Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)

The Rock Dove, or Rock Pigeon, or simply Pigeon, is the oldest recorded bird to be domesticated by humans. They have been used, for years, as a way to send and receive messages, especially during times of war. They can be very useful birds, but the wild ones can inflict a large amount of damage to an area in a short amount of time. Pigeon removal can be a daunting process, but ASAP Operators know just the proper way to removal the birds from your home or business.

HABITAT AND DIET

While pigeons can be found in the wild, all across most of the world, they tend to settle in urban areas, like big cities. New York City, for example, has had a huge problem with pigeons for years. Wild pigeons that don’t nest in urban areas tend to prefer farmland or rocky cliffs to nest in.

When it comes to food, pigeons are far from picky eaters. Their diet generally consists of seeds, fruits, and bugs. However, pigeons are known to take advantage of any food humans leave out for them to access. In urban settings, pigeons will eat anything and everything.

DAMAGE

“What damage can a flock of birds do? Why do I need someone to help with pigeon removal? Are they really that big of a problem?”

Some people don’t understand the damages that flocks of pigeons can inflict. People usually just think of them as pests. They’re annoying and in the way, and their excrement is all over the place, but they really aren’t hurting me. Unfortunately, that isn’t always true.

While pigeons in and of themselves aren’t dangerous, they have been known to carry dangerous disease. They have been known to carry E. Coli, Salmonella, Listeria, West Nile Virus (though the virus is transmitted through mosquitoes that bite pigeons and then humans, rather than directly from the birds), and even a strain of meningitis. They can also aggravate people suffering from asthma and other breathing difficulties.

Not only that, but pigeon droppings contain a high level of acid that often eats into soft stone and wood, causing long-term damage to buildings. Their feathers and droppings can also contaminate water when they clog and go down drains.