How To Get Rid of Pigeons in a Barn? 10 Humane Ways

Get Rid of Pigeons in a Barn

Also known as ‘the Rats of the Sky’, Pigeons can prove destructive.

Pigeons are giant doves that aren’t aggressive like seagulls, but they are far more damage-causing than most birds. Observing them in a barn might look no less than a scene straight out of a movie. However, the result of their presence in a barn is noxious and not at all fancy.

Pigeons perching or nesting in your barn can prove a big problem. Their presence in the barn can turn it into a foul-smelling and messy wasteland. And because pigeons often flock in high numbers (10 to 30 birds together), their invasion proof highly disastrous. Not only will they damage your expensive agricultural produce, but pigeon dropping can also lead to a chemical reaction on the roof or sliding of a barn.

How to deter pigeons? 10 Effective and humane ways

How to get rid of pigeons naturally? Birds are lovely unless they are present in an unwanted space. For example, observing a pigeon from far is blissful but observing them in your own barn or anywhere in the personal space is a matter of concern. Though thankfully, there are many different things you can do for getting rid of this problem.

  1. Begin with eliminating all the food sources. Pigeons or any other birds, for that matter, loves free food. Thus for making the place unattractive for them, remove all food sources. For instance, eliminate bird feeder, close bin’s lid tight enough, hide pet food, clean food scraps, and more.
  2. Make sure the barn is well secured. Most of the barns have one or the other open spaces. These may be a fault in architectural planning or spaces left open intentionally for receiving sunlight. Though whatever it is, pigeons use them as spaces to enter the bar. Thus, make sure you cover all such poking possibilities. If required, you can install screens on open parts of the barn, which will aid in receiving better sunlight, yet blocking the way for birds.
  3. Monitor for nesting and discourage the efforts. If even one pigeon nests in your barn, it will attract ten quite quickly. Thus, frequently monitor the eaves, sloping, and roof of your barn for any nesting development. If found anything, discourage the nesting phase before pigeons successfully go forward with it.
  4. Controlling a few visiting pigeons is easy, though when they are in large numbers, the process gets tough. And here, you might need to use pigeon birth control. It will help you in controlling their population and thus their invasion of your personal property.
  5. Install bird spikes on the roof of the barn. It will discourage pigeons from landing or roosting. You can go for either the plastic anti-roosting spikes or the stainless-steel ones.
  6. Hang reflective tapes all across the barn. Reflective tape, upon receiving sunlight, develops a dramatic pattern. Due to sunlight, they create a unique reflection that partially blocks the pigeon’s vision. This further discourages these birds from flying close to the place. Reflective tapes are harmless and stay for a long time.
  7. Use bird repellent gel on the exteriors of the barn. Bird repelling gel has a sticky feel to it, and birds don’t like it under their feet. All you need to do is, apply it thickly on the perching places of your barn. Repeat the process every 2 to 3 months or sooner, depending upon the weather.
  8. Run fishing string all over the barn. It, though, is invisible but prevents birds, including pigeons, from roosting on the place.
  9. Install slinkies all over the roosting spaces in the barn. The way it moves, and rolls will keep birds from landing.
  10. Or, install scarecrows/ owl decoys on the roof of your barn. Invest in the baits with moving heads and glittering eyes.

How to get rid of pigeons without harming them?

The best way to deter pigeons without harming them is by ‘Scaring’ them of. Physically harming a pigeon or any other bird, for that matter, is illegal. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act 1918 provides protection to native wild birds, including pigeons. Under this act, anyone who kills pigeons or even destroys their nest and eggs will be harassing the law. Even in circumstances when it is essential to do so, one requires a special permit for the same.

Also, because birds are essential for our ecosystem, deter them but refrain from killing them.

How to scare away pigeons but no other birds?

All birds can prove destructive, but pigeons are one of the top-rated nuisance makers amongst them. That is why individuals often attract birds to their property, but they prefer deterring pigeons. But how? Is it possible to attract other small birds and not pigeons? Yes, you can entertain birds in your yard and deter pigeons at the same time. Here is how you can do the same:

  • Install Anti-pigeon nest: Open and large nests are unappealing for pigeons. Instead, they rather prefer nests that are closed and have adequate protection. You may have noticed them building nests on eaves or on highly confined roof spaces. Thus, to avoid pigeons, first, discourage their nest building. And following that, plant open, large nests in your garden for attracting other birds.  
  • Cover places like eaves and sheds with bird netting: Now, when you know pigeons choose a few particular places for nesting, the idea is to cover those places. A bird netting will do the job cleverly, keeping pigeons away. However, it won’t keep other birds from visiting your property. Since it is just a barrier and not a scare device, the idea is safe to use.
  • Call professionals for help: At last, if nothing works, then call professionals. The team will equip your home with anti-pigeon devices.

