By Alex A. Kecskes
One of the many concerns facing today’s property managers is pigeon control. Pigeons are pest birds that remain unprotected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. They can cause property managers a lot of grief.
So what attracts pest pigeons to a commercial building, its edifices and rooftops? A combination of factors. First off, commercial buildings usually offer covered areas that provide shelter from the elements. Things like rooftop AC units, electrical boxes, and ducting offer ideal places to nest and roost. Ledges and parapet walls offer high altitude perches for scouting predators and prey, especially if they overlook trash bins and dipsy-dumpsters.
Also, if your commercial building is the only one in the area offering such vantage points, it will attract flocks of pest pigeons. Another attractive feature of your building may be that it lies close to ponds, fields, and electrical wires. And if you’re unlucky enough to have a flock of pigeons already nesting on your building, the droppings will attract other pigeons, making your building a prime gathering spot. In general, pigeons will be strongly attracted to nesting spots they have already claimed as their own.
Without effective pigeon control measures, a pest pigeon infestation can result in costly and repetitive clean-ups. Long-term infestations. Can severely damage a commercial building’s facades, sills, parapet walls, roofing, water drainage systems and rooftop AC units. The annual damage/repair/cleanup cost of pest birds to commercial buildings is estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
Bird droppings are highly acidic, and can eat through paint, roofing material, and soft metals like aluminum. Regrettably, bird droppings leave their "etched" image on virtually any surface even after the droppings have been removed. Restoration or repair of such etched or degraded surfaces is often necessary to return the material to its original condition.
If you need to clean a considerable amount of droppings in dusty, enclosed areas, your crew will need to be equipped with self-contained breathing apparatus. In same cases, you may need to hire certified bio-hazardous waste removal companies to do the job. After live enzyme treatments are applied, germicides/viruscides or both may have to be employed to ensure that pathogens are not left behind.
As you can see, dealing with pest pigeons can be a real problem and can cost you time and money. Fortunately, there are humane and effective pigeon control devices you can use to keep pest pigeons away from your commercial property.
Chief among these deterrents is the Pigeon Spike. Considered one of the most effective pigeon control devices ever developed, bird spikes get the job done because they simply won’t allow pest birds to land on or near them.
Ideal for use against medium to large size birds like pigeons, bird spikes are easily installed on rooftops, parapet walls and ledges. They can be glued, nailed or screwed onto most surfaces. Bird spikes come in either rigid U.V.-resistant unbreakable polycarbonate or high strength, durable stainless steel. The spikes are blunted at the tips so they won’t harm birds or maintenance crews.
Bird spikes come in various widths and different colors to blend in with your commercial building. The colors include white, tan, gray, black, brown, brick red and crystal clear. One manufacturer offers bird spikes with a non-reflective metal finish. For best pigeon control, the spiked strips should be installed so that you leave no gaps for birds to squeeze through.
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