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Got a problem with pigeons in Bracknell or Ascot? We have the solution!
We are a local pest control company that provides a comprehensive pigeon proofing and cleaning service all throughout the Bracknell and Ascot area, if you have a problem with pigeons which you want resolved, then look no further as we have the solution for you.
When pigeons take up residence on your property they quickly become a nuisance and they also become a health hazard for you, your employees and members of the public, the installation of the correct bird deterrent will solve the problem of pigeons roosting for good.
Here at Maidenhead Pest Control we are local experts in providing a wide range of bird proofing measures that keep your property bird free for good.
Pigeon Identification and Behaviour
The feral pigeon is a large bird with a short, thick neck topped with a small head. Pigeons are equipped with short legs which have level front and hind toes that are well designed for perching as well as walking on flat surfaces.
Feral pigeons will generally be a blue grey colour although there are many piebald patterns exist as they will mate with white doves and escaped fancy varieties from time to time, pigeons have a white rump along with a band of iridescent feathers on the head and neck.
Pigeon nesting
Pigeons build a very simple nest that consists of just a few stiff twigs and other pieces of debris that are then bound together with droppings, they will continue to reuse their nest, adding more material with each brood. Pigeon nests will become a problem as they block up rainwater runoff systems leading to flooding and internal water ingress.
Ideal nesting sites are those that are on sheltered ledges, on bridge supports and metal cross beams, beneath roof top air conditioning units, deep recessed windowsills, and anywhere else where there is some form of overhead cover.
As the pigeon population rises so does competition for the best nesting sites, in this situation pigeons often abandon nest building and lay their eggs directly onto a flat surface, usually on quiet residential balconies.
Pigeon breeding
Pigeons will mate for life and form a strong bond, they make dedicated parents and each pair will typically have three or four broods over the course of a year, however, when given a quiet, protected nesting site, with a good supply of food they can lay eggs all year long, raising around ten broods.
The pigeons lay eggs that are spherical in shape with a solid bright white colour, the eggs take roughly 18 days to hatch with another 35 days for the young to fledge, at this time the juveniles will leave the nest whilst the pair will lay another batch of eggs.
The juvenile birds will hang around and may assist in bringing up the next brood until they pair up and form their own breeding couple.
Pigeon behaviour
Pigeons are not a migratory species of bird and with a close bond to each other, their natural instinct is to stay close to their birth site, this gives the pigeons a very determined personality when it comes to its roosting site. They will be difficult to dislodge, and this is where the correct deterrent much be employed, failure to use the correct method will have no effect on the birds.
Feral pigeons are social birds and openly seek the company of others, where one bird rests, other birds will quickly turn up and form a group, resting, preening and feeding are all social activities. All animals communicate with each other and pigeons have a wide vocabulary, cooing, grunting and slapping of wings being the predominate noises. As they tend to form small, social flocks this noise can become distracting and for homeowners considerably so as this goes on from sunrise to sunset.
Professional bird netting solutions in Bracknell and Ascot – say goodbye to pigeons for good
The feral pigeon population is continually rising due to a unique set of traits that these birds have, unlike other species of bird that lay their eggs within a defined breeding season, pigeons will breed all year long and as they keep their young in the nest until their flight feathers are fully formed, more of the young birds survive to adulthood.
Rather than feed on insects or types of grain which determines the period for nesting, feral pigeons are scavengers that can eat just about anything. Food is broken down in the birds crop where it is turned into a thick, protein rich milk, this milk is fed to the young allowing the birds to breed when they want.
Once you have a flock of pigeons in residence on your building, they will be there permanently especially if the design offers overhead protection, in situations like this the best way to deter the birds from returning is to install bird netting and seal off the area in which the birds were living.
When we install bird netting onto a building, it provides an almost invisible, physical barrier that prevents the birds from flying into the nesting site. No birds are harmed or killed during the installation process.
We don’t kill or hurt the birds when installimg bird nets, but without access to the area they have no reason to remain, meaning that they will soon move off onto another building.
Why is bird netting such an effective deterrent?
