Pigeon problem

[schmenke]

Over the past few months a family of pigeons has decided to take up residence in our neighbourhood. I can't stand them... rats with wings is all they are. My neighbours and I want to eradicate them but haven't a clue on how to go about it. We haven't been able to pin-point their exact nest(s) but they seem to enjoy roosting on the eaves of the neighbourhood homes, as well as any other convenient position from where they can discharge their waste :s .

One of my neighbours works for Corrections Canada and has an ample cache of armament at his disposal, but alas, unlike our friends south of the border, he is not permitted to present any of his weaponry in public. Unfortunate because a few well-placed rounds would have made short work of the foul birds (not to mention a few windows and siding…).

So, once again I seek advice from the extensive experience ( :uhoh: ) of you forummers to aid in the resolution of my avian quandary :mark: .

[gloomyDAY]

http://www.trapman.co.uk/eradirat-500g-tub-front.jpg

[Hondo]

Many industrial plants I have worked in that had pigeon problems would bring paid hunters in during the evening with air rifles with an velocity of 1000 fps or better. Because of the nature of the industry, the bodies were bagged and taken to toxic waste disposal sites.

If Canada trusts you with an air rifle, get one of those and be discreet in it's use and don't leave the bodies laying around.

On the other hand, free range pigeon eggs may be pretty good. Have them go see Hazell.

[Hondo]

Don't fall for the fake owl ploy. You'll be up on a ladder twice a week washing the pigeon crap off of it.

[Hondo]

If you use poison and can't recover the dead pigeons, any other critter eating the dead pigeon may also be affected.

[schmenke]

Gloomy, I thought about rat poison but wasn't sure if it's effective on pigeons. Also, how would I "deliver" it? Mix it in with bird seed? What do pigeons eat anyways?
The only “critters” that might actually consume a dead pigeon would be the neighbourhood cats, and I’m just as happy to eradicate them too… :disturb:

Fiero, yeah, I also thought about an air rifle. Yes, Canada trusts me but a permit is required :rolleyes: . Also, I'm sure if one of my paranoid neighbours saw me skulking around with a "rifle", the local constabulary would be upon me like flies on poo… :mark: .

[Wade91]

Gloomy, I thought about rat poison but wasn't sure if it's effective on pigeons. Also, how would I "deliver" it? Mix it in with bird seed? What do pigeons eat anyways?
The only “critters” that might actually consume a dead pigeon would be the neighbourhood cats, and I’m just as happy to eradicate them too… :disturb:

Fiero, yeah, I also thought about an air rifle. Yes, Canada trusts me but a permit is required :rolleyes: . Also, I'm sure if one of my paranoid neighbours saw me skulking around with a "rifle", the local constabulary would be upon me like flies on poo… :mark: .
maybe do it in the middle of the night when your "paranoid neighbours" are asleep? :p

[Hondo]

A permit for a bb gun?

Get a wire mesh trap, bait it with corn, and check it once a day. If there's a way to easily get it on your roof, you'll do better. Corn will attract the pigeons but is too big for most other birds. Once you have them trapped you'll have to get up close and personal to kill them. Be careful, you might like it and then start getting like SS death's head tatoos, hanging out with fousto, and sh!t like that.

[GridGirl]

I'll swap your pigeons for a tit that is trying to impress its mate. Unfortunately the mate is it's own reflection that it can see whilst perched on either one of my wing mirrors. The sharp claws are damaging the paint and my car keeps getting covered in poop. Bloody bird brained animal! :p

[Hondo]

I'll swap your pigeons for a tit that is trying to impress its mate. Unfortunately the mate is it's own reflection that it can see whilst perched on either one of my wing mirrors. The sharp claws are damaging the paint and my car keeps getting covered in poop. Bloody bird brained animal! :p


Sounds like a deal to me! How many pigeons to you want for both of them?

I'm going to go trap some pigeons!

