10 Ways To Get Rid Of Pigeons On Your Roof

Pigeons are ubiquitous (that means they’re all over the place). We see pigeons almost everywhere and with their nickname of “flying rats”, they’re sometimes not thought of in the best light. Over the year’s pigeons have played important roles in society. In fact, it’s believed that pigeons were the first domesticated bird. You can see them in art as far back as the Roman Empire. In World Wars I and II, homing pigeons carried messages to the troops in the battlefield.

The trouble with pigeons around Southern Arizona homes 

The fact remains that they can cause problems if the pigeons are allowed to roost around your house, on the roof, fences, wires, and other places near your house and yard. Pigeons leave behind feathers and droppings, which are unsightly and unhealthy. Their nests can be fire hazards and the droppings ruin the paint on your house and your vehicles. The acid in pigeon waste can and has weakened metal framing to structures such as bridges. It’s important to track where the pigeons like to hang out and their patterns. To make sure that pigeons don’t hang out at your place, you must take away what attracts them to come around in the first place. An environment that does not feel unwelcoming.

10 ways to get rid of pigeons off your roof

1. Get rid of any standing water on or around your property. All birds, including pigeons, love water to drink and bathe in. Check for drips from outside faucets, leaks from the sprinkler system, gutters, pools, buckets and anything else that may collect water and become an attractive hangout for your feathered friends.
2. Keep food and trash covered and out of the way. If you live in a densely populated city this might be a difficult challenge, but it can be done. Pigeons love free food. Make sure your trash and recycling containers, as well as any pet food is covered and out of sight.
3. Scary decoys, work or not? The age-old question, our experience is they do not work. If you would like to experiment don’t invest huge amounts of money. Pigeons seem to figure it out and end up roosting on some decoys. Really you can see the waste that is left by pigeons roosting on a decoy.
4. Another common way to keep pigeons away is with bird spikes. As you’ve probably already figured out, pigeons like to hang out and nest in certain places in and around your house, like the roof, chimney, window sills, ledges, or under eaves. They also camp around the balcony, deck, pool fence, patio and yard. And, of course, wherever they’re congregating, they’re leaving their mark with droppings. Bird spikes are a humane method that is effective. As the pigeon goes to land, it is foreign to them and will send them elsewhere. Spike should be installed by a professional, someone who know where to place the spike can make the difference between bird management and birds gone wild.
5. Use a bird repellant gel. The most direct way to keep pigeons off your roof and windowsills create an unwelcome surface. Caution in our heat some gels can run and make a mess. We recommend and install … Optical Gel™ A multi-sensory bird repellent. Birds see dishes of fire and avoids them immediately.
6. Set traps. You can buy and set traps to catch pigeons on your roof or wherever they are gathering. Careful where you release them, homing pigeons released within a specific range will return.
7. Reflective control is the use of a reflective device made and manufactured to reflect the sun by movement in the breeze. The devices are very effective.
8. Ultrasonic devices, our experience is they don’t work.
9. Netting. Use netting to put around areas might want to hang out or nest. It’s also good to use netting over and around your plants, fruits and vegetables.
10. Call your local professional exterminator. If your efforts to keep pigeons away from your home and yard haven’t worked out for the best, let the professionals do their job.

Northwest Exterminating has plenty of experience in control and removal of pigeons and other birds. Our friendly staff can get you started in the right direction with one phone call.