Launceston is a city just north of the state of Tasmania, Australia, at the juncture of the North Esk, South Esk, and Tamar rivers. It is the second largest city in Tasmania with a population of over 100,000 people. The city recently sought advice on how to get rid of pigeons. A recent pigeon plague across inner Launceston rooftops created a smelly mess, cost local businesses thousands and threatened to potentially spread serious diseases.

The pigeons made their nests in some of the city's landmark buildings, including the old gasworks, the Telstra tower, and several of the city's historic banks and government institutions.

Some referred to the putrid pigeon infestation as a major nuisance and potentially toxic. The problem got so bad that one office was forced to close while hundreds of pigeons and their chicks were destroyed as the building's roof cavity was cleared and cleaned. Clearly, something had to be done to get rid of the pigeons.

Business owners noted that the pigeon problem was worse than dealing with rats. People were warned not to feed the pigeons to reduce the amount of droppings, which not only carry disease like salmonellosis, aspergillosis and histoplasmosis, but can create dangerous slip-and-fall liability for a business.

Commercial property owners demanded the problem be addressed. Some businesses had to move into temporary alternative workplaces in remote locales.  Other building owners spent thousands removing the pests. The roof of a former bank drew hundreds of pigeons. The bird droppings were knee deep and had to be pumped into a waste disposal truck. To get rid of pigeons, they had to cast a bird net over the entire roof and put up bird spikes. 

Bird netting works well to get rid of pigeons. For pigeons, a 1-1/8-inch mesh size is ideal. 
When installing netting on rooftops or other outdoor areas, U.V. stabilized, flame resistant and rot- and water-proof netting is best. One brand of bird proof netting currently being marketing is said to be able to withstand severe temperature extremes--from 250-degree Fahrenheit to "sub-zero" temperatures. Non-conductive netting is ideal for installations where electrical conductivity or radio frequency interference could cause problems.

Another way to get rid of pigeons is to use bird spikes. These come in either rigid U.V.-resistant unbreakable polycarbonate or high strength, durable stainless steel. The spikes look threatening, but they won't harm birds or people. They have even been approved by a number of humane groups worldwide--including the U.S. Humane Society and PICAS (Pigeon Control Advisory Service).  Bird spikes are available in various sizes and colors. Thee stainless steel spikes come in 3-, 5- and 8-inch widths; their plastic counterparts come in 3-, 5- and 7-inch widths. The plastic spikes are more economical, and they can be used near RF transmission equipment like cell phone antennas because they won't interfere with radiated energy. Bird spikes even come in a variety of colors--like white, tan, gray, black, brown, brick red and crystal clear.

There are about 146,000 retail gas stations and convenience stores in the United States. That's the good news for late-night shoppers and folks running out of gas. The bad news is, many of these stores lack effective pigeon control, which means feral pigeons can pretty much do what they please.

The last thing customers want to touch is a pump handle covered with pigeon poop. Or see the roof or hood of their car splattered with poop when they return with snacks in hand. Theses stores have a pigeon problem because the pesky little birds love to roost in gas station and store canopies. And they do so hundreds at a time.

Without effective pigeon control measures, this often-neglected nuisance can cost commercial property owners thousands of dollars in maintenance and repairs. Keep in mind that just one healthy pigeon creates an average 66 pounds of droppings each year.  If you've got a flock of these birds nesting in your gas station canopy, you're looking at several tons of poop over a short period of time.

If you think the damage is all cosmetic, consider what happened to a gas station canopy in Yuma, Arizona. A build-up of pigeon poop clogged up the canopy's drains, causing it to crash to the ground after a heavy rain. A Hummer and a BMW were smashed in the process. Needless to say the gas station owner's insurance policy went up.

Roosting and nesting pigeons can create an unsightly mess on signage, windows and gas pumps. They can clog drains, block out security cameras and jam doors and windows. They can also wreak havoc with rooftop AC units.

As if that weren't enough to implement aggressive pigeon control measures, pigeon droppings are also breeding grounds for a number of diseases. Fecal droppings in pigeon infested canopies can create an environment for bacteria and fungi spores to grow and multiply. This filth can attract mites, black widows, rats, mice and other vermin.

Consider the problems such an environment presents to a gas station that has a full-service food preparation kitchen. If you've got flocks of pigeons gathering on your rooftop or near air induction vents, these air conditioning and air circulation systems could easily suck in pigeon dander, spores and viruses.

Cleaning roofs, parapets, HVAC, ventilation systems and other roosting sites can aerate these areas and increase the risks of exposure to disease. Gas station and store canopies offer the ideal place for pigeons—plenty of food in garbage cans and safe roosting areas.

Failure to implement pigeon control measures can be very expensive in the long run—repairing a canopy can set you back as much as $100,000. And that doesn't include lost sales, city or health violation fees or full canopy replacement.

Some effective pigeon control measures include bird netting, which works to effectively exclude the pests. You can also use chemical fogging systems to drive out entrenched flocks. Both measures are safe to use on pigeons and will save you a lot of grief and expense.