[GridGirl]

I knew I shoulda said it was a Wren or something instead. :p

[Donney]

Here in Spain some football teams use this incredibly effective weapon:

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/animals/images/primary/peregrine-falcon.jpg

[Breeze]

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[Breeze]

Mmmmmmmm........

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[Hazell B]

Have them go see Hazell.

Yes, send them here.
One of my dogs is a pro scarecrow. He only ever chases two things - crows and pigeons. That way, after years of hard training (he's a stupid dog) we're the only people in our area without a pigeon problem :D :D
Got some nice doves, though :up:

Failing getting them a passport, try shooting the horrible things.

[Lousada]

Daniel started a thread about this just a few days ago!
http://www.motorsportforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=133529

[Roamy]

Mmmmmmmm........

http://www.sunsuiwah.com/about/squab.jpg

Yea I think I let one of these out this morning - Just after my 2nd cup of coffee! :eek: :eek:

[Easy Drifter]

Quad .50's would work but the local fuzz might get upset, not to say your neighbors with gaping holes in their houses.
Apparently in Toronto, Perigrine Falcons (once almost extinct) have taken up to nesting on ledges on skyscrapers. They find pigeons and flying rats (seagulls) very tasty.

[Hondo]

I knew I shoulda said it was a Wren or something instead. :p

Oh, another one of those cultural differences. Same word, different meaning...fine...I'll pry off the postage stamps I stapled to them and turn them loose...damn birds.

[Hondo]

Ok. Because the restrictions you labor under make individual solutions difficult, contact your local government. They can erect some pigeon estates in some obscure corner of public land. Once the estates are up and food is put out daily, the pigeons will flock to and stay in their estate area. Living the good life without having to toil is going to greatly increase their lifespan and the survival of their young so you'll need a program that can expand the estates, food budget, and provide more land. Be forwarned that once this program has run a few years you'll be burdened with it forever. If you try and stop the program, one or more organizations will attack you for being a greedy, cruel, and bigoted idiot for even suggesting that the pigeons should have to provide for themselves, through their own labors.

[Caroline]

Can't you get ultra sonic deterrents or something? I know that you can get them here in the UK to stop groups of teenagers gathering together outside shops etc. How old are your kids btw? That may be a problem if the frequencies are the same on both products :s :p

[markabilly]

Don't fall for the fake owl ploy. You'll be up on a ladder twice a week washing the pigeon crap off of it.

Yeah I got mad at the mockingbirds eating my tomatoes and bought two very lifelike owls.

damn mockingbird liked to have scared me to death as i went to pick up one owl to move it, and did not see the bird sitting on top of it, when he flew right up under my chin and all over my face

Ever since then, the birds do leave my tomatoes alone (YESS!!!so they do work sort of!!!!!), but the little ba****ds now dive bomb me instead, every chance they get.

i guess they enjoyed seeing my reaction, they have now become warriors on the head of markablilly, coming always from behind and actually plucking my hair right out of my head.

Very silent, I feel a sudden yank and pain.....so i started with the hat and they have now managed to pluck it right off my head.

I would shoot them both but they fly real close to the house and usually keep the windows of my house in the background (shooting out the windows is not cool) but I got out the old shotgun anyway...ba****s flew right off out of range and made all sorts of noise, right after another dive bomb attack.

Seems they have some sort of insight about the gun that makes them fly away.

nasty little warriors, they love to torment hawks--seen that numerous times, so i guess I should have figured it out with the owls they would also attack owls before i bought them

They do sing all sorts of songs and imimtate sounds, hence the name mockingbird

[schmenke]

Well, I just baited some bird seed with rat poison in a small dish up on the roof of the garage. Hope the pigeons go for it and no other birds... well I wouldn't mind finding a few dead mockingbirds lying about in a few days. Like MkBilly, I can't stand the pests. More so because of their aggressiveness towards other songbirds.

