Complete Pigeon Control: How To Get Rid Of Pigeons in Basingstoke and Hook
Towns like Basingstoke have large populations of feral pigeons and numbers of these birds is steadily increasing year on year and getting rid of these birds is not easy an easy job to tackle on your own.
Feral pigeons have a reputation as pests because of the mess they create where they roost, the level of damage that is done when along with the fact they carry diseases.
When it comes to effective bird control it is best to use a company with experience in these matters and as a professional pest control company with over 19 years in the industry, All Aspects Pest Control have the knowledge and ability to provide pigeon proofing services to both the domestic and commercial sectors.
Pigeon Identification and Behaviour
One pair of pigeons can produce as many as ten broods over the course of a year given the right set of circumstances and so a small pigeon problem can rapidly become a major one.
When the pressure of finding new nesting sites is really high, the birds will lay their eggs on just about any flat surface, so getting rid of pigeons is not just a case of removing their nests. Being able to identify feral pigeons and acquiring an understanding of their behaviour can help you to choose the right pigeon deterrent.
The feral pigeon
The common feral pigeon is a large bird with a short thick neck that has a small head. These birds have short, powerful legs with level front and hind toes, this allows the birds to perch on branches as well as walk on flat surfaces.
Colouring of the feral pigeon is generally a blue grey colour although some piebald patterns exist as they will mate with white doves and escaped fancy varieties, the pigeon has a white rump with a band of iridescent feathers on the head and neck.
Pigeon breeding
Pigeons are monogamous and mate for life, the birds have a string bond with each mating pair typically having three or four broods a year, however when they have a quiet undisturbed roost and plentiful supply of food, they can produce up to ten broods over the length of a year.
Pigeon eggs are round with a solid bright white colour and take roughly 18 days to hatch, from hatching to the chicks being fully fledged is a further 35 days and these chicks will not leave the nest until that time.
Pigeon nesting
The pigeon nest is a very simple structure and often consists of a few stiff twigs that form a shallow bowl, these are bound together with droppings to make a firm platform. The male bird picks the nesting site and they prefer small flat areas away from the ground.
Ideal nest sites will be on sheltered building ledges, around bridge supports, under air conditioning units, and anywhere where there is protection from the weather with some form of overhead cover. In a crowded situation, pigeons may even leave nest building and lay eggs directly onto a flat surface.
Pigeon cycles
Unlike many species of birds, pigeons are not a migratory and their natural instinct is to stay close to their birth site, this trait gives the feral pigeon a very determined personality. They form a strong attachment to buildings and once they start nesting and laying eggs of their own, they will be very difficult to dislodge.
Pigeons make a great deal of noise, cooing and grunting, stamping of feet and clapping of wings and this begins at dawn and continues to dusk meaning that a flock of pigeons creates a great deal of disturbance.
Pigeon Control: How To Get Rid Of Pigeons in Basingstoke and Hook
The feral pigeon is by far the biggest bird pest in the Basingstoke area, and they are responsible for a variety of problems on all types of building across the town; from individual houses to schools, office blocks and shops, they will all have problems with pigeons.
One of the biggest issues with having pigeons roosting on your building is the corrosive nature of their droppings; pigeon guano contains high levels of uric acid and has around the same level of acidity as a lemon. This acid leeches minerals and salts out of hard materials like brick, stone and concrete, this action causes fissures to open in the surface allowing the material to become porous and fragile.
Metal work and painted surfaces degrade rapidly from the acid and corrosion quickly leads to increasing maintenance costs, any wooden surfaces will rot especially when the guano sits on top of the surface through a combination of acid and the moisture held in the mass of droppings.
Here are a few of the other most common pigeon roosting problems that face home and business owners in Basingstoke and Hook –
• The actual presence of a flock of pigeons, and all the organic waste from the birds, can hurt the image of a business or commercial enterprise as they leave a bad impression for customers.
• Debris in the form of excess nesting material, shed feathers, dead birds and of course the pigeon guano can cause water damage by blocking up gutters and drains.
• The acid from the bird guano often causes extensive damage to air conditioning units and other rooftop machinery.
• The build-up of bird droppings creates hazardous surfaces that lead to slip and fall liability for property managers.
• Bacteria, fungal agents, and viruses found in the pigeon guano can pose a health risk.to homeowners, staff members and visitors to commercial buildings, giving rise to health and safety breaches.
