
Pigeons live for about 35 years and can reproduce around the year. The mother pigeons lay eggs four to five times in a year and usually there are two eggs at a time. The eggs hatch producing squeakers – baby pigeons. Both the mother and father pigeons take turns hatching the eggs. Usually, the male takes the day shift for hatching while the female prefers the day shift. Both male and female pigeons produce crop milk from the crop lining which is used to feed the squeakers.

Diseases they carry
Pigeons are carriers of a number of viruses; however, there are three diseases which can affect human health and is basically caused by pigeon droppings. The first is Histoplasmosis and can cause fever, fatigue and chest pain. This virus is not transferable from one person to another. Cryptococcosis is a fungal disease and only those with poor immune systems can get affected by this type of virus. Psittacosis, also known as parrot fever, causes fatigue, headache, fever, rashes and may lead to pneumonia.

Problems pigeons cause
The main irritation of pigeons is their droppings which, depending upon how many are in the area, can accumulate quickly and be quite a mess. They are not quiet birds and their loud squawking and noises can become very bothersome. Depending upon their location, they may cause damage to crops and other vegetation.