Why Do Pigeons Sit on My Roof?

The last thing you would want is to have a bunch of pigeon cooing in unison and doing some abstract artwork with their poop on your rooftop.

No kidding, these notoriously loud birds can put you on edge and milk you out by causing some expensive damage.

Now, you must be wondering why do pigeons sit on my roof. No, don’t entertain yourself by thinking that they are attracted to you.

They aren’t! The only things they care about are food and nesting. Possibilities are there that the pigeons have discovered a vital food source around your roof or a great view of their food source from the rooftop. Also, it can be the attic that has lured them into making a nest.

To put more emphasis on this broad topic as in why and how to deter them, I have curated an informative guide below.


Read more about pigeons behavior:

Why Do Pigeons Gather on My Roof?

Having a group of pigeons swarming on your rooftop isn’t a good sign as coming to your window. It has completely different reasons, and unfortunately, none of the reasons are favoring.

I understand how this occurrence can instill fear and all sort of anticipations in your mind as pigeons taking a fancy to your roof and summoning other birds to join them is frightening indeed.

Why Do Pigeons Gather on My Roof

It’s like someone is trying to invade your haven and breach your privacy. All your feelings are valid, and gladly upon finding the reasons, you can resolve this problem.

Now there are four primary reasons why your roof has become a wonderland to a cult of pigeons, and below I have discussed it comprehensively.

We have covered an in-depth article on “Pigeon Behavior“; if interested, you can check this article here.

Four Things that Attract Pigeons to Your Rooftop

These are the four common reasons why pigeons are attracted to your rooftop and never seem to go away.

Four Things that Attract Pigeons to Your Rooftop

01. Leeway to an Easily Accessible Food Source

Pigeons are one of the most ethereal and godly beings with their psychedelic visions. They are self-reliant and don’t like people’s interference or unsolicited help in their business.

Since you have mostly seen them making their homes in a peaceful, hideous place that is divorced from urban life, their taking shelter on your rooftop may feel absurd.

However, one thing you are forgetting is, be it humans, animals, or birds, we all are juggling for food and a safe home.

So, the impulsion behind this prompt is nothing but finding food and securing it.
Most probably, the folk pigeon has discovered easy access to hunting insects or seeds from your roof. Thus, they are gathering on your rooftop.

Because why not? They ain’t gonna fly mile after mile to get some food if your rooftop happens to be the perfect get-at-able way. And once they get the hang of it, they aren’t going to stop.

It’s contagious, the greed for food and having their stomach full as well as their squabs. Chances are that one pigeon will teleport to another pigeon, and the word will spread apace-like fire in a stash of alcohol.

And this is the worst that can happen. You will then see pigeons in groups gathering on your rooftop without any sign of leaving permanently.

02. A Precise View of a Feeding Source

Another reason why pigeons are sitting on your rooftop is having a great view of a feeding source from your rooftop. For instance, your home must be near some restaurants where a lot of waste food is found.

Now, this wasted leftover food will be lodged in the garbage can, and that’s my friend is a gold mine for the pigeons.

Nothing allures them more than food, and a garbage can or places like that have food in abundance. So, that can be a very plausible reason why these feathery nuisances are gathering on your rooftop.

03. Attic Nesting

If there’s a group of pigeons resting on your rooftop, and that’s a frequent scenario, then perhaps they have already tailored themselves a cozy little nest inside your attic.

The thing is, pigeons love to live in harmony with other pigeons as a community. Who doesn’t like to have some friends to come over and chill, right?

So, anyway, once a pigeon has found a way to your attic, it’s not gonna keep this information to itself. Pigeons aren’t selfish and jealous like us humans.

They will let all the other neighborhood pigeons know and nest and roost close to each other. Thus, it’s normal for a pigeon to sit on your rooftop once it finds a comfortable place to live, and as a matter of fact, the closest group will join.

And that’s when the hell breaks loose, as your attic has been transformed into a pigeon neighborhood at this point before you know it.

No wonder your attic will be crammed with pigeon feathers, pollutants, and, not to mention, pigeon poop.

04. Gutter Nesting

If you haven’t found any pigeon nests inside your attic, then they have probably intervened in the gutter for nesting. The curved gutter shape is ideal for pigeon nesting as it protects them from sunlight and predators.

It won’t take them long to nest inside the gutter and clog it. As a result, the water won’t come out during rainy seasons.

And you will have to call a plumber to unclog the gutter and get rid of all the mess the pigeons have created. This is going to cost you a fortune for sure.

So the next time you ask yourself why do pigeons are gather on my roof, you might wanna consider these reasons and take necessary steps.

Are Pigeons Bad for My Rooftop?