[markabilly]

Well, I just baited some bird seed with rat poison in a small dish up on the roof of the garage. Hope the pigeons go for it and no other birds... well I wouldn't mind finding a few dead mockingbirds lying about in a few days. Like MkBilly, I can't stand the pests. More so because of their aggressiveness towards other songbirds.
Hey I got nothing against mockingbirds, it is them attacking me :mad: :mad:

[Hazell B]

I recently read To Kill a Mockingbird.
Harper Lee should have stuck to the theme - it offered no advice at all :mark:

[Mark in Oshawa]

Schmenke....I pity ya..lol

First off, I heard you guys got snow this month...and now your pigeon issue!

Fiero, he doesn't NEED a permit for a BB gun, whether he knows it or not. I would use that or a good slingshot. You kill a few, the others take the hint and leave.

That said, it is a weird issue. I suspect one of the neighbours may have been raising the homing pigeons and maybe a few went wild on him. I would be raising hell with the City of Calgary to bring their animal control people in....

[schmenke]

Yes, I kow a permit is not required for a BB gun, but that is different from an air (.177 cal.) gun.

From the RCMP web site:

"Air guns need to be registered if they have both a high muzzle velocity (greater than 152.4 meters or 500 feet per second) and a high muzzle energy (greater than 5.7 joules or 4.2 foot-pounds). As a rule, the manufacturer’s specifications are used to determine what muzzle velocity and muzzle energy an air gun was designed to have. You may be able to find this information in the user’s manual or on the manufacturer’s web site."

No ex-pigeons lying about yet, so I guess the rat poison isn't sufficiently tempting :mark: . I just may resort to trying to procure a (low velocity) air gun :mark:

[Mark in Oshawa]

Yes, I kow a permit is not required for a BB gun, but that is different from an air (.177 cal.) gun.

From the RCMP web site:

"Air guns need to be registered if they have both a high muzzle velocity (greater than 152.4 meters or 500 feet per second) and a high muzzle energy (greater than 5.7 joules or 4.2 foot-pounds). As a rule, the manufacturer’s specifications are used to determine what muzzle velocity and muzzle energy an air gun was designed to have. You may be able to find this information in the user’s manual or on the manufacturer’s web site."

No ex-pigeons lying about yet, so I guess the rat poison isn't sufficiently tempting :mark: . I just may resort to trying to procure a (low velocity) air gun :mark:

Hells bells...the law wants a licence for a .177 pellet gun. Good lord what are we coming to?

I have no idea what to tell you other than if the bb gun doens't work, sit on your stoop with a sling shot. The neighbours wont see that mean ole nasty gun like object and not panic. Hell, if they are all in on killing the flying rats, I know you could get away with a pellet gun. You can bet your neighbours have a few...it is Alberta after all.

[Hondo]

Animal control won't be in a hurry to come out there for pigeons. I suggest you tell them you're being harrassed by vicious pit bulls. When they come roaring up with the media in tow, get a stupid look on your face while pointing at the pigeons and say "I thought those were pit bulls...". If you can keep a straight face, you might get away with it.

B-B guns are .177 caliber. If you go that route, put bird feed in the yard, raise a window, and shoot from 5-10 feet away from the window inside the room. The neighbors won't see you and the room itself will act as a sound suppressor. Try to keep your range to 30 feet or less.

[Hondo]

If they'll let you have an air pistol, there are quite a few in the high 400 fps catagory that will do the job.

[leopard]

Pigeon have wings, they can fly wherever to the place they can find out food and excitement. They might not try to insult others on purpose, they do it by its nature that they have to gather some food and using their wings they have more coverage to cruise over the sea and cross over the land of this world, and know more window of this universe. The problems arose up only for different opinion and perception, don’t take it too personal …

Why would you want to consider group of pigeons as disturbance?, none of methods mentioned is effective to chase them away. Puppet like this is enough to frighten pigeons, Wind will make it moving to drive the pigeon away. They are enough aware of people who don’t want them to be there …

[schmenke]

Sure Lepslep, I'll rig one of those on my front lawn :rolleyes: Maybe it'll keep the neighbour's kids away :p :
I don't want to use a scarecrow or fake owl because I don't want to frighten the other sonbirds that are around :mark:

Lepslep, pigeons are filthy and carry disease, not to mention make a mess whereever they are.

