Latin:
Pigeons have gradually become common in most major cities, where they search for food in bins and on streets. The pigeons that we see in the city, and which build nests in and on buildings, originate from the common domestic pigeons and are just stray pigeons. Although the pigeons stay in the city, it is important not to feed them as they are considered pests.
Appearance
There is a relatively large difference in the size of pigeons, depending on the type in question. The size of pigeons therefore ranges from 15 to 75 centimeters in length and from 30 g to 2 kg in weight. In general, however, a pigeon can be characterized by short legs, a short beak, and a relatively small head on an otherwise compact and full body. Despite the large body, pigeons have no problem flying, as their wings are similarly large and robust.
Biology and behavior
The stray pigeons prefer to build their nests high up on ledges and the like. And they can manage with quite a bit of nesting material for the purpose. Often a pigeon nest consists only of a mixture of excrement and a bit of twigs or straw. And once a pair of pigeons have found a location, they like to fight a stubborn battle with beaks and claws to maintain it.
A pigeon gets about 10 fly-ready cubs. The pigeon begins its egg laying in the spring, and during the summer the young are ready to move from the nest. In general, however, pigeons that breed in the open air have a fairly high youth mortality rate.
Damage
Pigeons are for most an integrated part of the city in the larger cities, but an excessive presence of the birds can be a major nuisance. And it is especially the excrement of the birds that arouses indignation when they desecrate buildings, monuments, bicycles, cars and benches.
But it is not excrement that alone makes the pigeons a big nuisance. Their cooing noise can also be quite annoying to sleepy neighbors, just as birds can generally clog downpipes and drains with their nesting materials.
In addition, pigeons can come with unintended “side gains”, as they can carry around annoying small crawls such as the pigeon tick. It is also this boring tendency that allows pigeons to act as spreaders of disease. In Denmark, however, only a few cases are known where pigeons have spread dangerous diseases.
Prevention and pest control
The best way to avoid pigeons is to take a number of precautionary measures. Both on a large and small scale. It is first and foremost about making the living conditions of the pigeons as difficult as possible.
Among other things, this can be achieved by making buildings and properties as uninviting as possible. Therefore, it is important to make any areas, such as attics and ledges on buildings, inaccessible for the pigeon to use for breeding grounds.
There are many things you can do to make the pigeon’s options more difficult. Any ledges on buildings should, have a slope so that the pigeon cannot find a foothold on it minimum a slope of 45 °. Holes in walls can be equipped with wire mesh or ultimately be walled.
It is also possible to set up a “spike system” in certain areas where pigeons tend to settle down. Such a system consists of stinging needles in steel wire, which are attached to walls or ledges, and which make it impossible for the pigeon to sit on them. This system is also available in a version with plastic tips that serve the same purpose. The downside by this method, however, is that paper, leaves, or debris can tend to get stuck in the tips.
If you want to scare the pigeons away, you can use a so-called bird paste, which is polyethylene wax in a sticky substance. The paste is applied to exposed areas – such as gutters, cornices, signs or ledges – for the purpose of deterring the pigeon from settling. The pigeon does not like to sit on the soft substance. However, the bird paste is only for use in connection with professional pest control and can therefore not be purchased by private individuals. Typical methods of fighting or scaring birds rarely have an effect on the pigeons. For instance, scarecrows, scents or frightening sounds will rarely have any noticeable effect, as the pigeons are already used to committing themselves in areas with a lot of people and noise.
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