How to Keep Pigeons Away from Your Home

Pigeons are one of NYC’s top nuisance birds. When you’re out and about, it’s easy to forget about them and ignore them. But if they are collecting in large numbers around your yard or nesting on the structure of your home, they become an instant challenge. Pigeons spread germs and parasites, make loud noises, and cause damage to surfaces and gardens.

There are a number of DIY steps you can take that are effective at keeping pigeons away in NYC to protect your home and family from the mess and potential risks of having pigeons at your home.

DIY Pigeon Control Methods

Pigeons can often be one of the harder bird species to control since they tend to be highly adapted to living with humans and are not easily disturbed by sights and sounds that other birds may find startling. Some reliable methods of managing them include:

• Cleaning Your Property – Pigeons are already adept at finding food sources and you do not want to make it any easier. Make sure that you are not leaving out potential pigeon food by securing all trash and bringing in any outdoor pet food bowls.
• Replace Freshwater with Saltwater – Water features around your home like fountains can provide a source of drinking water for pigeons. By adding salt to the water, you will still get the benefit of the water feature, but birds won’t be able to drink from it.
• Hang Shiny Objects – The sight of the sun reflecting off something shiny will at least temporarily keep pigeons away, especially from your garden. You can hang strips of aluminum foil, CDs, aluminum cans, or streamers around your backyard.
• Sprinkle Baking Soda – Birds do not like walking on baking soda. Sprinkling baking soda on any surfaces where pigeons like to land can help deter them from perching there. You can also place sheets of aluminum foil for the same effect.
• Installing a Decoy – Owls, falcons, and snakes are natural predators of pigeons. If you purchase a decoy of one of these animals and place it in your backyard, it can deter pigeons who will look for a safer place to land.

Another solution is professional pigeon control from Animal Control NYC. We use several different proven and long-lasting pigeon control methods to remove pigeons from the area and keep them away from your backyard. To get additional help with pigeon control in NYC, contact us today.