New York City is home to over 1 million pigeons. They mate for life, nest on windowsills, swoop down for scraps of food, and leave droppings on the shoulders of hapless pedestrians. Here, pigeon control is a must.
New Yorkers will tell you that the pigeon problem is everywhere. At brunch style outdoor restaurants, they silently wiggle their way beneath the tables and chairs. One can barely cross his or her legs without the risk of brushing a foot against the filthy birds. They bob and weave and hysterically flap their wings at the slightest irritation. Yes, you can shoo them away with a menu or a napkin, but they come right back. At some restaurants, they've developed the nerve to hop onto empty tables or lounge on the backs of chairs. They've even been known to take food from a child's hand. Without pigeon control, things can get pretty chaotic.
At the Staten Island Ferry Terminal, pigeons have a nasty habit of snatching away breakfasts and defecating on commuters. Urban pigeons dominate city plazas, street-side cafes and monuments. Their droppings plaster Times Square in New York, where they peck endlessly at crumbs or leftover food.
Not helping matters are the people who love to feed the pigeons near commercial food establishments. They draw pigeons to these stores and restaurants creating a nuisance for customers. In some stores, the smells and bacteria from the pigeons are sucked through the ventilation system and can literally cause patrons to leave the store. Pigeon control here is strongly recommended.
Outside, in areas like Times Square and other major intersections, food cart vendors complain of pigeons annoying customers and interfering with business transactions. The smells of pigeons and their droppings near a food cart can be quite overwhelming.
Storeowners in the Big Apple also complain of dead pigeons on sidewalks and entryways to their establishments. Air conditioning units, gutters and downspouts are often clogged with pigeon feathers and nests, causing AC units to jam up and roofs to leak. Pigeon control can save storeowners hundreds, even thousands of dollars.
For commercial property owners who have an occasional pigeon problem or are simply bothered by a few pigeons, a Bird Motel will often suffice. These catch-and-release pigeon control motels are ideal for relocating just a few annoying pigeons. They can be placed virtually anywhere pigeons like to gather. The best motels feature an easy-access door and are constructed of galvanized wire so they won't rust or corrode.
If, on the other hand, you have a store sign or ledge that attracts pigeons by the dozen, you might look into installing some Bird Spikes. The king of pigeon control devices, bird spikes keep virtually any flying pest from landing. To assuage your bird loving customers, they are harmless to birds, pets and people. Spikes come in either rigid U.V.-resistant unbreakable polycarbonate or the longer-lasting, slightly more expensive stainless steel models. You can even get spikes in a variety of colors--including white, tan, gray, black, brown, brick red and crystal clear. The spikes are easily glued or screwed to any surface. The Big Apple is beautiful with the right pigeon control.
3 Comments
by Alex A. Kecskes The ubiquitous pigeon has been man's friend and foe for centuries. Rising to nuisance level as they invaded our cities and towns, pest pigeons cause over one billion dollars annually in damage and cleanup costs. It's not surprising. Pigeon poop alone can cause all sorts of damage. It can eat into wood and metal, ruin fine stonework, and seize up AC units. Worse yet, pigeon poop is teaming with bacteria, fungi and parasites, which is why it poses such a high health risk. After all, pigeon droppings have been known to carry any of 60 known diseases. And no less hazardous are the fleas, mites and ticks that infest pigeons. It's no wonder that pigeon control has become so important. Thankfully, there are a number of highly effective pigeon controlmethods on the market.. One can't talk about pigeon control without mentioning the various Bird Scare products currently available. These flash tape banners wave, flap and crackle in the breeze to frighten pigeons looking for a safe place to land and roost. The same holds true for the inflatable, Bird Scare Balloon. Imprinted with menacing looking predator eyes, these devices turn and flail in the breeze to frighten pest pigeons away. They check in and they check out. That's the principle behind our next pigeon control device--the Bird Motel. The live-trap cages are quite good at catching pest pigeons and are ideal for use on rooftops, courtyards and other areas where birds tend to gather. And once