How to Keep Pigeons off From a Roof?

Well, so pigeons are sweet lovely little birds and so adorable to feed as they swirl around your head! Or are they? Probably not, especially if they have invaded your roof and the sweet cooing turned into an annoying raucous cacophony. You won’t feel so bird-lovey when your house roof and that of your car are painted in a drab-colored smelly goo and nests set up all over the place blocking gutters.

Yes, pigeons are wonderful birds, and we all love them but only in parks – not in our private space. Pigeon droppings are highly acidic and can cause serious damage to any roof material exposed for prolonged periods, and while a roof repair company can fix the problem for you, it’s much easier to prevent the issue in the first place. Ultimately, you definitely do not want them on your roof or anywhere close to your car unless you love costly repaint jobs. So, how do you keep them off your roof? Here’s how.

Remove attractions

To deter pigeons from roof, start by removing any sources of attractions that encourage their stay. If you once had a bird feeder for the occasional bird back then, it’s time to remove it now to deny the pigeons that convenient food source. With no ready source of food, they will spend their time elsewhere looking for food and drink.

Pet food bowls left on the porch or patio are another invite for the pesky pigeons to land and make a home. Your guard dog’s feeding bowl left outdoors next to the kernel will attract pigeons scrounging for food. Similarly, a cat’s bowl out on the patio or deck is another homing beacon for the rowdy flock – remove the bowls urgently.

The lovely nut and fruit trees that adorn your compound unwittingly invite these marauding visitors to your peaceful haven. Regrettably, you may just have to cut your beloved trees down or deflower them before they bear fruit to protect your borders. In short, remove anything that will attract the pigeons and make their stay comfortable to your discomfort. As an add-on, you can use OvoControl’s pigeon birth control solution, which is the most humane way to reduce their population. You just need to mix OvoControl with some pre-bait and keep it for the pigeons to feed on it.

Try the scary

If they can’t roost, they can’t root. Make it impossible for the incoming hordes of pigeons to land by use of scare tactics. However attractive your roof is, if they cannot land, you are safe from the nuisance. Additionally, the unwelcome visitors can only set up their “nesty” abodes if they get safe parchment around your home. 

Strategically line up mesh netting on likely landing sites on your roof to prevent roosting and nesting. Follow up on other areas with gaps that can provide points of entry into your loft and block the free lodgers. Any accessible spaces under your roof are five-star accommodation for the winged friends and eviction might cost you a pretty penny.

Silhouettes of predatory birds such as hawks and owls on the roof can deter the pigeons for a while until they wise up and call your bluff. Shiny surfaces, including foil balloons and reflective tapes that can interfere with their vision, are a good way to force a landing abort. Whatever you do, just don’t allow them to land, and if they do, deny them comfort to make their stay a short one.

Barricade your roof with spikes

If these feathery “nutters” are still too clever by half and keep landing, bring out the mean and heavy artillery. It is time to throw down the gauntlet and barricade your valuable roof with metal spikes for the ultimate challenge. There isn’t a pigeon daring enough to confront the metallic anti-perching spikes and live to tell the story.

And don’t worry about brutality to animals. These raucous sky vagabonds are too smart to do a kamikaze on a spiked roof. Installing these spikes may cost you a valuable penny and time but will prove worthwhile eventually. If the bird menace is serious enough, pull out all the stops to regain your home and sanity.

For those with gardens, follow up the roof spiking with similar deterrents in other areas of the home. Cover areas such as the deck with mesh or chicken wire to prevent landing, and where possible, apply gel to discourage roosting.

If nothing works, engage the professionals

These little birds seem to have learned our ways and they can be tough to outwit. When you run out of your wits instead after trying every imaginable trick known to you, call in the experts. Controlling pesky birds is their trade, so professionals will know what to do to regain your rooftop.

Professionals will assess your environment and deal with the attractions first to reduce the feathery incursions. Professionals will apply repellents more effectively with better results than you would. Experts understand the behavior of these birds and will set up traps and other deterrent devices to end the menace permanently.

Take whatever intervention measure you find appropriate, convenient, and affordable to clear the destructive pigeons from your roof. Delayed action will cost you a new roof and cleaning expenses you possibly can ill afford.