One of my neighbours has a leaky CO2 pistol. I think I'll give that a go this weekend :hmph:

[Mark in Oshawa]

Pigeons are just nature and that is fine, but in nature, all animals have predators. We are the top of the food chain, so that's it for the pigeons.....

[schmenke]

Not to mention that pigeons are not a native species to this part of the world. Same deal for seagulls (what they are doing in the western praries is beyond me... :mark: )

[Hondo]

Don't puncture the CO2 cartridge until you are ready to shoot, bird on ground eating.

Sure pigeons have wings and can come and go. So do flys. Now when you've got a fly buzzing around you, you can shoo him off but he'll come back. You can try to reason with him but he won't listen. Sooner or later you just have to kill the ba$tard. Happy hunting.

[schmenke]

Don't puncture the CO2 cartridge until you are ready to shoot, bird on ground eating....

Yeah, with the leaky CO2 seal, I hope to bag as many as I can before the pressure drops. Once it does, for kicks I may have a go at the neighbour's kids :D






Kidding, kidding... :rolleyes:

[Hondo]

schmenke, I am disappointed that a man such as yourself would even think about shooting a child with an air gun. Everybody knows with children you want to use a deep pit dug in the yard with a flimsy covering over the top with a couple of Hostess Twinkies placed as bait. Stakes optional. Air gun indeed...

[Hazell B]

No No No!
Children are best tacked with pointed garden canes.
That way you can claim you were simply walking about with the canes looking for a place to plant your tomatoes and the kid ran into you of it's own accord.

Seriously, you guys are amateurs in these matters :rolleyes:

[Hondo]

"Honest officer, I was just walking around with this garden cane and the child accidently ran into it. 14 times."

[Mark in Oshawa]

Fiero...isn't that sorta the same defense Cale Yarborough used when told he was punching Bobby Allison? The answer of course was "no...Bobby kept hitting my hand with his face"

[Easy Drifter]

Gee Officer I am really sorry, but the bicycle courier startled me riding on the sidewalk and somehow my cane got jammed in the spokes of his bike wheel.
Too bad he wasn't wearing a helmet when his head hit the lamp post.

[leopard]

Sure Lepslep, I'll rig one of those on my front lawn Maybe it'll keep the neighbour's kids away
I don't want to use a scarecrow or fake owl because I don't want to frighten the other sonbirds that are around

Lepslep, pigeons are filthy and carry disease, not to mention make a mess whereever they are.

One of my neighbours has a leaky CO2 pistol. I think I'll give that a go this weekend


I doubt that pigeons and birds family including chicken will cause any disease for human if we let them live free without direct contact usually happens on farming to commercialize them. We just tend to look at disadvantage of something easier than its advantage.

Don’t be so sure that CO2 pistol will make them finished off, three pigeons have been found alive with the needlelike projectiles lodged behind their eyes. Thought this pigeon is performing illussion...

"Someone who would do this to an animal is a short step away from doing this to a human being."
The animal-rights group is offering a U.S. $2,000 reward for information about the attacks, Is it you? ;)

full story here (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/04/080429-pigeon-picture.html)

[schmenke]

Well that CO2 pistol was a waste of time :mark: Could't hit the broad side of a barn with that puny thing.
As an alternative, I've been giving the birds a good soaking with a high-jet garden hose every chance I could get. I figure I'll try to make their lives as unpleasant as possible so perhaps they'll decide to take up residence elsewhere...

[Hondo]

Your air rifle restrictions are ridiculous. I have a 1000 fps .177 cal Beeman, scoped, and sighted in at 60 feet you can borrow. I'll send it by carrier pigeon.

