Pigeons: A love/hate relationship

The common feral pigeon also goes by the name “street pigeon,” or “city pigeon.” More often then not, they are just called pest birds. Feral pigeons were derived from the world’s oldest domesticated bird, the Rock Pigeon. After rerunning to the wild, these pigeons adapted quickly to city life and are now in abundant supply in towns all across the globe.

Photo: Bid-B-Gone

Though the pigeon population in the United States has certainly made themselves at home in residential and commercial locales across the United States, they are not originally from North America.  They were brought to the New World by European settlers  way back in the early 1600’s. Their large families seem to infest neighborhood eateries or charming old town memorials, making bird control a common topic of many a city hall meeting.

To know them is to love them?

Though they have earned a reputation for being the most annoying  birds on restaurant row, getting to know the pigeon is the first step to designing an effective bird deterrent method without harming them. 

These common pigeons normally live about 3-4 years and breed all year round. They are a loyal bunch, typically monogamous to their one and only true love. A committed pigeon pair nesting together could have 3-4 broods each year. The chicks have a short 18-day incubation period, leaving their nest as soon as ten days after hatching. Even though nature sends these young birds off on their own very early, they are not migratory birds. They will stay very close to home for the remainder of their life.  Pigeons prepare their nests in the latter part of the cold season, and breed in the early spring. Mom and dad both share the feeding responsibility for their young ones, but dad is the one who protects and defends the nest from predators.

The daily habits of a feral pigeon are easy to follow.  They wake up in the morning and eat. They typically hang out in the neighborhood in the afternoon, roosting and sleeping in the evening. They are unlikely to fly in the night unless they are disturbed or threatened in some way. The predictable routine of the pigeons does help when deciding how to keep birds away from a location.

Love hurts!

Feeding the pigeons has been a well-loved activity for years. But this becomes a real problem when the pigeon population has become too prolific.  This is easily identifiable by their aggressive feeding habits and the mess they leave behind. Onlookers often feed the birds, not realizing that they are adding to a bigger problem.  As long as there is food, the pigeon posses will stay around. To help control the ever-increasing problem, many cities have issued ordinances that forbid the feeding of these pest birds.

Pigeons leave their white droppings just about anywhere they go. This is particularly prevalent around their roosting sites. The uric acid in their droppings is corrosive to many surfaces.  Excessive pigeon droppings cause damage to tables, canvas awnings and signs. In fact, some researchers theorize that it was a pile up of acidic pigeon droppings that weakened the steel struts on the forty-year-old I-35W Mississippi River Bridge that collapsed in 2007.  The eight-lane bridge was a main crossing in Minnesota, and the failure occurred in the middle of rush hour traffic, killing 13 travelers and injuring more than 140 others. 

Pigeon Patrols and Damage Control

Once pigeons claim a territory, it is very difficult to keep the birds away. They raised their families there.  They have friends in the neighborhood. They are not going to pack up and leave without a fight.  They have amazing tracking senses, so even if a pigeon trap is used to capture and relocate the birds, it is highly likely they will return in due time. If the pigeon population is too excessive, it may be necessary to capture all or some of the pest birds. However, the key to effective bird control is selecting the right method for the circumstances combined with patrolling and maintaining the area. 

Pre-planning is essential. Effective pigeon deterrents like bird netting, bird spikes, sound deterrents, sticky gel, or bird wires are just a few of the methods that could be put in place immediately after removal.  By implementing these proven bird deterrents immediately, the returning bird population can become more manageable.