Feral pigeons and other birds can be seen eating grass seeds and berries in parks and gardens in the spring, but there are plentiful sources throughout the year from scavenging (e.g., remnants left inside of dropped fast-food cartons) and they will also take insects and spiders. Additional food is also usually available from the disposing of stale bread in parks by restaurants and supermarkets and from tourists buying and distributing birdseed, etc. Pigeons tend to congregate in large, often thick flocks when feeding on discarded food and have been observed flying skillfully around trees, buildings, telephone poles and cables, and through moving traffic just to reach a food source. Other birds can be seen in similar flocks, duo, or solo pending the breed.

Nests are oft rudimentary, similar to other ground or cliff-nesting birds such as turkey, quail, and ducks. Abandoned buildings are favorite nesting areas. Mass nesting is common as pigeons are a community flocking bird; often dozens of birds will share a building. Loose tiles and broken windows provide access, and pigeons are adept at spotting new access points, for example following property damage caused by strong winds. Other birds in the region exhibit similar behavior though they may nest in trees and bushes as well.

Nests and droppings tend to stay clustered and remain dry when out of the weather. Pigeons are particularly fond of roof spaces. These often contain water tanks. Any water tank or cistern on a roof must, therefore, be secured and sealed off to keep the pigeons out of them. The popularity of a nesting area does not seem to be affected by the pigeons’ population density.

Pigeons can live on undamaged property, the gutters, window air conditioners and empty air conditioner containers, chimney pots and external ledges and all are commonly used as nesting sites.

The two main ways to rid yourself of pigeons and birds, in general, is through the use of traps and spiked balls and wire setup called “exclusions.” Many building owners try to limit roosting by using bird control spikes and netting to cover ledges and potential nesting places on buildings. This has little effect on the size of the pigeon population, but it can reduce the accumulation of droppings on and around a particular building location. Give us a call to setup your free consultation and see what kind of exclusion or trappings you need.