Pigeons Past to Present Problem

How pigeons came to get so close

It is hard not to love a pigeon. In small numbers, they connect us with nature and provide a living backdrop to the harsh urban environments in which we live and work.

The pigeons we see in our towns and cities are descendants of the Rock Dove which naturally lives on cliffs in coastal regions.

Over the years, they have adapted well to living alongside us, swapping cliffs for buildings. Our architecture provides ideal roosting and nesting spots.

The move to areas of human habitation and their close association with man has been greatly influenced by our using pigeons as a food source, both for meat and eggs. They have also been vital in times of conflict to carry and transport messages

We have also used them to work for us in the transportation of messages.

Today we can still see a wide variety of man-made dovecotes dating back over many centuries and used to house pigeons near to where we lived.

Many people get pleasure in feeding them and this further encourages them to live in our proximity…

…as does the free availability of food we discard on our streets.

The problem with Pigeons

Pigeons become pests when we consider their droppings or faeces. When present in high numbers pigeons can present a hazard.

A build-up of faecal matter is unattractive.

The droppings can damage property.

And can lead to costly maintenance.

The problem with pigeon droppings and faeces build-up depends on where they land.

When wet, a build-up of droppings on surfaces can present a slippage risk which, in our litigious age, creates a liability for those responsible for maintaining the environment.

Our heritage and outdoor works of art are very vulnerable. The acidity can cause damage to stone and paintwork.

There is not only a cost to pay for the removal but an associated potential risk to health for those responsible for cleaning up the mess. Those who work in the pest and facilities management sector are often most at risk as they often provide the cleaning services to remove unwanted guano.

Pigeons and disease transmission to humans

Pigeons have been found to carry several transmissible diseases.

The primary means of transmission is through the droppings, which when dry, the infection vector (virus or bacteria) becomes powdered and floats up into the air as dust, which can be inhaled.

Those with weakened immune systems are most vulnerable.

Organisms that pigeons have been found to carry include

Feral pigeons are also commonly infected with the zoonotic bacterium .

Chlamydophila psittaci, the agent of psittacosis (also known as ornithosis) in humans.