Do Urban Pigeons Damage Buildings?

Pigeons are not a pest problem the public often thinks about. After all, you don’t find pigeons nesting in your kitchen, do you? That being said, what you have to understand, is that these pests can be a huge menace. This is because pigeons damage buildings, and cause enormous problems for the people who own these buildings.

Pigeons damage buildings: what you need to know

How do pigeons damage buildings? There are a number of ways. The biggest issue is their nests. These nests are constructed from twigs, leaves, grass, and straw. When the pigeon is no longer using the nest, and no longer maintaining it, this nest will quickly fall apart. All of this nest debris is then left behind on the roof. This will quickly end up in gutters and block them. When this happens the gutters will overflow, causing flooding. If the flooding the bad enough, it will cause extensive damage to the roof.

Another way that pigeons damage buildings is with their feathers. These also end up in gutters and block them. Along with this, pigeon nests and feathers can block important vents, pipes,  and chimneys. Pigeons may also cause minor damage by pecking at things.

By far the biggest way that pigeons damage buildings is with their faeces which is why you want to keep a pest free home. This contains acid and is highly corrosive. Large numbers of pigeons can eventually deposit tons of faeces. This will slowly wear away at things like stonework, brick, paint and other materials. The weight of this faeces could even cause certain parts of the building to collapse.

What steps can be taken to deter pigeons?

As you can see, this is a serious problem. But how do you get rid of these pigeons? There are a number of ways. First of all, bird mesh can prevent pigeons from nesting in certain areas. Bird spikes will also stop them from landing in certain places. Reflective materials can help to chase away pigeons. These reflect the sun and this irritates pigeons. Scarecrow type devices are another option. For example, placing statues of owls may chase away pigeons. If this doesn’t work then seek the help of a local pest exterminator.

Something else which is being increasingly used are birds of prey. These birds are released into the area where pigeons are nesting. These pigeons will then leave the area, and may not return if you’re lucky. Along with this, drones are being used as fancy new pest control gadgets. These will also scare away pigeons. Something else you may want to try are sonic bird deterrents.