# Getting rid of pesky pigeons

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-pesky-pigeons/317561>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 18, 2005, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-pesky-pigeons/317561 "2005-08-18T09:42:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mamboman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@mamboman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mamboman)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-pesky-pigeons/317561/1 "2005-08-18T09:42:34Z")

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Does anyone have a reasonably humane and cheap method of getting rid of a large (100 + birds) infestation of pigeons. I’m not sqeamish about the fate of the birds, all the same I am not prepared to terminate with extreme prejudice just yet. Poisons are absolutley right out for various very good reasons.

I am trying a process of feeding them with laying mash laced heavily with alcohol - someone told me this would convince the pigeons that the food around my joint was no good and they would find somewhere else. But apart from a lot of very sozzled pigeons flying into walls, it doesn’t really seem to have had much effect. Is this urban myth or does it take time?

Any and all advice appreciated.

mm

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**Author:** ![Ponster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponster/32/17081_2.png) [@Ponster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponster)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-pesky-pigeons/317561/2 "2005-08-18T09:47:40Z")

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Believe it or not but this came up a few months back…

> **[I hate pigeons](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=317817)**
>
> I live on the third floor of a house, and outside my front window there are always pigeons sitting around. Needless to say, the roof is covered in droppings. Is this harmful to me? Can I develop a lung disease or some other lovely life-threatening...

Slingshots seemed to be one of the better answers 🙂

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**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-pesky-pigeons/317561/3 "2005-08-18T12:50:51Z")

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One other suggestion. Bird-dog clubs use pigeons for training, and may be willing to trap and remove the birds.

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**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-pesky-pigeons/317561/4 "2005-08-18T12:57:28Z")

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There are companies that specialize in bird deterrence. One of the biggerst is Bird-X:

[http://www.bird-x.com/products/index.html](http://www.bird-x.com/products/index.html)

As I mentioned recently in a thread on woodpecker deterrence, the "Scare Eyes balloons haven’t been shown to work on woodpeckers. But I believe they are effective on pigeons. They’re one of the cheaper deterrents. Plasstic owls and hawks have, I know, worked in other places.

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**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-pesky-pigeons/317561/5 "2005-08-18T14:08:27Z")

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When they see us coming, the birdies all try an’ hide,  
But they still go for peanuts when coated with cyanide.

- Tom Lehrer