Going insane

[sunsetscy]

Hi we have just moved into park home near lovely fields and trees ... and have some pigeon friends nesting nearby.

Can someone please tell me why they keep tapping the roof at 4:00 am in the morning. They don't do it at any other time of day, just when the sun's coming up. They tap, tap, tap. There is no moss or anything on the roof.

Any suggestions of how to deter them would be very much appreciated.

Sunsetscy.

[nycpigeonlady]

You can deter them by placing a couple of fake birds of prey - those plastic owls - on your roof. At some point they may stop working as the pigeons wise up to the deception, but they will definitely work for a good while and are a very easy solution. A more extreme option would be the pigeon spikes which stop the birds from landing wherever the spikes are. Pigeons can however still land around them, so if they are to work they must be installed everywhere that you don't want the birds perching, and it may be rather impractical to cover a whole roof, though it can be done.

I appreciate you coming here for advice from people who are pigeon-friendly. Deterrents are effective and humane ways to deal with the problem. Please do not use any methods that will harm the birds - they are just doing their morning routine like the rest of us.

[Miss-Sassypants]

This is probably a complete digression... but from where I come from, when there is tapping on the roof at such ungodly hour, it probably isn't a bird - it's a ghost! Lol..

Sorry, couldn't help but say that

Please do follow Eva's advice

[nycpigeonlady]

LOL, they may be ghosts but they still want to eat - mine start tapping at 5.30 a.m.

[sunsetscy]

Many thanks for your advice and comments ). I will try the owl idea first ... stay tuned !

Sunsetscy.

[Quazar]

Since youre in the UK, and from what you say about the surroundings, i'm hazzard a guess that these arent feral pigeons, but wood pigeons.
(do they have white feather markings around their neck)
Chances are your house is their first stop when they leave for their travels in the morning and depending how close you are to the trees, they may well be picking at small seeds that have been blown around during the night and are very noticeable to them on your roof.
It may also be the type of tiles on your roof that attract them. If the tiles are those flexible ashphalt type, they may well be after the grit in them.
Normally I really wouldnt expect anyone to hear birds ON a house roof pecking, as the roof insulation would deaden the sound.
As mentioned, a couple of plastic owls may deter them, but unless you move them about regularly, they will get used to them & learn they arent a danger.
The other possibility is that it isnt birds at all. Have a good look around the overhangs & eaves of your roof, squirells love to nest in such areas and their movements within those areas can sound very similar.

[sunsetscy]

Hi Bob
Thanks for replying, they are definitely pigeons, they are nesting in a tree nearby. The book says wood pigeons. Our parkhome has metal tiles so we hear them quite easily even through the insulation. Getting owl on line as we speak ...
Sunsetscy.

[Larry_Cologne]

If they want grit, maybe try giving them some grit. Cheaper than plastic owls or spikes.

You haven't mentioned what type of roofing you have, or what type of trees and vegetation you have nearby.

I have put (pigeon) grit in a bowl, and my pigeon rescues would sometimes ignore it; I suppose because it was unfamiliar to them. When I spread it out a bit, they went for it.

If you could spot what they are pecking at, it would be interesting to know.

--- okay, your last post, mentioning metal roofing, popped in before mine. Anyway, my idea is to supply them with an alternative or a substitute place to peck.

[Skyeking]

Originally Posted by sunsetscy

Hi Bob
Thanks for replying, they are definitely pigeons, they are nesting in a tree nearby. The book says wood pigeons. Our parkhome has metal tiles so we hear them quite easily even through the insulation. Getting owl on line as we speak ...
Sunsetscy.

Moving your thread to the correct forum.