While pigeons are often associated with city life, their growing populations can quickly turn them from charming cohabitants to bothersome pests. Too many pigeons can lead to a range of issues, from property damage to potential health considerations. To effectively manage pigeon-related problems, you must understand their behavior, traits, and the signs that distinguish them from other avian species.
Below, we'll learn more about pigeon management, exploring the behavior of these birds and understanding the causes and consequences of pigeon infestations. We'll also identify factors that attract pigeons and highlight the importance of seeking professional pigeon pest control in Colorado Springs. By employing strategic solutions, Colorado homeowners can reclaim their property and ensure that pigeons still add to the charm of city life in their own way—away from your property.
Pigeon Behavior And Traits: Key Indicators For Identification
Pigeons, scientifically known as Columba livia, have plump bodies, small heads, and short legs that create a distinctive silhouette. These birds primarily come in gray, white, or brown. One of their most recognizable features is the iridescent patch on their necks, often shimmering with hues of green and purple in sunlight.
Pigeons are highly adaptable and thrive in urban environments, making them common sights in cities worldwide. Their cooing calls and swift flight patterns add to their charm. However, it's their nesting and roosting behaviors that often lead to conflicts with human habitats—and the need for controlling pigeons in Colorado Springs.
Understanding The Pigeon Problem: Causes And Consequences
While pigeons might seem innocuous, their unchecked populations can lead to a myriad of problems for homeowners. Pigeons are prolific breeders, and their nesting habits often result in unsightly accumulations of feathers, droppings, and debris. These materials can clog drains and gutter systems, causing water damage and posing potential health concerns.
Pigeon droppings, in particular, can cause more damage than you'd think. They can erode building materials, deface structures, and carry diseases that are transmissible to humans. Among these diseases, histoplasmosis and cryptococcosis are of significant concern. Histoplasmosis, caused by a fungus present in pigeon droppings, can lead to respiratory problems when its spores become airborne. Cryptococcosis, caused by a yeast found in droppings, can affect individuals with compromised immune systems.
Identifying Pigeon Magnets: Factors That Draw Pigeons To Properties
To effectively address pigeon problems, you should recognize the factors that attract them:
Pigeons seek locations that provide ample food, water, and shelter.
Open food sources, such as improperly stored trash and spilled grains, can attract these birds.
Buildings with ledges, eaves, and crevices offer convenient roosting and nesting spots.
Urban landscapes often inadvertently provide ideal conditions for pigeons to thrive. Abundant food from human activities, sheltered nesting sites, and limited predators create an environment conducive to their population growth.
The Importance of Professional Pigeon Control: Benefits And Solutions
When pigeons become a problem on your property, there are a few things that you can try to assist with long-term pigeon control:
Minimize pigeon attraction by eliminating accessible food sources.
Prevent pigeons from accessing nesting and roosting spots by sealing entry points on buildings.
Practice responsible waste management to discourage pigeons from scavenging and nesting in the area, such as tightly sealing all garbage bins.
Can pest control get rid of pigeons? Netting and spikes are common methods employed by professionals to deter pigeons from roosting on buildings. These solutions create physical barriers that prevent pigeons from accessing preferred nesting sites, encouraging them to move elsewhere. Additionally, experts might recommend altering the physical environment to make properties less attractive to pigeons. These are a few examples of non-lethal pigeon control.
Our service professionals at High Country Pest Control will accurately assess the extent of your pigeon problem, identifying key roosting and nesting sites. Our goal is to implement targeted and humane pigeon removal services in Colorado Springs that minimize harm to both pigeons and other wildlife. Contact us today to find the best solution.