With an estimated 18 million pigeons in the UK, it certainly isn’t unusual to encounter flocks of them. While some people are pretty indifferent towards pigeons, there’s a reason why these birds are classified as pests.
Below we share some of the problems pigeons cause and why it’s important to deal with infestations as soon as possible and most of all how to get rid of pigeons that are causing a nuisance.
They’re difficult to get rid of
Pigeons have a homing instinct which makes them feel attached to their established roosting and nesting site. This means they’re unlikely to move on out of choice. They will even resort to laying eggs on bare surfaces so getting rid of a pigeon infestation isn’t as simple as removing their nest unfortunately.
Bird droppings
If you’ve ever looked up and noticed a pigeon perched on a building, chances are it was surrounded by many other pigeon friends. Birds tend to stay in groups which means that their droppings can cause significant problems. Pigeons in particular can flock together in groups of 500 which can get out of hand very quickly.
If it’s fresh, pigeon droppings can be slippery which is a risk to anyone walking by. This is something that companies need to be especially careful of because it poses a health and safety risk for employees and customers.
Bird droppings will also make any building look unsightly very quickly. Not only is it unpleasant to look at, if it isn’t removed quickly, it can cause erosion and permanent damage.
They can attack
Pigeons can be cheeky if they really fancy a bite of your sandwich but generally, they’ll stay out of our way. This is unless they feel their young is in danger. If a pigeon thinks you pose a risk to their offspring, they have been known to attack humans.
Fire risk
Pigeons will happily make their nest out of anything. The debris they collect can cause problems for a number of reasons. Firstly, anything they drop or which gets blown away, can quickly block gutters and drains – leaving you with some expensive repair bills to pay.
What’s even more worrying however is that pigeons have even been known to take lit cigarettes back to their nest. Naturally, this is a huge fire risk.
Health risks
Bacteria, fungal agents and ectoparasites found in pigeon droppings can pose a health risk. While most of us know to avoid this, it can be a problem if you have pets or young children who don’t know better.
Pigeons do in fact carry more harmful diseases to humans than rats do. As well as their droppings being problematic, they attract mites which can cause us to itch and scratch.
High clean-up costs
Bird droppings and nesting materials can be messy, unsightly and dangerous. If you don’t want to put people off entering your premises or don’t want to risk damage being caused to your home or building, it’s important for regular cleaning to take place.
This often requires hiring a professional because they have all the appropriate cleaning products and can access areas which are difficult to reach. If you have a serious pigeon problem, you may have to do this on a regular basis which can be incredibly costly.
If you have a pigeon infestation, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Prokill. We’ll put you in touch with your local pest controller who will be able to contain the problem quickly and safely. Alternatively you can call us on 0800 328 9354 with any questions at all.
Leave a Reply