How do Pigeons Get Inside Buildings?

Just like with many other wild critters, pigeons will find their entrances into a building in any way that they can. One of the easiest places for them to start, of course, is through the roof or attic, and this is because the birds land and oversee their territories from the space the roof gives. Not just that, the attic is seldom visited by the human inhabitants of that building, so it gives the birds a chance to try and set up an established flock, with decent nests.

If you see a lot of pigeon droppings around your property, or you see pigeons feeding a lot in your backyard, we highly recommend that you go up into the attic and have a good look around. It won't be long until you find them if they are up there — you will likely see more droppings and perhaps their nests. You may also see twigs, branches, and weird garden debris lying around the place. Pigeons aren't exactly known for being the tidiest animals in the world, nor are they the tidiest birds. They'll make a bit of a mess in the process of building those nests.

The smell might give the game away, too. It'll smell like a wild animal has invaded your attic. If you notice the signs, you know that you have a problem on your hands. The stronger the smell and the more droppings or signs you find, the closer you are to the nesting or roosting spots of those birds.

Just because you can't find pigeons in your attic doesn't mean that they aren't roosting there. They may have moved in and out without your knowledge, but that's no reason to breathe a sigh of relief. Pigeons have amazing memories and they will remember your attic space. Unless you seal it up to make sure the birds can't physically get back in again, and they have no other place on your property to set up residence, you'll continue to have a pigeon problem on your hands year after year.

When we inspect a property for wild critters, we perform an inspection that covers 32 points around the home, first looking inside, and then outside, to make sure that all areas are checked out. With pigeons, the attic and roof are very commonly hit, so you know that's where you should start.

If you can't find holes or signs of pigeon entrance points, try a different approach. Use a torch during the night to check for holes on one day, and then look from the outside during the daylight hours the next. There are some little holes that won't easily be picked up in natural daylight, so by doing this double-investigation, you'll know that you have literally double-checked every nook and cranny of that space.

If you have spent countless hours on the hunt for the sign of entrance points but still can't find them, there are professionals that will gladly assist. (And it'll likely be a faster process.) You will need to look for wildlife removal specialists, or someone that has permits and experience in dealing with pigeons.