by Alex A. Kecskes
Pigeons are fun to feed, but when they gather in big numbers on your property, they cease being fun. And start being expensive. Specifically, they can take the paint or finish off wood and metal, crumble concrete and ruin expensive statues over time. Pigeon poop also poses a sizeable health risk. The fact is that pigeon droppings can carry and transmit any of 60 known diseases. And that's not even counting the diseases carried by the fleas, mites and ticks that attach themselves to pigeons. It's time for some serious pigeon control.
One solution that combines effectiveness with economy is the bird-scare product family. Here you'll find bright, colorful banners of foil that rattle and wave in the breeze. They're easily mounted to virtually any post, eave, mast or beam. Another pigeon control device, the Bird Scare Balloon, bobs and weaves in the breeze and uses the added tactic of large predator eyes to frighten pigeons.
Still another pigeon control solution is basically a catch-and-release device known as a Bird Motel. These humane live-trap cages are ideal for low populations of pest birds that gather on rooftops, courtyards and other areas. Made of sturdy galvanized wire, the cages can be used indoors or out. Your basic trap will have funnel doors that let birds in, but not out. Captured birds are easily removed via an access door. You can get these traps in various sizes to catch all manner of pest birds.
