Pigeon Control Resource Centre

A new resource site for Pigeon Control 'PCRC' has been launched; the site offers a great review on products and DIY options.

"Welcome to the Pigeon Control Resource Centre (PCRC). We are the industry's leading independent online Pigeon Control Resource, offering a wealth of expert advice, pigeon control products and information on all aspects of humane pigeon control.
Our Pigeon Control Product Reviews have become the default starting point for all those considering a commercially available solution. Our online shop stocks the widest range of pigeon control anti roosting spikes available anywhere in the world".

Dave B

Pigeon Spikes

'Product reviews for Pigeon Control. '

More and more technical products come to market to battle the humble feral pigeon. New products like bird scarers, electric shock tracks, ultrasonic & audible devices and products affecting the birds nervous system have launched with little success while the tried and tested pigeon spike remains the number one bird control product. Although the pigeon spike cannot be used in open areas like fields or open spaces they are simply the best product around your property that work immediately when installed for ledges, rafters, beams, window sills, railings, TV aerials, gutters, pipe work etc.

The Pigeon Control Resource Centre has a product review on all products used in the pigeon control industry.

Dave

Pigeon Control Solutions

' Can I kill pigeons or poison them?'

Killing birds does not solve the problem; it would not take long before another pair of birds moves in. Treating the cause of the problem, for example, installing bird spikes to ledges, guttering, window sills, rafters, beams etc will stop pigeons using your property making them unable to roost.

Poisons should never be used as non target species of birds and animals could be killed. Simply install the bird spikes and move the birds away from your property.

Dave B

twitter me not! pigeon facts.

Check out this great website article on 21 amazing facts about pigeons. Also for a really indepth look at all things pigeon control go to the pigeon control resource centre PCRC website. They have great write ups on most products used for deterring pigeons including anti roosting bird spikes.

Dave B

How to get rid of pigeons on my TV aerial?

'I have pigeons roosting on my TV aerial – can I use anti roosting spikes'?

Yes, pigeon anti roosting spikes are ideal for this purpose. The spikes are best installed by using an plastic cable ties wrapped around the base of the spike and then around the aerial itself. This will ensure that the spike cannot slip around and end up facing downwards. You could also support the fixing with silicone adhesive as well as plastic cable ties. Although stainless steel spikes are unlikely to interfere with the TV signal when installed on an aerial it may be wise to consider a plastic spike for the purpose. One UK manufacturer of pigeon spikes - Jones and Son Ltd offer an ingenious kit to protect TV aerials which includes all the different fixtures and fittings that will be required to protect virtually any type of TV aerial.

Dave B

Pigeon Facts

The following information is provided by www.pigeoncontrolresourcecentre.org

Latin Name: Columba livia var (‘dove’ or ‘bird of leaden or blue-grey colour’).

Common Names: Pigeon, dove, blue rock pigeon, rock dove, wild rock pigeon, feral pigeon.

Derivation: The word ‘pigeon’ is derived from the Latin word ‘pipio’, meaning ‘young cheeping bird’. The word ‘dove’ is of Norse origin and first appeared in the 14th century as ‘dova’ or ‘douve’.

Family: Columbidae (includes 315 different species)

Subspecies: C. l. livia, C. l. atlantis, C. l. canariensis, C. l. gymnocyclus, C. l. targia, C. l. nigricans, C. l. dakhlae, C. l. schimperi, C. l. intermedia, C. l. palaestinae, C. l. gaddi, C. l. neglecta

Varieties: 350 recorded varieties.

Most Common: Feral Pigeon - 10-15 million in Europe.

Habitat: The wild pigeon is found in coastal areas and the feral pigeon is found almost exclusively in areas of human habitation.

Distribution: Worldwide except Sahara Desert, Antarctica and the high Arctic. European population estimated at between 17 and 28 million birds.

