When we think of pests, we usually picture nasty crawlers like insects or rats, but pests can also be nuisance birds such as pigeons. In Dallas, they can be seen all over: nesting on top of (and inside) buildings, rooting around in dumpsters and trash cans, and especially roaming around in parks, waiting for people to drop food.
Pigeons have become such a common sight in cities that most people don’t think twice about them. They don't know their history and they don't know that they can pose problems. So, in the interest of understanding pigeons and the issues they bring, let’s take a closer look at them.
How Pigeons Adapted To Modern Life
Pigeons initially adapted from rock doves that lived in sea caves. As cities became more industrialized and coastlines were swallowed up by urban sprawl, pigeons adapted to living in modern settlements. Skyscrapers and tall structures like parking garages make suitable replacements for caves, and the litter that people leave behind is a readier food source than what can be found in the wild. The rock pigeon is actually considered the world’s oldest domesticated bird. Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs depict pigeons as messengers, and there’s a long history of them being used for parcel delivery or migration tracking.
Common Varieties Of Pigeon
The most common pigeons are feral rock pigeons, which go by many names but are the most abundant kind in the United States. They are light or dark gray, with more luminescent feathers around their necks, especially noticeable in direct sunlight. Their talons are orange or pinkish and they have short beaks and long necks.
Because they’ve grown so accustomed to city-dwelling, pigeons are often regarded as just a typical part of everyday urban life. Some people even feed them, either intentionally by throwing crumbs from park benches or inadvertently by not securing trash bins. This encourages populations of pigeons to thrive and infest more domestic and commercial areas. What people might not know is, just like other pests, there are dangers to having so many pigeons around.
Problems Caused By Pigeons
These birds can do significant property damage since their excrement is highly acidic and corrosive. It can eat through concrete, wood, and even metal. In fact, some architects and bridge workers have taken to putting anti-pigeon elements on buildings and bridges as a way to prevent the birds from landing on the top of structures and coating them in white droppings. Pigeons also nest in nooks and crannies that contain electrical wiring or communications antennas, harming or damaging the systems that we rely on every day.
Pigeons can also carry diseases. There’s a reason why people have taken to calling them “rats with wings,” since they can carry the same types of pathogens and bacteria as rodents that crawl around in sewers. Pigeons also carry parasites such as fleas, lice, mites, and ticks, which can also transmit diseases.
Experts Take Care Of The Problem The Right Way
Because of these issues, Texas law allows you to kill feral pigeons and other pest birds on your property. However, this can cause some unwanted attention, particularly for businesses and homeowners in urban or suburban areas. The best, most humane way to deal with problem pigeons is to contact the professionals at Addison Pest Control to do the dirty work for you. Turn to our pest solutions at the first signs of pigeons and other wildlife.
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