The feral pigeon (Columba livia domestica) lives in the urban
environment, and because of their year-round food supply of human
refuse (such as discarded fast food wrappers), feral pigeons will breed
continuously, laying eggs up to six times a year.
Favourite nesting areas for pigeons are within damaged property. Mass
nesting is common, with dozens of birds sharing a building. Loose tiles
and broken windows give pigeons access; they are remarkably good at
spotting when new access points become available, for example after
strong winds cause property damage, pigeons will flock to establish a
new nesting site.
Nests and droppings will quickly make a mess of any
area they inhabit. Pigeons are particularly fond of roofs, which
accommodate water tanks, though they frequently seem to fall into the
tanks and drown. Any water tank on a roof needs to have a secure lid
for this reason. The popularity of a nesting area seems little affected
if pigeons die or are killed there; corpses are seen among live birds,
who seem unconcerned.
On undamaged property, the gutters, air
conditioners, chimney pots and external ledges will be used as
nesting sites. Atom Exterminators can limit pigeon roosting using
special metalic bird spikes that we glue to ledges and resting places on
buildings. Please contact us for more information.