They are harmless if they aren’t damaging your property because aren’t we all thriving for food to survive? That’s their way of survival, and you can’t blame them for doing so.

Are Pigeons Bad for My Rooftop

However, when it comes to the point where they are harming your property by frequent pooping or ruining your peace of mind by constant cooing, then it’s undoubtedly bad.

Can Pigeons Ruin My Roof?

Yes, they certainly can. If it’s a rare or momentary occurrence, then the worst that can happen is some feathers and pigeon droppings here and there on your rooftop.

If that doesn’t feel like a problem to you occasionally, then there is no need to panic. However, if that’s frequent and the pigeons are only coming back with more pigeons and sitting longer than ever, then it’s alarming.

Can Pigeons Ruin My Roof

By taking over your attic, they will brim over the place with droppings, feathers, and leftover food mess. This can not only cause some serious damage to your attic but also spread an awful stench and attract other insects and rodents.

On the other hand, if they have nested inside your gutter, then soon it will be blocked and hinder water drainage.

What Do You Do About Pigeons on Your Roof?

Leave them alone if that’s a rare scenario, but if that’s frequent and the number of pigeons visiting your rooftop is only increasing, then it’s time to get rid of them once and for all.

What Do You Do About Pigeons on Your Roof

Here are five amazing remedies to deter pigeons from your rooftop.

01. Install a Scare Pigeon

Just like scarecrows, you can install a scare pigeon on your rooftop, such as lightweight kites looking like hawk’s silhouettes.

It will create an illusion and deceive the bird into thinking that they are being watched and can be attacked.

This will scare them away from your pigeon effectively.

02. Create a Prism Effect

You can use reflective surfaces to render a prism effect that will successfully meddle with the pigeon’s eyesight and ward them off. The best part about this is you don’t have to invest a pile of money in executing this plan.

Just look around your house for some old cassettes, reflective tapes, aluminum foils, etc., and hang them on the trees.

This will work without a doubt to repel the pigeon gathering on your rooftop.

03. Apply Gel Repellents

Gel repellents release an ultra-violet glow that keeps the pigeon away from your roof, and it’s affordable too. Also, it’s not going to cause any harm to the pigeons as they are non-toxic.

The application is very easy, and a tiny amount of lathering will be enough to cover up the area for the most part.

04. Install Anti-Roosting Spikes

This is one of the most effective ways to secure your roof from pigeon nesting.

If you don’t mind investing some time and paying a hefty amount of cash to a professional, then you should resort to this method without a doubt.

Install Anti-Roosting Spikes

It doesn’t need constant maintenance and is very easy to upkeep.

Once you have installed the spikes, you can rest assured that the pigeons won’t ever dare to put their tiny feet on your rooftop. Within two or three days, the pigeons will leave your roof and never come back.

05. Using Ultra-Sonic Devices

You can hire a professional to install ultra-sonic devices on your rooftop that will emit some sort of soundwaves to deter the pigeons.

Using Ultra-Sonic Devices

Even though you can’t hear them yourselves, the pigeon will surely be bothered by it and abandon your rooftop.

How to Get Rid of Pigeons on the Roof Under Solar Panels?

Here are six ways to pigeon proof your solar panels effectively

01. Install Bird Mesh Wire: It adheres to the perimeter of your solar panel and prevents the pigeons from gaining access.

02. Bird Netting: This method helps to block the entryway for the pigeon so they can’t access their desired hiding or nesting place.

How to Get Rid of Pigeons on the Roof Under Solar Panels

03. Bird Spikes: By installing bird spikes by a professional, you can prevent the pigeons from taking shelter on your roof under the solar panels. If the pigeons have already found access and not getting away, then give it two days after installing bird spikes and watch them leave.

04. Clean the Garden: In case your garden has some sort of food source, chances are there that pigeons will be attracted to it and take shelter on your rooftop solar panels. Thus, one of the most proactive solar panel pigeon control methods is to keep your garden clean.

05. Clean the Solar Panels Religiously: Dirty solar panels are like heaven to pigeons. So, if you keep them clean, they will become less attractive to the pigeons, and the possibility of them sitting under the solar panels will be slimmer.

06. Contact a Professional: If none of the above mentioned methods seem to work or you are feeling a bit overwhelmed, then call a professional and get the job done.

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Hopefully, in today’s informative guide on answered your query about why pigeons sit on my roof, you have found all your answers.

With all honesty, pigeons are quite harmless, and they don’t directly attack you or something. So, no need to worry.

On the other hand, having multiple pigeons sitting on your roof every day and creating a mess isn’t a pleasant sight either.

Thus, knowing the reasons and implementing the methods to get rid of them will do the math.


Image Credits:
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  • Critter Kill