Feral pigeons are actually very intelligent birds and there is a widespread lack of understanding of pigeon management that fails to understand the simple guide to ensuring bird control, and that is the term pressure.
When pigeons move into an area this is termed pressure, if the birds are merely resting and there is no attachment to the site this is light pressure and so deterring the birds from visiting will be straightforward. At the other end of the scale, where birds have been in situ for a length of time, where they have started nesting then this is a high-pressure situation and the birds will be difficult to move on.
We often see the incorrect bird deterrent that has been used in the wrong area, when delivering a bird control solution, an understanding of pressure is the key: light pressure where birds are just resting, medium pressure where they will roost for long periods and then heavy pressure where they are nesting.
We often see installations of bird spikes, which are only a light pressure solution deployed in high pressure areas which is totally unsuitable for their use, the result of using spikes in this manner means that the pigeon problem is not being managed and will get worse.
How intelligent are these birds? They will bring in twigs and other debris and then drop this material into the open crown of the newly installed spikes quickly building up a firm base for their nest. With the incorrect introduction of bird spikes, where there weren’t nesting sites, opportunities for nesting have been created which the pigeons will happily use and therefor the problem will now worsen.
The installation of bird netting is the best way to prevent pigeons from nesting on your property because of the total exclusion offered from the netting, a correctly fitted bird net has absolutely no percentage of failure and so offers the ultimate pigeon solution.
Where can bird nets be erected?
The answer to that is we can install bird nets just about anywhere, there are a wide range of perimeter fixings available that enable us to create a metal wire frame which the net is attached to, these frames can take on any size and shape.
There are other options like using free standing supports that can provide a frame to cover areas on flat rooftops without the need for drilling, but usually we see the demand for nets on certain features like the open face of domestic balconies where the pigeons have started nesting, defecating all over the base of the balcony and making a mess.
Other common installations are when we fit them to the undersides of vehicle loading bays where the birds will rest on the metal supports, from here they defecate onto the vehicles and floor below creating a hazardous working environment. We also cover roof top air conditioning equipment as these sites offer the birds numerous opportunities for nesting.
There are different colours of netting available: black, clear and stone, we can cover the entire face of a building, preventing the birds from sitting on decorative features and window ledges.
This is particularly useful on older buildings where pigeon guano causes a great deal of damage to the building fabric and bird spiking has failed.
Can pigeons damage a building?
The biggest problem resulting from having a flock of pigeons on your building is the amount and type of waste material that they produce, with each adult bird depositing around a kilogram of guano every month this soon leads to a health and safety nightmare.
Another problem is that this build up of material is highly acidic; pigeon poo has the same level of acid as a lemon, meaning that this waste matter is effectively eating away at the structure all the time.
This acid works by leeching out minerals from stone and concrete causing the surfaces to become powdery and porous, paintwork and metal corrodes and any woodwork soon rots under the damp mass. Having a flock of pigeons on your building is going to lead to increasing maintenance costs and these will rise the longer the birds are in residence.
Damage is one thing; however pigeon guano is extremely toxic and contains some harmful bacteria, viruses, and fungi meaning that your workforce or the residents in a block of flats can be exposed to pathogens increasing risks and potentially costs.
If you have a problem with pigeons in Bracknell or in the Ascot area we can help.
A bird net professionally installed from Maidenhead Pest Control will last for ten years and we guarantee all our installations as long as the net isn’t cut by contractors. To avoid problems when contractors cut through the net, we build in access into the void with the use of zips and create ‘doors’ to allow entry, this is particularly useful when covering roof top machinery.
When installed, these nets will go on working, keeping pigeons off your building, day after day for many years and we have over 19 years’ experience in general pest control and providing bird control services throughout Berkshire and parts of West London, our technicians are fully trained, and they hold IPAF qualifications to hire and use hydraulic access equipment for safe access to difficult to reach areas.
If you want a no obligation quote for pigeon control in Bracknell or Ascot, throughout Berkshire and right across the South East then get in touch with us. Our site surveys are free, and we can talk you through the problem and the correct solution.
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