Pigeons roosting on your business premises: the risks and the fix

Feral pigeons do well in town centres. There is food dropped on the street, and buildings full of ledges, signs and sheltered recesses to sit on. If they have settled on your shopfront, signage or rear yard, the fouling below is a problem for staff, customers and the building itself.

01Why pigeons choose your building

Pigeons look for high, flat, sheltered places to roost, close to where they feed. On commercial buildings that usually means:

• ledges, parapets and window heads on the frontage
• the tops of fascia signs, canopies and projecting signs
• recesses, gaps behind signage and open voids at roof level
• rear yards, service areas and loading bays, especially near bins or food waste

Food businesses, takeaways and anywhere with outdoor seating are particularly attractive. Feral pigeons breed all year round, so a few birds on a ledge can become an established flock.

02Why it matters to a business

• Hygiene. Pigeon droppings can carry bacteria and fungi, and dried droppings break down into dust that can be breathed in. Over a doorway, an outdoor seating area or a delivery point, that is not something you want customers or food near.
• Slips. A build-up of droppings on a pavement, step or walkway becomes slippery when wet, and that is a risk to staff and the public.
• The building. Fouling stains and wears stone, brick, render and signage, and nest material blocks gutters and downpipes, which leads to water damage.
• Appearance. A fouled frontage or a sign streaked with droppings puts people off before they come through the door.
• Secondary pests. Nests can hold mites and insects that move into the building once the birds leave.

03What you can do as a business

• Remove the food. Keep bins lidded and bin areas clean, clear tables promptly, and discourage staff and customers from feeding birds.
• Clean safely. Anyone clearing droppings should wear gloves and a mask, and dampen the droppings first rather than sweeping them dry.
• Note where the birds sit. Watching where they land, roost overnight and nest tells you where proofing is needed.

Scaring devices such as decoy birds of prey, reflective strips and recorded calls rarely make a lasting difference. Pigeons quickly work out that they are harmless.

04What the law says

Feral pigeons are wild birds and are covered by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Before any proofing goes in, the area is checked for active nests, and because pigeons breed throughout the year, that check matters in every season. Proofing keeps the birds off the building without harming them.

05How we proof commercial premises

Every building is different, so we survey first: where the birds land, roost and nest, what the elevation is made of, and how it can be reached safely. The usual measures are:

• Spikes or sprung wire on ledges, sign tops and parapets, so birds cannot settle.
• Netting to close off recesses, lightwells, canopies and loading bays.
• Mesh over gaps and voids at roof level.

Fouling and nest material are cleared and the area disinfected before the proofing goes in. Our guide to anti-roosting measures explains how each system works.