How to Get Rid of Pigeons
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It is not particularly surprising to encounter pigeons when you’re in a city, especially in areas where people may feed them, such as around parks and fountains. However, seeing them around your home or business is an entirely different story. If you see one pigeon, there are probably others around, and because pigeons breed so prolifically, if there aren’t multiple pigeons now, there will be soon. Once they claim part of your property as their own, they can spread disease and cause damage, all while attracting still more pigeons to your place. For these reasons, when a pigeon infestation starts, it’s important to act quickly to get it under control as soon as possible. Getting rid of pigeons and ensuring that they don’t come back is a big job that requires understanding the root of the problem, taking action, and preventing it from happening again. Say goodbye to the pigeons near your home for good with this advice.
Know Why Pigeons Are Attracted to Your Property
Sometimes, there is not a clear reason why pigeons have picked your home or office instead of your neighbor’s, but there are some things that do increase the risk of the birds invading. One major issue is the availability of food sources on your property. Any trash you put outside should be secure, and if you have outdoor parties or otherwise eat outside, make sure all of the scraps are cleaned up thoroughly. Similarly, do not feed pets outdoors or store pet food outside. All of these things will attract pigeons to your property.
If you have open nooks and crevices on your property, like vents and soffits, they will look like the perfect roosting place to pigeons. Once they discover these spots, they will come back to them year after year. Try to close off these areas with mesh screens or other coverings, so that pigeons can’t try to set up home there.
Recognize the Risks
If you see a few pigeons hanging around your property, don’t delay getting help to get rid of them. Pigeons are notoriously dirty and destructive. They can carry dozens of infectious diseases, and they can contaminate your vents, air ducts, outdoor water sources, and more. Their droppings can also be the source of infection and contamination for you and your pets. Their droppings can also attract bugs and rodents, which in turn will attract snakes. In addition to posing various health risks, pigeons are also incredibly destructive. Their droppings are highly acidic, so they will stain the surfaces that they touch, and they will invade your landscaping and destroy your plants. They will also destroy your outdoor furniture and cause damage to your roof, vents, and other portions of your home.
Because a pigeon infestation can grow quickly, it’s important to take action as soon as possible to prevent further damage to your property. Similarly, the sooner you deal with your pigeon infestation, the more affordable the service is likely to be.
Avoid Fixes That Don’t Work
There are a lot of myths about things that will get pigeons to leave your property and stay away. You may have heard that you can sprinkle cayenne pepper around your outdoor area to force pigeons to leave, but this is a myth. The pepper will simply blow or wash away, and it doesn’t bother the pigeons at all. Mothballs will also do nothing to deter pigeons, but they could be dangerous to your kids and pets.
Shooting at pigeons with pellet guns is dangerous, and in many parts of Arizona, it’s illegal. It’s also ineffective, because they may initially fly away, but they will come back. Reflectors, predator eye balloons, plastic owls, and plastic snakes—all designed to scare pigeons away—actually have little to no effect on them. These myths won’t help you take care of your pigeon problem. What they will do is waste your time and keep you from getting effective pigeon control services.
Hire a Pigeon Control Company
If you want to get rid of pigeons for good, you will need the help of a pigeon control company. Your control company will use a few different steps to get the pigeons to leave your property and stay away. The first important step is cleaning every possible sign of pigeons from your property—particularly their waste. When a pigeon encounters a property that looks like other pigeons live there, they take it as a sign that they’re also welcome to move in. Thoroughly cleaning all indicators of your current infestation will encourage the birds that are currently sticking around to leave and won’t give new birds the idea that they should stay.
After humanely removing any pigeons that are left behind, your pigeon control company should then pigeon-proof your place, by adding mesh netting, spikes, and other features that make it difficult for pigeons to land and get comfortable. This will help you keep your space free from future infestations.
When pigeons try to take over your home or business, Premier Pigeon Control is here to help you fight back. We offer professional, effective pigeon control for homes and businesses, and we back our work with a five-year guarantee. Contact us today for a free estimate for pigeon control in Tucson by calling (520) 882-0078 or in Phoenix by calling (480) 437-4093.