Old Town/Central Historic

Just wanting to gauge interest if others want to pool resources to get rid of the pigeons in our neighborhood??

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From the companies I've talked to, there are three options, or combinations thereof, none of which will work great if applied to only one home.

1) Trap, remove and put the birds to sleep.
Sounds like if we put cages with bait on 2-3 key structures in the neighborhood, the birds should all flock to them. Costs $95 for the cage installation, and $85 per empty/removal/refill with bait, with each cage holding up to 6 birds.

2) Install barrier products at specific problem locations.
Includes removing any nests, etc. and blocking re-entry. Best for specific recurring problem areas like at the corners of our turret, on corbels, etc. Maybe $100 or so per location.

3) Put chemical in food bate.
Causes a bad reaction to the bird's nervous system, so they eventually stay away. Must do monthly treatments; they recommend for a year. Will keep birds away from a couple of houses, but not the whole neighborhood. $85/mo.

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If interested in exploring any of these options, please contact Terri -- in the red and white house with all the birds on the roof!!! 682-5958 Or post alternative solutions here on the web site.

I've found a technician who can come out on a Saturday to meet with those who are interested and look at problems and solutions.

pigeons

You may want to try an ultrasonic device that emits a radio signal that annoys the birds but not humans (or pets if I'm not mistaken). The following is an informative article that has some more humane ways of eradicating the birds.

Here is a good web page that has sonic repellers that ''are designed for the customer with respect to the environment.'' (Visual scare devices and sonic repellers)

http://www.sell-free.com/YardTeam/bird-x_sonic.html

Let's not kill them if we don't have to.

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Try a new tack in shooing pigeons
* Strips of metal bristling with spikes may keep birds from perching on house

BY GENE AUSTIN
Knight Ridder Newspapers

Q A flock of pigeons has started to roost on my roof every day. Their droppings are making a mess of things. How can I get rid of them?
A I can tell you from personal experience that it is very difficult to get rid of pigeons.

Among the most effective and commonly used deterrents, designed to keep the pigeons, sea gulls and other birds from perching on roof ridges and ledges, are strips of metal bristling with spikes. The spikes make perching too uncomfortable for the birds, and the birds move elsewhere, hopefully not on your property.

Sources of spike strips include Bird-B-Gone (1-800-392-6915) and Bird Guard (1-800-331-2973). Spike strips are available in several sizes and colors.

Pigeons dislike sudden noises and movements. When I see unwelcome pigeons, I make them move on by clapping my hands briskly. Clapping the heels of an old pair of shoes together also works well; this makes a noise like gunshots and is a very effective short-term solution. A stream of water from a hose or water gun will also send pigeons packing, at least temporarily.

Birdfeeders sometimes attract pigeons, especially if some of the seeds spill on the ground, where pigeons usually eat. Try to avoid spills by keeping the sides of bird feeders high. Also avoid large platform-type feeders. Small feeders, with small entrance holes and no perching places for large birds, are best.

Bird-B-Gone, which has an interesting site describing its products at http://www.birdbgone.com/ on the Web, also offers wire systems (less visible than spikes), nets, ultrasonic devices, gel-type repellents and humane traps. I haven't tried all these devices, but several years ago, in a pitched battle with pigeons, I managed to catch several in a box-type trap, using birdseed as bait. I released them in a field about eight miles away, but they either returned or sent their relatives, because the flock increased. I gave up on traps.

Pigeons are afraid of hawks and owls, which hunt them for food, and fake birds of this type are sometimes offered as deterrents. I tried using a very realistic plastic owl, but the pigeons ignored it.

There are less humane ways to get rid of pigeons, of course, but most of them are illegal, and I don't recommend them.

Basically, getting rid of your pigeons humanely will probably require some expense, cunning and a great deal of patience.

Forgotten Author

Oops, I hate to be anonymous.
Accidental mistake on that last message.

Let's Do It

I'm open to all of your suggestions, Terri. My only concern would be a solution that does not impact the non-pigeons. I've noticed the pigeons pushing the other birds around lately. I wonder if pigeons understand that what goes around, comes around. It's a real animal farm out there.