How to Get Rid of Pigeons With Household Products

Pigeons can be found in almost every city and county across the country. They tend to congregate in areas where they are fed, such as in parks or in food establishment parking lots. However, in some cases, they can roost in residential areas, causing damage to property and posing a potential health threat to residents. Getting rid of these nuisance birds can be tough, however, by using a few simple items from around your home, you can get rid of your unwanted houseguests quickly and discourage them from coming back.

Petroleum jelly

Tin foil

Fine mesh netting (pantyhose, produce bags or garment bags)

Thin sheet metal

Tin snips

Metal punch

Metal ring

Fishing line

Net all shrubbery and other nesting areas. Using a fine mesh netting, cover all the areas that the pigeons have been known to roost. This can include shrubs, eaves and structural openings. Take special care to ensure that you aren't trapping any inside. You can use old pantyhose, mesh garment bags or even old produce bags for this purpose.

Install sheet metal wind chimes. Creating this gadget is almost like installing Irritape. Irritape is a highly reflective tape that reflects sunlight as it moves with the wind. It produces an indistinct pattern of colors and flashes that unsettle pigeons and many other species of birds. Simply cut a thin sheet of sheet metal into six 1" wide by 6" long sections. Place a hole into one end with a metal punch and tie a length of fishing line through the hole. Attach the loose end of the fishing line to a metal ring and hang in an area where pigeons regularly roost.

Apply petroleum jelly. This is a non-toxic substance that does not harm the pigeons. It merely irritates them, as most do not like the feeling of the sticky gel stuck to their feet or feathers. Petroleum jelly should be applied to any place that cannot be protected by other physical means.

Install tin foil along your roof and under eaves. Not only does the tin foil reflect sunlight, making pigeons extremely uncomfortable, it is also very slippery, which makes landing tricky for the pigeons that choose to ignore the reflected light. Tin foil alone will usually not drive the pigeons away, but when coupled with another method or two, it can be extremely effective in helping to deter pigeons.

Combining multiple methods will be more effective at getting rid of nuisance pigeons than utilizing one method. Try a few different methods before deciding which ones work and which ones don't.