[Easy Drifter]

Most people can't hit what they are shooting at with a handgun let alone an air pistol. Just as well considering the number of gangs in the cities with handguns. Air pistols are inaccurate as well except for the expensive Olympic ones.
Being serious for a change getting rid of pigeons is difficult.
We do not have many here but despite natural predators, foxes, coyotes, hawks etc. they are still around. There main local roost is under an overpass and vehicles get a few as do above mentioned critters but some survive.

[Hondo]

I do just fine with a handgun. The only air pistol I ever shot was a Crosman single shot pump-up pistol at a job. It was kept on site for, yup, pigeons. With 8 pumps it had good accuracy and power but I think it's top end power was more than you guys are allowed up there.

[Easy Drifter]

I am not sure what is the allowed velocity for air guns. In Ontario the velocity seems to be higher than in Calgary, or Alberta.
Yes there are quite a few people who are accurate with handguns but they are in the minority.
I am another one who is accurate with one, at least I used to be. The whole family on my father's side were excellent shots. My Grandfather was a gun for hire before he became a RNWMP officer. One Uncle was a WW1 sniper and small arms instructor in WW2. Also had been a mercenary. He instructed some of the US Rangers but they had to come to Canada. He couldn't go to the US. Something about a load of rum and a US Border Patrol Agent and shots fired. One time he should have missed.
My father was banned from Turkey shoots in much of Manitoba because he was always winning.
When he practiced law in a small town in Manitoba he was one of the hunting party who kept the Hotel supplied with 'Special Beef' (Venison) all year round. He got over half of the deer. The other members of the hunting party also lived in the Hotel and were the Crown Attorney, the only Mountie in town and the Judge.
When I hunted I didn't miss very often.
My mother was also a good shot but her brother was scary with a gun. Like dangerous. What is worse he had been a RCMP Officer!
I haven't fired a gun for over 10 years but the last time I did I hit what I was aiming at. A rat (4 legged.)

[leopard]

Well that CO2 pistol was a waste of time :mark: Could't hit the broad side of a barn with that puny thing.
As an alternative, I've been giving the birds a good soaking with a high-jet garden hose every chance I could get. I figure I'll try to make their lives as unpleasant as possible so perhaps they'll decide to take up residence elsewhere...

Why would you want to be much bothered with the presence of pigeons or birds, they can fly anywhere, a place or two you know is only coincidence. There are another thousands places you don't know where they can play around wherever they consider it useful. They sing nice songs wholeheartedly, they never try to provoke their playgrounds each other, listen to it carefully, they sing the song sincerely to entertain themselves.

I don't have problem at all with birds, neither I want to take care of them nor disturb their life, let them live free while I can also listen to their song to reminds me of my life getting back to nature for free.

Good it's not you attacked the pigeon, $2000 is enough good, I need cash to fund some retro project. ;)

[Hondo]

Why would you want to be much bothered with the presence of pigeons or birds, they can fly anywhere, a place or two you know is only coincidence. There are another thousands places you don't know where they can play around wherever they consider it useful. They sing nice songs wholeheartedly, they never try to provoke their playgrounds each other, listen to it carefully, they sing the song sincerely to entertain themselves.

I don't have problem at all with birds, neither I want to take care of them nor disturb their life, let them live free while I can also listen to their song to reminds me of my life getting back to nature for free.

Good it's not you attacked the pigeon, $2000 is enough good, I need cash to fund some retro project. ;)

Then they need to fly elsewhere. In industrial plants, there is plenty of water around along with insects for food. They get into areas that are not completely enclosed, like power houses. They nest everywhere and on any thing, including remote electronic devices. There is pigeon crap, feathers, and broken eggs all over the place in no time at all. After you have to replace expensive electronics due to pigeon waste clogging up the ventilation to the unit, the air guns come out. When the hand rails on the stairs you have to use become covered in pigeon crap, the air guns come out.

It's not like they were invited to live there.

[Firstgear]

They sing nice songs

I've never heard that. The young ones PeeP, and the adults make a kind of gurgling noise.