they're caught, a handy easy-access door lets you reach in and release them to a more remote location. The better motels are made of tough galvanized wire and you can use them indoors or out. The traps come in various sizes to capture various size pigeons. Next up--Bird Wire Systems. These nifty pigeon control arrays incorporate a post and wire system to create a wobbly landing site for pigeons. The low-profile systems are ideal for keeping pigeons off ledges, parapet walls, rooflines, handrails and similar areas. Pigeons don't like to land on anything unstable and will quickly move on to more solid footing. Humane and economical, bird wire systemshave been approved for use on Federal and State government structures. The best systems use nylon coated stainless steel wire, which holds up better in punishing weather. Called the granddaddy of pigeon control--and bird control, for that matter--the Bird Spike has saved more signs, buildings street lights, and AC units than perhaps any other anti-pest bird device. Pigeons just won't land near the threatening looking spikes. You can get rigid U.V.-resistant unbreakable polycarbonate spikes, or opt for longer lasting slightly more expensive stainless steel spikes. The stainless steel bird spikes are available in a non-reflective metal finish and are often recommended by architects, contractors and government agencies. Installation is easy for they can be glued or nailed down to virtually any surface. They even come in a selection of colors so they'll blend in with your building's exterior décor. So successful are spikes as a pigeon control device that they have morphed in design to fit specific applications. For example, you can now get Girder Spikes, which will keep pigeons and larger pest birds from landing on girders or I-beams. They come with adjustable “C-clamps” to fit any size girder. There's also the Gutter Spike, ideal for preventing pigeons from landing and roosting in rain gutters. Another pigeon control device that's shocking in its ability to deter pest pigeons is the Electric Track. Ideal for discouraging pigeons from settling on ledges, rooflines, parapet walls, signs, I-beams, and flat or curved surfaces, these electrified tracks impart a mild electric zap to a bird's foot. Electric tracks are easily mounted on any flat or curved surface. The best are low profile in design and virtually invisible to anyone looking up from ground level. Somewhat entertaining to watch as birds try unsuccessfully to land on it, the Bird Slope has proven itself a worthy adversary to the determined pest pigeon. Essentially just a slippery, angled PVC panel, pigeons just slide off them faster than you can say pest pigeon. It doesn't take long for pigeons to decide, this is a no-landing zone and leave. Bird slopes are ideal for beams, ledges, eaves, and other L-shaped areas where pigeons like to nest and roost. The panels come in several colors. Opt for UV stabilized polycarbonate panels if you can, as they will last longer. If you believe only barrier deterrents will suit your application, you might try Bird Nettingas a means of pigeon control. While pest pigeons may be able to land on these, they won't be able to get through. Netting is ideal for sealing off rooftops, courtyards, patio covers, and other large areas, including groves and vineyards. The finest netting is ISO 1806 mesh test polyethylene fabric. For rugged outdoor use, opt for U.V. stabilized, flame resistant and rot and waterproof netting. If the sounds of pest pigeons landing on your property annoy you, you can now fight back with sound. Known as Sonic Repeller, these pigeon control devices produce a variety of annoying distress and predator calls only pigeons can hear. Ideal for a wide range of outdoor applications, these systems are easy to set up and install. Our next pigeon control solutionis actually a gel--called Bird Gel. Humane and highly effective, this chemical skins over but never really dries. When pigeons land on it, they can't wait to leave. The icky, sticky surface is one thing most birds, including pigeons, can't stand. The gel is easily applied to any surface using a caulking gun. Pest pigeons really hate this next pigeon control device. Called the Scarecrow, it's basically a motion-activated sprinkler that blasts a jet of water whenever it senses a pigeon approaching. The sudden burst of water combined with the scarecrow's moving head and the sprinkler sound--all unite to create a formidable deterrent. It's the perfect solution to deter pest pigeonsfrom gardens, pools, spas, backyards, and other outdoor areas.
| AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesSeptember 2012 CategoriesAll |
RSS Feed