Why Do Pigeons Keep Coming Back?
Pigeons can sense the earth’s magnetic fields, and with that comes strong homing senses. Pigeons are very territorial, and they choose particular spots for their warmth, food availability, and how safe is it from potential predators.
They can recognize human faces, navigate using landmarks, and even understand basic concepts like up and down.
But why do pigeons keep coming back? Even after being chased away or hit with a broom, they always seem to find their way back home. It is because once they make a nest, their biology calls them back to that place.
They are homebodies, and they like to spend a good portion of their time in those nests. You might find them near your ledges, balconies, air conditioner units, and even your gutters. They like these places for various reasons.
Read this article to learn more about pigeons being homebodies.
Read more about pigeon habits:
Why Do Pigeons Keep Fly Back to Their Cages?
Pigeons are very territorial birds; they also have great memory and navigation abilities.
- If a pigeon is roosting on your premises, you will have a hard time getting rid of them without any professional help.
- When they are domesticated, they will come back to you as they have incredible homing abilities.
- Another reason kept pigeons come back to their cages or nests is because they can sense magnetic fields, combined with a keen sense of smell.
- Pigeons use their sense of smell to find their nests, their mates, and sources of food.
- They will hover when there is a rich source of food in the area, they can also smell their predators.
- If an area is shown not to have any predators around, pigeons will likely have their homes built in those places.
When a pigeon is born domesticated, it will have a hard time surviving on its own without care and will definitely come back to the cage.
Pigeons are monogamous birds; they have one mate, and they have 5-6 broods of chicks every year. When the weather is warm, they keep reproducing however they can.
Pigeon chicks rarely leave their nests, so when you drive the adult pigeons away, no matter how many times, they will come back for their brood.
We have covered an in-depth article on “Pigeon Habits“; if interested, you can check this article here.
Do Pigeons Come Back to the Same Nest Every Year?
Pigeons do come back to the same nest, ideally if the nest can last brood after brood. They usually go back to the same nest or build a new one close to the old one.
Since they have excellent homing abilities and they do not migrate during seasonal changes, pigeons can identify favorable spots all over the area and stick to a particular spot to call it home.
Pigeons even base their activities around their nests, as during the day, they carry out their tasks, such as sourcing food perched from their nests.
They use their nests to scour the area to hunt for food. Both the male and female take turns incubating eggs, so both sexes spend a lot of their time nurturing their offspring.
They lay their eggs in the same spot because they picked that particular spot for safety.
The nests are strategically made to protect their young from predators. This means that pigeons always go back to the same nest in the same location.
They are biologically inclined to come back to their nest from time to time. If they are not able to come back, they will build a new nest nearby.
How Do You Keep Pigeons from Coming Back?
There are several options or ways you can try to prevent pigeons from coming back to your area, and some of them are listed here.
01. Stop Feeding Them
If you actively feed your pigeons in your area, they will come to you out of habit. They will bring others along with them in hopes of food.
02. Cutting off Food Sources
Same with actively feeding them, having accessible food sources in your neighborhood will cause pigeons to flock.
Make sure your bags are properly sealed when taken out and be sure to properly discard your trash in the bin with the lid closed.
03. Install Anti-Roosting Spike Stripes
In very specific parts of your house, such as window sills, warm crevices, and ledges. These spike stripes prevent pigeons from landing in those areas.
04. Surround Nesting Areas with Netting or Mesh
If you have an air conditioning unit at your house, using mesh or netting is recommended to prevent pigeons from landing on such units. Air conditioners have been a top choice for pigeons over the years.
05. Spraying Them with a Hose
You can spray pigeons with a hose with you are outdoors, like in your garden. This will scare them away, or you can opt for those sprinklers that will start spraying every time you see a pigeon in your lawn.
06. Using Spices
Pigeons hate strong smells like cinnamon, chili, or black pepper. This is an excellent home remedy to prevent pigeons from nesting near you or on your property.
Use a spice bag or use a generous amount to spread over the nesting areas to keep them away.
Keep in mind that you must regularly replace the spice in order to keep them effective.
Conclusion
Why do pigeons keep coming back? It sounds like a recurring problem, and I hope reading this article provides you with some solutions that you can opt for to keep pigeons at bay and under control.
Be sure to take the help of experts rather than taking matters into your hands if the situation becomes overwhelming. You can connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest to find more interesting articles on pigeons and similar topics, so do not forget to follow us.
Article References:
- Premierrodent.com/blog/2014/12/why-you-dont-want-pigeons-around-your-house/
- Fantasticpestcontrol.co.uk/pigeons/how-to-keep-pigeons-away-house/
Image Credits:
- Photo from Istock.com (tracielouise)
- Photo from buddiesexterminating.com
- Photo from Canva.com/photos
