Rats with wings.  Sky rats.  Gutter Birds.  Flying Ashtrays. Pigeons are one of the most unloved birds around.  Some even suffer from peristerophobia, an extreme fear of pigeons and their potential for contamination, especially because of their prodigious droppings.  There is a basis in fact for this fear.  More people would be seeing therapists for peristerophobia if they knew the extent of the toxicity of this waste to humans.  When their droppings dry out, turn to dust and become airborne they can be absorbed in the mucous membranes of unknowing victims in their eyes, nose, or mouth.  There are over 60 diseases that pigeons can transmit to humans including potentially fatal diseases like salmonella and meningitis as well as a range of histoplasmosis fungal infections.  Respiratory histoplasmosis permanently affects the lungs while ocular histoplasmosis eats away at the eyeball tissue causing serious vision problems.

For property managers, there is no louder complaint of a tenant or visitor being dive bombed by pigeons and having a load of slimy, wet, stinky pigeon poop deposited on one’s clothes or in one’s hair.  It seems that pigeons enjoy using people as target practice for their droppings as though they were playing some distorted version of the flying game of Quidditch in the world of Harry Potter  -- only the Broom of Doom is replaced by the Scoop of Poop.

But Bird Solutions by Cowleys is always ready to go head-to-head against these nuisance birds and their eyesore droppings that cause so much damage to people and property.

Recently, the Bird Solutions crew packed up its van and headed into Queens NY for a major pigeon showdown. A Management Company called us saying that the owner of the building was fed up with the mess that the pigeons were making on a daily basis – and it was time for us to clean house. The tenants, employees, visitors, and students  were constantly complaining about the mess.  The maintenance staff was doing their best, sweeping and power spraying to no end!  But the birds and their poop just kept coming back.  It was a Sisyphean task and at the end of the day the pigeons ruled the roost.

The boys of Bird Solutions got to work and took no prisoners.  We eliminated their resting, loafing, and nesting sites by setting Bird Barriers Dura-Spikes. With the assistance of a 40' boom, Bird Solutions was able to reach the ledge that the birds were favoring.  Just like people have their favorite water holes, pigeons develop preferences where they want to hang out.  We applied spikes with glue and minimal screws. Instant success! The pigeons went to look for a new spot to roost without a spike poking into their rump.  Before laying down the spikes, the areas were thoroughly cleaned and sanitized.

Matt worked crowd control traffic on the busy streets, Phil applied the spikes, and Drew worked his magic on the boom in some pretty tight spots.  While doing the job, we had two other requests for proposals from people walking who were watching in awe.  It is always fun to go to a crowded, high-density area and feel the excitement and energy of the city.

After our visit, it was as though the tenants, landlord, workers and street traffic people were given a new building.  No one had to wonder when walking by or into the building if this was the day that they were going to get dropped on.

Bottom Line on the Queens Pigeon Job:

Bird Solutions By Cowleys  1         Dirty Pigeons:  0

For more information on Bird Solutions by Cowleys visit our www.birdsolutionsbycowleys website.