Dave B

Anti Roosting Spikes versus Bird Netting

'The Pigeon Spike is a pure anti-roosting/perching product'

It is important to make the distinction between anti-roosting products and bird exclusion products. The pigeon spike is a pure anti-roosting/perching product that is used almost exclusively to stop virtually any species of wild bird from landing on flat surfaces, although the product can also be used to block holes and can be installed vertically, horizontally and upside down in this application. Bird exclusion products such as nylon bird netting are normally installed to protect an area rather than a specific surface. The major difference between the two types of product, in real terms, is that the pigeon spike is relatively inexpensive to purchase, can be installed by the property owner and is completely reversible and non-invasive (in relation to the fabric of the building) to install; nylon bird netting, on the other hand, can be an expensive product to have installed and in a majority of cases it must be installed by a specialist contractor. Nylon bird netting is also highly invasive to install (in respect of the fabric of the building – it must be drilled and bolted in place) and, unlike pigeon spikes, is not reversible. In 99% of applications where nylon bird netting is recommended as a means of controlling pigeons, anti-roosting spikes can be used to much greater effect and at a significantly lower cost to the property owner.

Dave B

Bird Spikes

'Bird spikes are almost invisible once installed'

Bird spikes are used throughout every town or city centre worldwide and can be seen installed on a huge variety of surfaces as a means of deterring almost every species of wild bird, although they are most commonly installed on buildings for the purpose of Pigeon control. Bird spikes are almost invisible once installed and therefore can be used to protect buildings where aesthetics are the greatest consideration, providing the property owner with a neat, effective and low-visibility control. Other examples of where the Bird spike can be used to great effect are lamp posts, flat surfaces of any description, gutters, louvers, roofs, pipes, statues, cabling, awnings, aerials, chimneys, eaves, architectural features of virtually any description, glass canopies, I-beams, air conditioning housings, railings, flat roofs, boats, shop signs and even trees - the range of applications for the product is endless including CCTV and security cameras.

Dave B.

Pigeon Spikes

'Pigeon spikes are renowned for their versatility in terms of application'

Anti-roosting pigeon spikes are considered to be the most efficient and the most cost-effective pigeon exclusion device available within the pest control marketplace. Most independent experts believe that pigeon spikes are the only anti-roosting product (or exclusion device) that can be considered to be 100% effective, providing that they are installed as per the manufacturer’s recommendations. Pigeon spikes are renowned for their versatility in terms of application, longevity and the ease of installation, making them the best-selling anti-roosting product available. Probably their greatest benefit to the property owner is the fact that the product is not only extremely quick and easy to install but they can be installed by virtually anyone, negating the need to instruct a specialist contractor and thereby further reducing the cost and complexity of the installation.

DB

How To Control Pigeon Numbers In Towns And Cities.

'Dovecotes are the way forward however you need to set aside an annual budget for the general dovecote maintenance and care of the pigeons for this long term project'

The need to control feral pigeon populations in urban areas has been the subject of intense debate for decades with town and city councils making little impact on the problem due to lack of investment and, in many cases, a reluctance to think laterally. Although the feral pigeon has been a common feature of urban life for the last 100 years there is no doubt that urban flocks are now growing faster than their numbers can be controlled. The reason for this unprecedented rise in feral pigeon numbers is due, almost exclusively, to the availability of food and the methods used to control the birds. Other factors such as the availability of good roosting and breeding facilities also play their part.

The feral pigeon is completely at home in urban environments, exploiting humans for food and using buildings for the purposes of roosting and breeding. This is because the feral pigeon is a descendent of the rock dove, a cliff-dwelling bird that was commonly found feeding and breeding along rocky coastlines prior to its mass exodus inland to make its home alongside man. The only proven method of reducing pigeon flock size as part of an area-wide control system is to use artificial breeding facilities. This stand-alone method of control has been scientifically proven to reduce pigeon flock size and is currently being employed throughout mainland Europe by councils and commercial organisations alike. The principle of a scheme using artificial breeding facilities is to provide a pigeon loft or dovecote in which feral pigeons can be encouraged to roost and breed and from which their eggs can be removed as laid and replaced with dummy eggs. This method of breeding control has been found to be extremely effective in reducing flock size and maintaining that reduction indefinitely.

Other pigeon control products are available, although deterrents cannot be considered to be cheap, if the correct choice is made and if the product is sourced and installed by the property owner concerned at least 20-30 years’ protection should be afforded. The correct choice of deterrents is key, with some anti-perching products such as repellent gel only providing between 3 and 12 months’ protection and bird exclusion products like nylon bird netting only offering 5-10 years’ protection. The anti-roosting spike will, however, offer the property owner up to 30 years’ protection without the need to maintain or replace the product, making it an economical and aesthetically pleasing choice.

The above information is taken from the following article supplied by the Pigeon Control Resource Centre.
DB