”
I’m calling about the pigeon problem we have in our
neighborhood, as well as in Gilroy. I want to understand, as a
homeowner, what my options are. Right now I throw a tennis ball at
them every morning, but can I shoot them with a BB gun or do I have
to have someone come out and put some pigeon abatement materials
up? I’d like to know what we as homeowners can do to get rid of the
nuisance of pigeons. Thanks.
”
“I’m calling about the pigeon problem we have in our neighborhood, as well as in Gilroy. I want to understand, as a homeowner, what my options are. Right now I throw a tennis ball at them every morning, but can I shoot them with a BB gun or do I have to have someone come out and put some pigeon abatement materials up? I’d like to know what we as homeowners can do to get rid of the nuisance of pigeons. Thanks.”
Dear Ground to Air Assault,
Ah, so you’re tangling with the rats of the sky, are you? Well, they’re sneaky creatures, that’s for sure.
And that’s why we turned to Bob Kaufman, operations supervisor with Santa Clara County Vector Control (and a fellow Gilroyan, too). There’s a number of ways to get rid of pigeons, he said.
If they’re just hanging out, he said the best things to do is eliminate any nearby food source (think granny with a bag of bread crumbs). They are also scavengers and will feast on trash, so keep a tidy yard.
But “if they’re roosting or living on her roofline, then bird exclusion would be the best way,” Kaufman said.
What Kaufman means is seek professional help – getting rid of the birds, that is. These experts sometimes use spikes, coils, hanging plastic strips or “hot foot” pads to deter pigeons. While you can do some of these yourself using supplies at home or a local home improvement store, the professionals tend to do it with a bit more strategy and aplomb, he said.
Whatever you decide to do, Kaufman said you have to do it humanely. (So, that BB gun … probably not the best idea, even disregarding local laws.)
And for anyone who suggests putting up a hawk silhouette on your window or an owl by your porch:
“They get used to it being there and then it doesn’t bother them any more,” Kaufman said.
However, it is a good idea to keep pigeons at bay as they can be vectors for disease if left to roost long enough in an enclosed space.
If you continue to have problems, call 918-4770 or search for Santa Clara County Vector Control online to register a complaint.
Raises ‘unsettling’ at best
“I just got done reading the article on merit raises for the city employees. I almost upchucked my breakfast. I can’t believe that the city manager would get away with giving out raises and laying off people. This thing needs to be looked into deeply – deeply. I hope more people voice their opinion on this because this is not right. Laying off people and giving others raises. Not in times when everyone is poor here in Gilroy. I just thought I’d put my word in. Thank you very much.”
Dear News Nauseous,
We’re glad to hear you said “almost.”
As you can tell from the comments on the story online, you are not alone in your consternation. Many people have expressed opinions on all sides of this matter and city officials are listening and formulating a strategy of how to move forward.
We plan on following up with another story in the next week or two, so maybe you should put your bib on just in case.
