Pigeons in the Gutter: How to Stop Them

It isn't actually *that* common for pigeons to roost or land actually in the gutter of a house itself, unless you have guttering that is wide, large, or broken/damaged. Saying that, unlikely doesn't mean impossible, and we have personally encountered pigeons and other birds in the guttering.

Birds on the roof in general will have an effect on your guttering, especially when those birds start fouling up there. Nest-building material such as leaves, twigs and branches, can fall into the guttering system fairly easily as the birds carry it up there, and it also gets washed into the guttering if it's left lying on the roof. The odd leaf here and there won't be too problematic, but a build-up of garden/pigeon waste and debris can cause blockages, busted pipes, and even leaks inside the property.

The problem with pigeon poop is that it acts in the same way as concrete. So much so, in fact, that the animal uses it to reinforce its nest. When the birds first build a nest, it is a relatively flimsy construction. As the adult birds defecate on it, and then the baby birds after that, the nest gets stronger and stronger. The same applies with pigeon feces that ends up on your roof or in your guttering. It'll harden wherever it lands, and if that is in the guttering along with a bunch of leaves, you're going to have a gutter-dam in no time at all.

How to stop pigeons in the gutter

To prevent pigeons from getting into and onto the gutter and edges of the guttering, you have two choices. You can either use spike stripes or you can use wire-lines. Both have their pros and cons, and you should choose the option that will better fit the space you're trying to protect.

Wire-lines are easy to install and require nothing in the way of maintenance, but the same can be said for spike strips. Both are customisable and can be cut or created to fit a specific length or space, and both are relatively inexpensive. Spike strips cover more of a surface area, and when positioned on top of the gutter with a special attachment, can also prevent leaves and other debris from getting into the guttering itself. You will still need to clean away the leaves from the spike strips, but it'll be an easier job and less likely to result in a leak inside the building.

Wire-lines generally don't work in spaces that are quite wide because pigeons and other birds can lead either to the front or back of it. Wires that are installed down the centre of guttering still allow pigeons to land on the edge or rim of the pipe, and wires that are installed on the edge can still allow for pigeons and other birds to land in the pipe. Unless you are going to use a duo-wire system, slightly wider spaces are perhaps better treated with some spike strip action.

Whatever happens and whichever approach you decide to take, make sure that you commit to it. Install the device according to the instructions, and keep checking to make sure it's staying right where it should. If it starts to look clogged up with debris and waste (spike strips), or is looking loose and flimsy (wire-lines), you must fix it as soon as possible.

As well as making sure your preventative measures are in place, the removal of actual pigeon-material is important. If you do not clear away the feces that pigeons leave behind, it can have a corrosive action on the materials it comes into contact with, and this can once again lead to leaks and problems inside the building. The feces of animals also encourages flies and other bugs.