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Pigeon Proof Your Home or Business
Pigeons (Columba livia)
The pigeon is the top bird pest in urban areas, found huge flocks in every city across Canada, including Toronto. Pigeons adapt very well to city life, losing their fear of humans and easily nesting and roosting on all types of building structures. They can be found in groups of 50 to 500 and can lay eggs up to six times each year in warmer climates. Their success is also based on their diverse diet which includes; grass seed, berries, scavenged human food, insects, caterpillars, spiders as well as bird seed and bread fed by city dwellers.
Pigeon control and removal solutions
There are numerous products and techniques that can help control and resolve your pigeon problem. However, a multiple method approach is your best bet for a long term solution. The key to controlling and removing pigeons is to make the area unappealing to them. The most effective way to do this is with the use of falconry. Predator birds are very effective at scaring the pigeons away from an area. This combined with other methods such as trapping, shooting, and removing sources of food and physical changes to their roosting and nesting areas are effective long term solutions. Coil, spring wire, spikes, bird points and netting are all additional solutions for pigeon control, but it takes an expert to know when, where and how to use them to have them work and it depends solely on the type of pressure the birds are causing. There are three different types of bird pressure; light, medium, and heavy, that describe whether the birds are nesting or just perching on the ledges of a building or both. For each type of pressure there are different solutions that are most effective. Light pressure is when there is no nesting but birds are landing on signs, ledges, you name it. Heavy pressure is when there is nesting and shelter from rain and wind in a specific area providing ultimate nesting conditions. Medium pressure usually does not consist of nesting, but describes an area that offers a food source, or a site that is more frequently visited and shows signs of droppings and moderate activity.
We are equipped to provide solutions for any type of bird pressure. Hawkeye is the #1 Pigeon Control & Removal Specialist in the Toronto and Greater Toronto/Golden Horseshoe areas.
The most effective solution for pigeon control & removal is the use of trapping. This has to be started early in the year, and timing is critical.
Hawkeye uses proprietary pigeon traps - our own design based on decades of experience.
Depending on your location, we may also deploy our birds of prey. Falconry to control and remove pigeons is effective and appropriate in enclosed spaces, such as hangars, large warehouses, industrial facilities, etc. Outdoors, a combination of other methods and falconry may be advantageous. A VERY skilled falconer is needed here, who can determine the strongest bird in the flock and send his bird of prey after that bird. The goal is to break the homing habit of the flock. At Hawkeye, we will help you with the removal and determine the best schedule for falconry, trapping, shooting, or prevention installation.
What Health hazards are associated with Pigeons?
Pigeons pose a health hazard to people as they carry Salmonella and Chlamydophila psittaci, a bacteria that causes psittacosis, a serious, although rarely fatal disease for humans.
Do Pigeons cause Physical damage?
Pigeons cause millions of dollars of damage in urban areas every year. Their feces have uric acid which is extremely corrosive. Pigeon flocks nesting or roosting on a roof will seriously corrode the roofing materials, cutting its life in half. They cause extensive damage to rooftop machinery like air conditioning units. Other economic costs include slip and fall liability, product contamination and risk to company/building reputation as buildings are seen as unclean and dirty.
What is the life cycle of a Pigeon?
Pigeons do not migrate and they stay close to where they were born, making them determined to roost there. This tendency can cause a lot of grief for the inexperienced pest control company. Each day, pigeons spend the night roosting, feed in the morning and spend the afternoon loafing about, often excreting the digested food eaten that morning.
When and how do Pigeons nest?
Pigeons build simple nests made up of a few twigs linked together. When with large numbers of pigeons, they will lay eggs directly on a protected surface. They will build nests on almost any raised, flat surface including; building ledges, bridges, air conditioner units and window sills. The female will lay several eggs at a time which take approximately eighteen days to hatch. Fledglings (baby birds) take just over a month to leave the nest.
Summary: Remove and deter pigeons through the use of trapping, falconry (birds of prey), netting, and ledge protection systems. Guaranteed Results!