Many of us are familiar with the sight of large flocks of pigeons, especially in London! But can you tell the difference between a feral pigeon and a wood pigeon?

Feral Pigeon

It’s safe to say in London, you will most likely come across feral pigeons. They may seem stupid, but they have a lot more going on in their bird brains than you might realise! For example, they can recognise people who feed them. This means in a public place, they’ll go to the person they know will feed them. Once one pigeon comes, the rest will come flocking around the person to see what they have to give them.

Feral pigeons just love to nest in the city. Abandoned buildings are a common favourite amongst these pests. If the building has a water source available, the pigeons can settle down to breed. You’ll often find large groups of them living in the same building.

You may not consider a feral pigeon as a pest, but they can spread some pretty horrible diseases and are highly unsanitary.

Wood Pigeon

A wood pigeon on the other hand, is a bit more picky about their diet. They love to feast on leaves, fruits and berries. Sure, they’ll have seed if push comes to shove. But they’d rather have a nice blackberry! Wood pigeons are often fatter than feral pigeons, as they have a better diet and can find food more readily.

Wood pigeons like to nest where it’s quieter. Woods, parks and gardens are great places to build their nests. Most nests can be found near roads and rivers, so that water is readily available to them. Because they live in the countryside rather than the cities, they are more at risk from predators, such as foxes.

If you have a pigeon problem in your London home or business, you may want to contact us here at Pest Exterminators. Pigeons carry diseases and can nest in your lofts and eaves, causing significant damage. They can corrode your outer brickwork and their droppings smell terrible. We can offer humane pigeon control, to make sure the pigeons survive the ordeal but leave your home, alone!