[schmenke]

Why would you want to be much bothered with the presence of pigeons or birds, they can fly anywhere, a place or two you know is only coincidence. There are another thousands places you don't know where they can play around wherever they consider it useful. They sing nice songs wholeheartedly, they never try to provoke their playgrounds each other, listen to it carefully, they sing the song sincerely to entertain themselves.

I don't have problem at all with birds, neither I want to take care of them nor disturb their life, let them live free while I can also listen to their song to reminds me of my life getting back to nature for free.

Good it's not you attacked the pigeon, $2000 is enough good, I need cash to fund some retro project. ;)

Lepslep, perhaps you don't mind your house covered in pigeon crap, but I am getting tire of having to constantly having to hose it down :s
They are dirty birds that eat just about anything and have been know to spread disease. Other cities in Canada have passed municipal by-laws forbidding to feed them.

If you don't mind pigeons, then I assume you also wouldn't mind living with rats...?

Pigeons don't sing, they warble. There are many other songbirds around that sound much more pleasant.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Pigeons are a nuisance...but part of nature. We are part of nature. Nature rewards the winners in the game of life. Ergo, you have a right to knock off those pigeons.....

Just the law wont let you get serious. I am telling ya...a couple of blasts from a 12 gauge shotgun WOULD scare the survivors off..lol...but also land you in a hot water for letting loose with a hunting weapon in the city...

[Firstgear]

schmenke, can you get close enough to the birds to see if they have leg bands?

If they do, they're probably owned by someone, and not just wild birds. You may be able to get hold of the owner by calling local pigeon show/race clubs.

If they don't, I guess fire & poison at will.

[Roamy]

just get a sawed off with a silencer and birdshot. It won't bother the neighbors and you don't really need to be a marksman!!

[Hondo]

Pigeons are a nuisance...but part of nature. We are part of nature. Nature rewards the winners in the game of life. Ergo, you have a right to knock off those pigeons.....


Oh, I'd say pigeons are winners in the game of life and part of nature. However, they have not scored highly in the development of technology and there's always a price to be paid for that.

Plus, if you buy into the Theory of Evolution, nature allowed pigeons to evolve into larger birds so as to make better targets. Nature doesn't like them either.

[leopard]

Pigeons and rats aren't anyhow comparable, insects and seeds although they are small in sufficient amount can sate pigeons and make good life for pigeons.

We only use scarescrow to chase them away from our seed plants. They don't disturb me personally, I don't know if you have problem with pigeons. There is a type of clever pigeon, they fly closing to us whenever they know we are waving with one of their friend on our hand. They have good solidarity.

My concern was against abusive to animal applies to animals in general. I am not vegetarian, but I tend to buy meat at super market and avoid killing them by myself. Leopard prefer delicious of goat meat ... :lips:

[Easy Drifter]

Pigeons in the cities have few predators and are prolific and dirty. No redeeming features.
Where I live there are natural predators in foxes, coyotes, hawks and wolves.
It keeps them in check.
However up here we have a problem with Canada geese fouling the beaches. They are eating, pooping machines. Despite a hunting season in the fall (they are good eating) they are multiplying very rapidly, and in some areas are so numerous their poop has forced the closure of beaches for swimming.
As far as eating meat I really see no ethical difference between eating hunted meat and farm raised. Wild game usually has more flavour.
90% of the meat I eat at home is Buffalo, Elk or Venison. Almost all is farmed though. Still more flavour than supermarket meats.
Once in a while I can get Venison or Moose that was wild and flavour is better. I haven't had bear for several years but it can be nice.
I used to hunt but not now. Heck I haven't even fished for a couple of years.

[Mark in Oshawa]

schmenke, can you get close enough to the birds to see if they have leg bands?

If they do, they're probably owned by someone, and not just wild birds. You may be able to get hold of the owner by calling local pigeon show/race clubs.

If they don't, I guess fire & poison at will.

My parents lived 10 houses down from a guy who raised homer pigeons. They flew around in a flock in circles every day but I don't remember seeing their poop everywhere and what is more, they never landed except back in their coop.

No..he has a few city pigeons who do more eating and pooping than flying...