How to keep pigeons away from my balcony?

Keeping pigeons away from your balcony isn’t very difficult. All you need is some commercial products followed by a few mindful steps. Here are a few tried and tested tips for the same:

  1. Line your balcony railing with anti-roosting bird spikes. If required, install spikes on window grills and all possible pigeon resting places.
  2. Hang reflective tape on your balcony. You can also replace the tape with mirrors or shiny bird spirals. Old CDs will also do the job well.
  3. Set up one or two wind chimes on your balcony. Go with metal chimes as with producing noise; they will also reflect, thus doing the job for two deterrents in one.
  4. Place an owl decoy on your balcony and keep moving it repeatedly (Once or twice daily).

What home remedy gets rid of pigeons?

Pigeons are a vital part of our ecosystem, and they are high in number. They always travel in the flock and scare away other small birds. However, humans have endless ways to deter pigeons. No, we are not talking about the product-based methods but the home remedies. Come let’s have a look at them.

  1. Sprinkle some honey on your balcony or patio, ideally where pigeons come and rest. Honey being sticky will drive pigeons far away. Later, when the job is done, you can wash the surface easily with water.
  2. Sprinkle some baking soda on your balcony. Pigeons do not like the feeling of powdery substances like baking soda under their feet; thus, it will do the job well.
  3. Sprinkle some black pepper powder on the surface where pigeons love perching.
  4. Or, prepare a solution using three tablespoons of red pepper powder, three tablespoons of vinegar, and a cup of water. Mix the solution well and let it rest for 2 to 3 days. After that, give the solution a good mix and sprinkle it wherever pigeons perch on your property.
  5. Or, pet a cat since pigeons are hell scared of cats.

What smell do pigeons hate the most?

Pigeons have an extremely strong sense of smell. Their remarkable ability allows them to smell even as far as at a distance of 200 kilometers. Benefiting from this fact, you can use pigeons’ sense of smell for deterring them away. How?

Pigeons absolutely hate the smell of onion, garlic, black pepper, cinnamon, hot and chili peppers, vinegar, jalapenos, cumin, ghost peppers, perfume, cologne, and peppermint essential oil. Thus, you can use products with these fragrances to deter pigeons. For best results, try mixing two or more ingredients together.

Is there a spray to get rid of pigeons?

Pigeon Repellent sprays (Commercial)

Flock Free Bird Repellent Ready Spray Bundle

Mighty Mint 16oz Peppermint Oil Rodent Repellent Spray

Rodent Sheriff Pest Control – Ultra-Pure Peppermint Spray 

Pigeon Repellent Spray (DIY)

  • Spicy Hot And Chili Peppers + vinegar Spray (Take a spray bottle, add spicy hot chili peppers, vinegar and water. Give it a good shake and spray on the place where pigeon perch)
  • Garlic and Online Oil Spray (Take a spray bottle and add two tablespoons of Garlic and Onion Oil Each. Add half a cup of water and give it a good shake. Further spray it on places where pigeons perch).

NOTE: Do not use any of the above (commercial and DIY) sprays directly on pigeons or any other birds.

How do I permanently get rid of pigeons?

Getting rid of pigeons or any other birds permanently is a slightly tricky task. At times even after using multiple pigeon repellent remedy (s), you might not gain good results. And maybe sometimes even a single product can free your property from pigeons. The idea here is to keep trying different remedies until you find a suitable one.

Also, you cannot just use a product for a week and rest assured for a year. Instead, invest in a few bird repelling products that will give you long-lasting results. For example, covering your property with bird netting may help you get rid of birds, including pigeons, permanently.

Wrapping up…

Knowing how to get rid of pigeons isn’t difficult, but following the process might turn out. However, instead of getting discouraged, we recommend you follow the tips nicely. The results might take some time to show but not forever.