Living With Pigeons
PIGEON FACTS
Doves
and pigeons are members of the pigeon order (Columbiformes), in
which there are 17 reported species in North America. They include
the mourning dove, or turtle dove (Zenaida macroura), found in
all 48 contiguous states; the rock dove, or common domestic pigeon
(Columba liviat), introduced into the U.S. in the 1600s; and the
band-tailed pigeon (C. fasciata), found only in far western states.
Another indigenous species, the passenger pigeon, was the most
numerous bird (estimated at 3 to 5 billion) in North America in
the 1600s but became extinct in the late 1800s due to hunting and
deforestation for agriculture.
Pigeons are larger than doves and tend
to have square or rounded tails. Pigeons range from 6 to 15 1/2
inches long. With 17- to 19-inch wingspans, they are strong flyers.
They are plump birds with small heads and thick gray, brown, or
bluish plumage, usually varied in color with some iridescent feathers.
They have many color variations due to inbreeding. Some species
migrate annually; but others, especially the rock dove, stay in
their home territories. Doves and pigeons are known for their low,
cooing voices.
Rock doves (also known as homing pigeons)
have become domesticated birds; however, they ordinarily are not
kept as pets (although they do make very good pets) but are bred
for racing, exhibition, laboratory work, and meat. During wartime,
pigeons have served many nations as message carriers. They were
also used in plastic boxes mounted under helicopters; when they
saw a yellow or orange life raft, they would peck on a button and
alert the pilot of shipwreck survivors; they saved many humans.
Pigeons have now developed bad reputations in cities as disease
carriers and general nuisances. Their role as disease carriers
has been exaggerated.
Doves and pigeons feed mainly on seeds,
grasses, roots, berries, and grains. Rock doves also eat a few
insects and are excellent scavengers. Members of the pigeon family
share an unusual characteristic: They submerge their beaks in water
to drink (much like a horse), while most birds take a small amount
of water in their beaks and tilt their heads back to swallow.
Pigeons build flimsy platform nests
of twigs and grasses just about anywhere they can find a flat surface,
including building ledges, rafters, beams, cliffs, the ground and
caves. They produce a unique substance called "crop milk," with
which they feed their young.
Rock doves are occasionally taken by
birds of prey, but their primary enemy is humans. They have a life
span of 5 to 15 years in the wild.
Tips
Pigeons often roost in
protected areas, such as entryways where their droppings become
an unsightly problem.
1. Frequently hose droppings away with a strong spray of water.
2. Products that discourage
pigeons are available to place on ledges.
3. Place flexible mesh
netting or rolled chicken wire on the ledge to create an unstable
and uncomfortable surface on which to perch. The wire or netting
can be fastened under eaves if this is the roost area. To keep
birds off window ledges, attach netting to the roof and lower it
to drape across the front of the building; then tightly secure
it at the base. Or use it under beams, supports, or girders to
create a "false ceiling," blocking birds' access to roosting
areas. If access through open doorways such as loading docks is
a problem, hand netting in loose panels that allow people to pass
through but keep the birds out.
4. Block openings to lofts
and vents with netting, wire screen, metal or glass.
5. Pigeons prefer to roost
on flat surfaces. Install metal, wood, or some sheathing at a 60-degree
or greater angle, to make it difficult for the birds to obtain
secure footing. Or install a product known as "porcupine wire" in
parallel rows to create a grid of upreaching barbs on which the
birds cannot stand. Despite its appearance, this product evidently
does not harm birds.
6. Use flexible mesh netting
to protect trees and garden vegetables from droppings.
7. Exclude pigeons from
level roosting areas such as awnings, roofs, and ledges by installing
a taut, fencelike barrier (stainless steel wire or monofilament
line) stretched with support posts every 6 to 18 inches.
8. Habitat modification
can be effective. For example, thin tree branches where birds tend
to gather.
9. Do not feed roosting
birds, especially pigeons. The free handouts birds have become
accustomed to in cities, parks, and yards are largely responsible
for the abundance of roosting birds, especially pigeons. If feeding
is eliminated, chances are good that the birds will move elsewhere.
10. Many forms of repellents
are also effective. Noise making with firecrackers, wind chimes,
or radios, is effective so long as the noise is loud and sudden.
Noise repellents must be used frequently to be effective. Visual
repellents include balloons, bright, revolving lights, and reflecting
surfaces. (Other visual repellents, such as replicas of hawks,
owls, and snakes, have had limited success, depending on the type
of "predator" used, placement, and type of roosting birds
being repelled. Some birds become habituated to the replicas quickly
so are no longer deterred by them.) Using audio and visual repellents
together is most effective.
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