How to Get Rid of Pigeons on Your Roof

It is summertime when the flowers bloom, the sun shines and pigeons seem to deliberately set out to ruin your roof. Not only do all the droppings look terrible, but the uric acid in them also destroys the surface of your roof. Pigeons carry diseases too—not to mention mites—that can harm you and your pets. Since you are reading ServiceWhale’s blog, chances are you would rather not risk shooting pigeons. Killing pigeons can be emotionally taxing, and bird poisons can backfire on you and your pets. Besides setting traps, here are some non-lethal tactics for getting rid of pigeons on your roof.

Set Traps:

Lay out a one-way door trap, then bait the pigeons with their diet of corn and wheat. Pigeons are social birds, so if one bird gets inside the cage, more will follow. The downside of this tactic? If you drive to a local park to release the birds, they will likely follow their homing instinct and return to your roof.

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Take Away Their Food Supply:

Pigeon Diet—Pigeons live off mainly seeds and grains, but they can also find their way into garbage cans and any outdoor dog and cat food. Clear your yard of any seeds, grains, and other foods that attract birds. If you have a pet dog or cat, feed them inside. Remember, pigeons will usually go where they can find food and water. Get rid of any food and water, and the pigeons will likely leave.

Install Deterrents:

Sound Deterrents

Noisemakers such as balloons and firecrackers, while able to scare pigeons, can make you a neighborhood nuisance. No one wants to live near someone who regularly sets off noisemakers to scare off those pesky birds!

Light Deterrent

Flash tape, mirrors, old CDs or tin foil create bright surfaces that can make your roof less enjoyable to pigeons.

Decoys

Buy a statue or plastic version of a pigeon predator such as a hawk, owl or a little scarecrow for temporary relief. Pigeons will eventually realize the decoy never moves, but this tactic can buy you time for other measures.

Use Roof Installations:

Netting

Netting helps obstruct pigeon access to open spaces, and you can even install it over any openings that could attract pigeons. It is always harder to get rid of pigeons once they have found a place to roost inside your attic. UV-resistant, high-density nets should do the trick.

Spikes

One way to deter pigeons is to install bird spikes that prevent birds from perching on your house’s ledges. Bird spikes come in many shapes and sizes, so you do not necessarily have to purchase large, ugly spikes that ruin your home’s aesthetic.

Bird Slope

Bird slopes create slippery and steep surfaces that prevent pigeons from resting on your roof and ledges for long.

Electricity

For the more daring of homeowners, electrified ledges, beams and gutters can give a light jolt of electricity that makes pigeons take flight.

If you do not want to go through the hassle of installing any of these products, let ServiceWhale find a local contractor to do the job for you! Moreover, check out our other articles for more information on roofing.