You deter pigeons by combining two things: make their regular perch unusable and make the rest of the yard feel unsafe. On a ledge, beam or gutter, you do that with tensioned wire; in open areas, with a bird-of-prey kite, scare balloons or a laser lamp. There is equipment here for all those steps, from the Birdshield kite with fibreglass mast and stainless steel ground plate to the Knock Pest scare balloons, the LaserOp 3.0 and fixing wire with adhesive feet, hooks and crimping pliers.
Step 1: remove the perch
Pigeons return to the same places to rest and roost. Tension fixing wire there a few centimetres above the surface, secured with adhesive feet or hooks and crimped with the crimping pliers. A pigeon can then no longer land securely. Tackle ledges and solar panels that call for spikes with materials from proofing and screening.
Step 2: make the yard unsettling
Where birds forage or look for food, such as by a feed store or manure pad, moving scare devices work. A kite on a mast resembles a bird of prey and works best in wind. Hang scare balloons in visible places and move them regularly. A laser lamp is useful at dusk and in large, covered spaces; never point it at people, roads or houses.
Step 3: nothing to gain
As long as spilled grain or open feed is lying around, pigeons will keep trying. Sweep up feed residues, cover feeders and silo openings and do not feed poultry in the open if pigeons eat with them. That removes the reason to come back.
Think of the bird
The aim is to deter, not to injure. In the Netherlands wild birds are protected, and they are in many other countries too, so leave occupied nests alone and put up wire and deterrents outside the breeding season; check the rules where you live. More background per situation is in bird deterrents; all pests are under pest control.
Frequently asked questions
What works best to deter pigeons?
A combination: remove the perch with wire or spikes and make the surroundings unsettling with a kite, balloon or laser. One method on its own soon loses its effect.
How high do I tension wire against pigeons?
A few centimetres above the ledge or beam, so a pigeon cannot land securely. Follow the instructions for the number of wires and the distance between the adhesive feet.
Do pigeons get used to a scare balloon?
Yes, if it always hangs in the same place. So rehang them somewhere different each time and add a kite or laser.