January 13, 2022

How to Get Rid of Pigeons on Rooftops – The Ultimate Guide

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How to get rid of pigeons on rooftops effectively and permanently is a million-dollar question.

Industrial sites and factories are ideal places for pigeons to roost and nest, as they are composed of large buildings with long, flat rooftops. In simple words: pigeon heaven!

So when pigeons make a home out of your rooftop it’s very hard to keep them away – but not impossible.

Why Pigeon Control is Important

Noise is the least of the problem when it comes to pigeons roosting on your rooftops:

Diseases: pigeons can transmit diseases, and three human diseases such as, cryptococcosis, histoplasmosis and psittacosis are linked to pigeon droppings.

Damages: pigeon droppings are highly corrosive and can damage the building and products, cars, and equipment.

Hazards: pigeons build their nests in ventilation shafts, risking fire hazards, and compromise the safety of employees who have to go up to repel the birds1.

pigeons droppings

There is high maintenance for companies that have pigeons roosting on their rooftops. They usually have to hire specialized personnel to climb the roof.

Therefore effective pigeon removal is crucial.

How to Stop the Pigeons

There are three main methods to get rid of pigeons on a roof: you can use pigeon repellents, put in place a deterrent that makes it impossible to land on the area or you can scare them away continuously.

You first need to identify the areas where pigeons roost and nest, and limit their access to those areas before the nesting season.

Also, remove all food sources available to make the area less appealing to them. If there is a huge pigeon nuisance on your property, they are very likely to have a nearby food and water source.

Now, let’s dive into the three different methods to get rid of pigeons. Remember that sometimes you will need to utilize more than one simultaneously to have the maximum benefit.

Pigeon repellents

Pigeons have a powerful sense of smell and are susceptible to different kinds of odors and species.

Gels are a very widespread way to repel pigeons. The unpleasant smell and taste will make the pigeon want to avoid the area. Furthermore, the sticky texture and glow will act as a deterrent too.

The downside is that this solution is only temporary and needs to be applied very frequently since it gets washed away with rain and loses its efficacy very quickly. For large facilities, this kind of solution may be very time consuming and just not conducive.

Pigeon deterrents

Spikes are very effective in discouraging pigeons from landing on the rooftop. However, they will not be an effective deterrent for smaller bird species like sparrows, so before going for them, assess your bird problem properly.

Another standard solution consists in utilizing netting to block the birds from landing on the area physically. Even though it can be highly effective, bird netting has some significant disadvantages, apart from being eye-soaring to the building.

bird decoy

Scare Pigeons Away

Visual and acoustic deterrents are very common methods to scare pigeons away from certain areas. They appeal to the bird’s survival instinct by faking the presence of a predator or distressed birds from the same species.

These bird control methods work as a short-term solution. Pigeons are quite smart and tend to become accustomed to them over time, as soon as they learn that it’s not a real threat.

An innovative and highly effective solution to scare pigeons away continuously consists in using automated lasers. 

How to Get Rid of Pigeons on Rooftops with Lasers

Birds perceive green laser lights as physical objects. Therefore, if a green laser beam approaches them, pigeons will react immediately by flying away.

Bird Control Group developed an automated bird deterrent system that acts as a dynamic ‘’threat’’ and scares pigeons away 24/7.

The AVIX Autonomic laser bird repellent projects a green laser light following customizable projection patterns tailored to the rooftop shape and bird’s behavior. A user-friendly app can program the system to be never predictable, so pigeons do not get used to it.

After a repeated experience with the laser, pigeons perceive the area as unsafe and will continue to communicate this with one another over several generations.

See how the AVIX Autonomic works against pigeons.

Many facility and maintenance professionals around the world rely on the AVIX Autonomic laser to make facilities cleaner and safer, minimizing risks for employees.

You can read the testimonials stories here.

1: https://www.facilitiesnet.com/designconstruction/tip/Birds-Causing-Problems-for-Facilities–41934

Bird Control Group’s automated laser bird repellent provides 24/7 protection from wild birds by shining a green laser light in the area affected by the problem. Get in touch via the form below if you are interested in learning more.

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