Experience with Pigeon netting installation?

[Andrew Bodenham]

I'm considering options for excluding pigeons from our church bell tower. External netting over the louvres seems to be the recommended way to proceed. Netting, fixings etc. are readily available from various suppliers.

Has anybody had experience of pigeon netting, in terms of its effectiveness, visibility, installation issues, durability?

 

[Moo]

I've no personal experience, but the building opposite our house has quite a lot of netting which was very effective at keeping the pigeons out until they found (made?) a hole in it. So you may find that regular maintenance will be necessary.

 

[Nigel]

In a similar vein it is getting near to the breeding season for seagulls (I live in a coastal town). They nest on our chimneys, on the flat area adjacent to the pots (too high for me to reach) and then what usually happens is the chicks fall off the roof, bounce and then start walking about the front, or back, garden - sods law means both. During the following weeks we get dive bombed/crapped upon for our sins and our cats are terrorised (fair enough you may say on that front). You can't even walk about your own back garden.

I have spoken to the roofer about this and he is unable to suggest an effective solution. The spikes seemingly don't work for seagulls (they do for pigeons?) and cross wiring simply provides a frame for a nest. The only possible solution is big balls of razor style wire which would be pretty ugly.

Any suggestions appreciated!

 

[Penners]

...seagulls ...Any suggestions appreciated!

Move inland.

 

[Moo]

A sharpshooter?

 

[Flyfisher]

Are you trying to stop the pigeons getting into the bell tower through the louvres or just stopping them perching on the louvres? I guess it depends on the size of the louvre gaps.

Rather than external netting (possibly visible, depending on the mesh size) would it be possible to put something on the inside of the louvres? Somthing like chicken wire would certainly stop them gaining entry and might be totally invisible from the outside (depending on the louvre arrangements).

 

[Pford75]

A sharpshooter?

An air rifle is very effective with pigeons.

We have used the spikes available from Screwfix on a flat section between two roof sections - seems to have worked well. Haven't used it myself, but we were advised that wire netting is better than string netting (as the birds will eventually make holes in the string netting and can become tangled in this)

Sounds callous, but the most effective solution we have found it to remove young from nests (I believe this is only allowed with pigeons as they are classified as vermin and if considered dangerous to human health ...buildup of guano etc. can be culled)

 

[Flyfisher]

An air rifle is certainly effective on an individual pigeon basis, but you'll have a full-time job on your hands to keep the area free of the blighters. Still, pigeon casserole is very tasty, organic and as free-range as you can get!

Incidentally, a license is necessary for legally killing pigeons but the Government [1] maintains an 'open-licence' that allows anyone to kill them for pest-control purposes on the basis that, as Pford75 says, they are classified as vermin.

[1] Seems this has now been delegated to Natural England
http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/conservation/wildlife-management-licensing/genlicences.htm

 

[Andrew Bodenham]

Flyfisher,

We need to net / wire / spike the outside of the louvres. Currently there is wire mesh on the inside of the louvres which stops the pigeons from entering the belfry, but this does not stop them from nesting in the louvres. Over time their muck and nesting debris blows into the tower and gets everywhere.

The air rifle idea has certain attractions, and we may well have to organise a cull in addition to barrier techniques to break the nesting cycle.

 

[Flyfisher]

Yes, I can imagine the mess if they are nesting within the louvres. I presume it's not practical to 'close up' the louvres so they can't get behind them. Otherwise, perhaps adding some mesh between the open gaps on the louvres?

 

[Penners]

Why not chicken wire on the outside of the louvres?

It would keep the chickens out, too.

 

[Nemesis]

I'd contact SPAB for advice/contacts, I can't believe this isn't something already encountered elsewhere and dealt with.