Bird pest problem (pigeons)
My roommate's house has a pigeon problem that she neglected for years until I moved in. I recently climbed up into the overhang and removed the nest and hosed out the remains as best I could. Lethal harrassment with a bb gun isn't real effective as they are often just outside the lethal range and fly off when they hear the gun cock. Can't use a shotgun for obvious reasons. The bird pest control products I've looked at are too expensive for her budget. I'm looking for home-brewed, inexpensive but effective remedys, lethal or otherwise, to finally ridding them or deterring them from returning. This is a high-pressure bird problem. We're probably talking about at least a few generations of pigeons. Thanks in advance.
pigeons like to nest in a place from generation to generation. sometimes they are called "rock" pigeons because they like to land on something flat, unlike other birds that roost on a branch or a wire (although i have sometimes seen them on branches). I don't exactly know what you mean by eaves because they are designed in several different configurations, but I'll guess and say you have lookouts and the pigeons are roosting on the flat spots in between and the flat spots are about 16 inches long. The best thing is to use aluminum wire screening to block out these flat spots entirely. The birds will bill and coo around the house a lot and hang around the roof awhile because they are so used to living there. But eventually thier mating and nesting instincts will take over and they will leave to make nests elsewhere. There is no need for poison or anything else. after you block everything up they will be gone in a month. I wouldn't recomend nail boards because you then have the possibility of a smaller type of bird that can tolerate the nails taking up residence.
Fiberglass owls. -- --jmowreader
My cent and a half about squirrels... I tried all that "how to get rid of squirrels" stuff on my squirrels--pepper, waxed roofs on the bird feeders, you name it. Nothing worked. What works is feeding them. No, I don't mean feeding them rat poison. Feed them properly. The trick here is making it very easy for them to get into the food you want them to eat, while continuing to use squirrelproofing methods on your bird feeders, soffits and so on. Squirrels are like everything else: they'll take the easy route if you give them a choice. Put your easy-access squirrel feeder way back from your house, keep it filled, and your squirrel problem will go away. Besides, squirrels are entertaining to watch. --jmowreader