What birds are the biggest pests?
The pigeon, starling and house sparrow have learned to thrive, living in our buildings and eating our food. Their adaptation to our communities has brought them into close proximity to humans. These three non-native birds have become a major nuisance in our cities and they pose a serious health risk. The pigeon is by far, the number one urban pest bird. Large numbers exist in every city across the country. Several traits have allowed them to dominate the urban landscape. Because of their history, pigeons are not afraid of people; they roost and nest readily in man made structures and they have a diverse diet. They are non-migratory and their natural instinct to stay near their birth site is very strong. This trait gives the pigeon a very determined personality when it comes to roosting at a particular site. With all that said, the trait that gives them their public enemy number one status is their “dropping” ability. On average, each pigeon poops 25 pounds per year – the weight of half
