Pigeons are sometimes viewed as an attractive addition to British towns and cities, but anyone who’s experienced the inconvenience of having a pigeon nest in their loft, or roost on the top of their roof, will understand the problems these birds can cause.

Here at Combat Pest Solutions, we have over a decade of experience helping both residential and commercial clients to tackle pigeons using effective, safe, and humane measures.

What Damage Do Pigeons Cause?

The majority of the damage caused by pigeons is actually caused by their guano (faeces). In addition to being deeply unsightly, pigeon guano is also corrosive and can damage surfaces such as roofs, walls, or paving if they are subjected to prolonged exposure.

The guano is also laden with germs – many of which are transferable to humans. Because of this, pigeons are now widely recognised as posing a threat to public health, and their escalating numbers in many urban areas is now a serious cause for concern nationwide.

In a residential setting pigeons often cause issues by invading areas such as lofts – using access points including rotten fascias/soffits, broken windows, or missing roof tiles. Pigeons are drawn to enter lofts because of the sheltered, relatively warm conditions that they offer. Once inside, the birds will roost, or even nest. Common signs of this behaviour include the sight of the birds entering or leaving, and the sound of the birds moving about overhead.

Pigeons can also create an issue in commercial premises – either by entering buildings, or simply roosting in large numbers on roofs. As you’d expect, the presence of flocks of pigeons, and the sight of the guano they leave in their wake, can be deeply off-putting, and if the property affected is a restaurant, hotel, office block, or public building, the damage can reach beyond the physical by impacting on the reputation of the business or organisation concerned.