I just moved into a new apartment, and there are some pigeons who like to roost outside the bedroom window. They make intolerable cooing noises during the early morning hours. The previous tenant had dealt with this situation by moving his bed into the living room. I refuse to be run out of my room by these nasty creatures. How do I get rid of them? I should mention that they are perching on the roof of the building next door (only a few feet away), and there are reasons why I cannot ask to get access to the roof. I am perfectly willing to slaughter them if need be. This is war. Here are the suggestions so far:[list=1][li]Shoot 'em with an air rifle. Problems: I’d have to buy one; I don’t know how good my aim is; they might just be replaced by others.[/li][li]Poison them. Question: How do I administer the poison? Problems: might be illegal; they might be replaced by others.[/li][li]Place statues of owls or shiny objects outside my window. I got this one off a website. I doubt the efficacy of the tactic, especially since they may not notice the device from their perch.[/li][/list=1]
Flying cats. Duh.
[sub]Sorry, I just couldn’t resist.[/sub]
How about the pointy perch thingys you see at Disneyland and some malls now? They’re basically a bunch of mini-spikes to discourage perching.
[sub]There…I gave a legit response to make up for my bad joke.[/sub] 
I think your best bet is to get used to it.
You could throw something over there to get rid of them, but I’m not sure what (owls, streamers, firecrackers, ?)
Could you ask the manaagement of the other building to get rid of them? Tell them you’ve seen some of the pigeons look sick, then fall to the ground and get handled by little children.
(grin)
If you are going to shoot them, be sure and tell the person you are buying the air gun from what you intend to do and the distance involved. Pigeons are tough birds, a cheap BB gun won’t work. Plan on spending at least $100.
But the shooting won’t work unless you do it alot. You’re going to have to kill a lot of birds. And then you will have to kill all the ones who think, “This is a good spot” and don’t know there will be shooting. And they will learn that your raising the window means “HIDE”.
Good luck, but again, my advice is to get used it. I’d trade you my neighborhood magpies, but I too much enjoy sitting on the deck and watching them try to steal cow bones from the dog - who then turns into a wolf.
Whistlepig
(A PETA member will enter this thread in . . . 3 posts.)
There are these really cool plastic owls at walmart, and little birds hate(fear)them. why one of the convenience stores here has them on their roof along with a loudspeaker blasting other "big bird (as in swooping, killer hawks) sounds. no more fat cooing pidgeons.
or…why not cut up aluminum pie plates into 4 pieces and make mobiles outside your window that move when the wind blows and scares them off.
or…even some plastic whirly flowers or kitschy flamingos with the whirly wings.
or … get some ear plugs.
The owls don’t work.
I had the same problem; getting woken up by their cooing was incredibly amazingly annoying. The solution? Make their perches unperchable. In my case, we put some kind of weird metal fringe on the ares they were standing on.
Start breeding peregrine falcons. They feed on flying rats.
muffin has the answer. how high up are you? falcons like high nest boxes. perhaps you could get falcon, hawk, or owl, recordings and annoy their sleep.
Dammit! I actually thought here was a thread for something I know a great deal about.
You people are all ignorant! Pigeons are not flying rats, this is a flying rat.
Sheesh…
Turpentine, interesting as that photo is, I couldn’t help but be distracted by the blue-big-jowled-old-lady picture behind him. Ehhhhh?
Turpentine, you’re the best!
No they don’t. In my town, there are numerous plastic owls covered with pigeon poop on rooftops while dozens of pigeons dance around them. I know that birds aren’t the sharpest tools in the shed, but it would seem that even they can figure out that these owls are whipped.
I have owls that nest outside my house. No problems with rats, flying or otherwise (also bunnies, kittens and puppies have to beware, but…).
Start with deterrents. Make the area unattractive for nesting.
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Block any area where they can set up a nest, including ledges, eaves and overhangs.
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Use a tightweave netting (make sure there are no holes or gaps) wherever there are covered overhangs. Check it often to make sure a bird has not crawled in and cannot crawl out again.
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Porcupine wire or Bird Barriers makes the area uncomfortable for landing or roosting. I certainly would not want to stand on needle sharp wires.
[NOTE: I am not an advocate of the site above - there are a lot of questions regarding Avitrol and other lethal products put out by pest control companies (and again, you must be a licensed professional to use them). I merely include it for the links on the spiky wires. Also, please do not use glue traps: the bird sticks there and usually dies of starvation - not a pleasant nor humane way to go
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String fishing line about 6 inches apart in front of the area so the bird cannot fly or stretch its wings without encountering a line.
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Pigeons are not protected by many laws (with the general exception of the humane dispatch of animals), so the Migratory Bird Treaty Act or the Endangered Species Act would not apply: laws against removing the nest and eggs generally would not apply. Again, caveat: check with your state wildlife agency, just to make sure.
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Contact your state (or provincial) equivalent of the Fish & Game Commission/Fish & Wildlife Service or the community extension of your state agriculture department. They may have other suggestions on dealing with ‘nuisance animals’ that I cannot think of here.
If you must use a lethal method, check with your local and state ordinances regarding the humane dispatch of animals (if you must dispatch them, do it humanely), use of firearms and use of poisons or any sort (either an actual poison or an excessive dose of veterinary medication). Especially with the last, there may be a lot of permits and restrictions.
Note with poisons: many poisons are not species specific, so general broadcasting of poisons in the area can affect songbirds (and other species you prefer to have around), pets and raptors (the latter two especially which may feed on the sick pigeon or on its carcass).
Good luck. I had two nesting on my neighbors porchlight, and the babies peeped and cooed for days and nights on end.
screech - (“owls rule!!”) - owl