Professional bird netting solutions in Farnborough – say goodbye to pigeons.
Feral pigeon control services in Farnborough
Feral pigeons are a common enough sight in the streets of Farnborough, and they are so often referred to as flying rats, these clever and adaptable birds certainly are an urban pest and no matter where you live, you’re bound to have a flock of feral pigeons living nearby.
No doubt about it, feral pigeons are intelligent birds who are fast to act when an opportunity presents itself, pigeons are quick to move in and take advantage of any potential roost site. When you have pigeons roosting or nesting somewhere they can be very difficult to dislodge, and this is why you should turn to the experts in bird control.
We have over 19 years’ experience in the pest control industry and we have dealt with many pigeon infestations using a variety of measures to get our customers pigeon free.
There are many misconceptions on how to successfully control pigeons and not all bird deterrents work as well as others in certain locations, in fact the wrong deterrent will actually make things worse when you have pigeons nesting on your property. The pigeon is a social bird and so they will group together for preening, nesting and roosting and each activity is deemed as a type of pressure; low pressure being resting and high pressure being actual nesting.
The correct choice of bird deterrent relies on the pest control technician identifying the level of pressure and producing the correct solution.
Bird netting the ultimate pigeon solution in Farnborough.
How to achieve successful pigeon control in Farnborough.
There are many misconceptions on how to go about successfully controlling pigeons and not all bird deterrents will work as well as they depend on location and the pressure of the infestation. Installing the wrong deterrent will actually make things worse so a deeper understanding of the birds is essential for bird control work.
We need to understand pigeon behaviour and identify what prevention measures are the most suitable for each specific site.
How pigeon behaviour affects the choice of deterrent
Firstly, lets understand these birds and see what makes then ‘tick’ -the feral pigeon does not migrate or travel great distances in it daily life, they have a deep affinity with their home environment with an inbuilt natural instinct to stay close to their birth site.
Because of this, the pigeon has developed a very determined personality, when it comes to their roosting or nesting site they will form a strong bond to the area and become very stubborn when efforts are made to make them leave.
Pigeons are also incredibly social birds and actively seek the company of others, where one bird rests, others will quickly turn up and soon you’ll have a small group of birds.
Resting, preening and roosting are all actions carried out in groups and this means a lot of noise.
Pigeons make a coo sound to express many things, one is their availability to mate and the make this sound when content. The also coo as a form of warning to birds if a predator is close by, another sound they make are grunting noises, and they make these to deter other pigeons from coming close to their nest.
Along with the vocal noises the birds will also stamp their feet and clap their wings loudly when taking off from the roost.
Pigeon breeding and nesting habits
Pigeons are monogamous and each pair work together to bring up the chicks or squabs as we call the young birds, just two eggs are laid in the nest that is a rather haphazard and simple affair.
Pigeons build a simple nest that consists of just a few stiff twigs and rubbish that they pick up bound together with droppings, each breeding pair will reuse their nests and continue to add material with each successive brood.
Generally they will have between three and four broods over the year but when given a sheltered site and access to food its not unusual for pigeons to breed all year long raising up to ten broods over the same period of time.
The reason they can do this, is all down to the way the birds feed; pigeons are scavengers of anything edible, just like rats, and they keep food in their crop. This is part of the digestive system and food is converted to a type of milk which is not dissimilar to mammalian milk, rather than raising a brood when a certain type of food is plentiful like other species of bird, pigeons can eat anything and still raise their chicks.
In a crowded environment where there is a lot of competition for nest space, pigeons may even abandon nest building and lay their eggs directly onto a flat surface like those found on residential balconies.
Understanding pigeon pressure
Pigeons affect an area in the form of pressure, we know that these birds seek the company of others and we know that they can breed all year long so a flock of birds exerts a pressure to a building or structure and the type of pressure dictates the scale of the deterrent.
Low pressure
Low pressure is applied where pigeons are just resting; areas along the edges of buildings and ledges where the birds like to rest, on these types of sites, the installation of metal or plastic spikes or a metal wire that is thread through upright posts will deter the birds from perching.
Spiking will only work in low pressure environments; when these systems are installed in high pressure areas, the birds will simply drop twigs and rubbish into the open crown of the spikes.
Visual deterrents may work in low pressure areas for a time, however as pigeons are one of the few animals that are able to recognise their own reflection, a plastic owl stuck to a roof may not
Medium pressure
Places where pigeons are resting and staying overnight is called a roost and you’re now moving from low pressure into the medium pressure environment.
Spiking may still be an effective deterrent, but from our experience, these birds will persist in trying to get into the area.
Given their intelligence and their habit of filling spikes with twigs, it’s only a matter of time before the birds will begin nesting in this site.
High pressure
High pressure environments are where the birds are now nesting on the site, for the reason mentioned earlier the birds will not want to leave.
In this situation the only effective deterrent is to void off the area through the introduction of netting or mesh.
Whether you’re looking at medium or high-pressure sites, the most effective form of pigeon deterrent is by the installation of bird netting; these nets can be used either horizontally or vertically and they encase the entire area, physically preventing the birds from accessing the site.
No birds will be harmed through the correct
installation of a bird net.
Total bird control in Farnborough
There are other advantages of installing bird netting as a pigeon deterrent, and that is, bird netting is a very humane way to control the birds, we don’t kill or hurt them as our presence scares them away from the area whilst we’re installing the system.
With netting installed, once the pigeons leave, they are unable to return to the site and without the protection offered by the building, they will now have to find a new property on which to begin nesting. As competition for the best nest sites is already high, with the most suitable ones are already taken, the displaced flock may be unable to nest for some time, this is an effective form of bird control without harming the birds.
Bird netting is effective against any number of birds, and smaller net sizes are available to control different species of birds. Our technicians are trained in the installation of bird netting and we have a wide range of fittings at our disposal which means we can rig a bird net just about anywhere.
In accordance with Working at Height Regulations we are IPAF trained so that we can hire and use a variety of motorised booms and scissor lifts to give us safe access just about anywhere.
Effective bird control from Reading Pest Control
A correctly fitted bird net should be virtually invisible and its presence means that the pigeons no longer have access so you’re free from the noise of the birds, the discarded feathers and their excrement, and the smell associated with a build-up of pigeons faeces.
We fit bird nets for a wide range of premises both in the commercial sector and for residential customers, from underground car parks, hospital roof top plant machinery to a small urban balcony; if you’ve got a problem with pigeons then we can offer you a cost effective solution.
We are also licensed waste carriers and we carryout guano removal and cleaning, this service is available for both the domestic and commercial sectors and we can give you a no obligation quote for any bird clean up required.
Pigeons are a nuisance that everyone can do without, we often clean and rig nets to barrier balconies on flats and I’m surprised that people put up with the mess, the noise and the disturbance for so long. Our netting methods means that we do not harm the birds, we just get rid of them for good.
Got a problem with pigeons in Reading?
Don’t delay phone us on 07491 247 999 and we can have a technician out to you within 24 hours
