# I hate pigeons **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 23, 2005, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-pigeons/305070 "2005-05-23T11:33:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Raisinette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2acd7d/32.png) [@Raisinette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raisinette)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-pigeons/305070/1 "2005-05-23T11:33:24Z")
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 illness? ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-pigeons/305070/2 "2005-05-23T12:34:24Z")
Life-threatening? Maybe, but probably only if you’re immuno-suppressed. Still, [there are several respiratory infections you can get](http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/epi/epi-pigeon.shtml) from pigeon droppings. I’d expect it would mostly be a problem if you were exposed to a lot of it, for example, if pigeons were roosting in an attic and the dropping were building up or if you disturbed a nest. Still, if you’re worried about the droppings outside your window, you can always wash them away with soap and hot water while wearing a decent face mask. ---
**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:** [May 23, 2005, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-pigeons/305070/3 "2005-05-23T13:19:23Z")
Raisinette, it was only last night I was thinking of opening such a SD thread ! [hijack] I live on the ground floor and there are several nests higher up containing about 8-9 pigeons in all. Our door step, the kitchen window sill and our plants are daily sprayed with droppings. Washing the area and moving the plants daily is no longer an option. Now I’m sure I’m not allowed kill them but would there be a very descret way of getting rid of them without the rest of the neighbours finding out? [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-pigeons/305070/4 "2005-05-23T14:05:51Z")
Here’s a [cite](http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/epi/epi-pigeon.shtml) which confirms what we were told about their droppings. Namely that when dried inhaling spores from them can cause disease. They used to roost in our hanger roof and leave big messages on our aircraft and worksheets. As they are classed as vermin occasionally, someone would arrive with a gun and try and pick them off. Not very successfully either. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-pigeons/305070/5 "2005-05-23T15:52:33Z")
Pest control companies can rid an area of pigeons using a combo of traps, poisons, stick stuff applies to roosting areas, and other things to make the area less hospitable. A friend of mine makes money on the side trapping pest pigeons. He live traps them, then sells them to bird dog clubs who use them for dog training. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-pigeons/305070/6 "2005-05-23T17:20:50Z")
There are commercially-made hunting slingshots. [http://www.camping-gear-outlet.com/camping-gear-6559.html?src=froogle-cgo](http://www.camping-gear-outlet.com/camping-gear-6559.html?src=froogle-cgo) Cheap, available, effective, & essentially unnoticable. The pigeons will think you’re a Ninja, with Real Ultimate Power. ---
**Author:** ![Gymnopithys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@Gymnopithys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gymnopithys)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-pigeons/305070/7 "2005-05-23T17:45:35Z")
> [@Ponster](#): > > Now I’m sure I’m not allowed kill them but would there be a very descret way of getting rid of them without the rest of the neighbours finding out? Use strings to keep them from alighting on windowsills or other places, if accessible. It works. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-pigeons/305070/9 "2005-05-23T20:32:19Z")
> [@Vetch](#): > > Here’s a [cite](http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/epi/epi-pigeon.shtml) which confirms what we were told about their droppings. Namely that when dried inhaling spores from them can cause disease. > They used to roost in our hanger roof and leave big messages on our aircraft and worksheets. As they are classed as vermin occasionally, someone would arrive with a gun and try and pick them off. Not very successfully either. [I was successful with a single pump pellet rifle (w/scope).](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5785470&postcount=22) I’ve probably killed at least 70-90 pigeons over the course of 8 years. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-pigeons/305070/10 "2005-05-23T21:46:51Z")
> [@Yeticus Rex](#): > > [I was successful with a single pump pellet rifle (w/scope).](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5785470&postcount=22) I’ve probably killed at least 70-90 pigeons over the course of 8 years. Pointing something that bears a casual resemblence to a rifle, out a window, in the city, can have serious consequences. My hunting slingshot looks less threatening, & likely wouldn’t scare the $#)^ outta the neighbors. Or scare em into calling the coppers, either. ---
**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:** [May 24, 2005, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-pigeons/305070/11 "2005-05-24T08:34:20Z")
Hmmm, good answers 🙂 I’m on the ground floor and there’re nesting on the 2nd and 4th floors I think (holes in the wall and such). Getting rid of them professionally isn’t an option at the moment as I don’t have the right to. I can’t access the areas where they are (too high up) and even if I shoot them, more will just come back. Though it’d probably be worth killing a few to put my mind at ease 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-pigeons/305070/12 "2005-05-24T11:41:36Z")
Go with the slingshots. Fun, safe, sanitary & cheap. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-pigeons/305070/13 "2005-05-24T14:14:02Z")
I used to live in a high-rise apartment building w/ a serious pigeon problem. They would roost on the balconies and leave a nasty mess. I tried to deter them with many different methods, from little noisy windmills (didn’t work), to string on the railings (didn’t work), shiny pennies (ditto), loud noises (…), you name it, I tried it, and it didn’t work. Their constant coo, coo, cooing was driving my wife and i nuts. One day I just got fed up, grabbed a bamboo stick and beat the ever loving s\*\*t out of one of those winged rats, and left its body laying there for the rest of the day as a lesson to all of the other pigeons in the area. They never came back. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-pigeons/305070/14 "2005-05-24T19:25:22Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > Pointing something that bears a casual resemblence to a rifle, out a window, in the city, can have serious consequences. > > My hunting slingshot looks less threatening, & likely wouldn’t scare the $#)^ outta the neighbors. Or scare em into calling the coppers, either. That’s why I told my neighbors before I took my first shot. You even feel better when they pat you on the back and say, “Get one of those flying bastards for me.”