Talk to us about your pigeon problem in Basingstoke or Hook and we’ll point you to the best possible solution
Pigeon control solutions in Basingstoke - selecting the correct deterrent
The correct choice of bird deterrent depends on just two factors – the area that has the problem and the size of the infestation; when we talk about effective bird control, we use the term pressure to explain how the infestation works.
• Low pressure situation – in the instance the birds will alight and only rest on the building for short periods, they are not committed to the site and will not stay for long.
• Medium pressure situation – the birds now stay for longer periods of time, there is food and water nearby and they may begin roosting overnight.
• High pressure situation – the birds are now fully committed to the building; they have started nesting and they are going to be very difficult to dislodge.
The successful choice of bird deterrent depends on the level of pressure, if you select a low-pressure deterrent and install this in a high pressure setting, without doubt it will soon fail.
A great example of this is when you see a pigeon nest built on top of a row of bird spikes; spiking is a low-pressure tool and nesting indicates a high pressure environment, in this scenario the birds will drop twigs into the open crown of the spikes until it is filled and then rebuild their nest on top of that.
Bird spikes
Feathers are fragile structures and need a lot of maintenance, spiking is useful only to prevent pigeons from landing and perching as they will not want to rub their feathers against an object.
Low pressure environment only
Post and rail / bird coil
Post and rail / bird coil
A system where a metal wire is strung between rows of metal posts, similar in use to spiking but with a much nicer finish, we install these systems on either long runs like parapets and ledges or on ornate architectural finishes found on older buildings. Bird coil is a similar system where a long continuous coil of wire held in place with clips.
Low to medium pressure environments
Bird Gel
Bird Gel
Pigeons see in the ultraviolet spectrum and when sunlight plays across the surface of this gel, the reflection mimics that of fire and so deters the birds from landing and roosting. Only effective where adequate amounts of sunlight plays across a surface.
Low pressure environment and only effective for a year
Solar panel proofing
A common problem on houses all over the Basingstoke area as these systems make ideal nest sites, we install what is considered the best deterrent on the market for solar panels. We attach a row of adjustable stainless-steel spikes to the rim of the panel voiding off the space underneath, guaranteed for ten years this is the ultimate pigeon deterrent for solar panels.
High pressure environment
Daddi-long Legs
A novel deterrent consisting of a rotating circular row of weighted metal wires that spin in the wind, these will prevent pigeons from accessing an area covered by the circumference of the device. Particularly useful for smaller areas like lamp posts and chimney stacks, we have fitted these at car dealerships where birds were causing a problem perching and defecating onto the cars.
Medium pressure environment
Bird netting
By far the best deterrent against any species of bird and especially pigeons, a wire frame is created by fixings anchored to the building and then a net is strung across and around the area that needs to be sealed off. Bird netting is incredibly versatile as any space can be enclosed; we routinely apply these systems to domestic properties along with commercial ones.
For all pressure environments
Professional pigeon control service in Basingstoke and Hook
Here at All Aspects Pest Control we have over 19 years of experience in general pest control and over these years we have become experts in providing professional pigeon control services for our customers.
From installing the correct deterrent to cleaning up the mess left after the birds have gone, we can talk you through the scale of the problem, what the likely reaction of the birds will be to any deterrent and what is the best way of keeping the birds off your property.
We provide services to small domestic balconies and roof top solar panel systems to larger commercial applications such as covering pipework in covered car parks and around roof top air conditioning plant.
We offer a free consultation and a no obligation quote for the works and if you have a pigeon problem that you want rid of then get in touch.
Just call us on 07967 360 000
or use the contact button
Pigeon control in Reading
Pigeon control in Bracknell
Pigeon control in Maidenhead
Pigeon control in Basingstoke
Pigeon control in Hook
Pigeon control in Windsor
Pigeon control in Newbury
Pigeon control in Wokingham
Guano clean up and balcony netting in Reading
"Thoroughly professional service from both Tony and Liam - used the form on the website to explain the detail of my pigeon guano issue and had a phone call back from Liam the next business day to arrange a visit to get a quote. Kept informed throughout the whole process of the cost, when it would be done, how long it would take etc etc. Job was completed on a Saturday morning (netting for the balcony and guano removal) thoroughly professionally and they were cleaned up and finished before lunchtime. Would recommend their services to anyone with any sort of pest problem. Would give more than 5 stars if Google allowed it :)"