Feral pigeon’s are really filthy creatures so as a matter of interest I thought I would give you an insight of what to expect when faced with a roof void that has suffered a long term infestation of unchecked feral pigeons. Here are some of the findings of what is now quite a common situation:-

• The birds had been using the roof for at least twelve years (nearer fifteen if the truth were known)
• Forty plus birds were in residence at any one time.
• Total number of skeletal carcases found at the time of clearance. . twelve!
• Total number of un-hatched eggs. . .twenty eight!
• Number of current nests. . .eleven!
• Average number of inches of guano between joists (depth). . . four!
• Weight of bird waste (guano/nests etc) removed on the day. . . quarter of a ton!
• Really nasty pathogens and diseases found in this kind of environment. . .  at least fifteen!
• Man hours to clear including a bird cull and proof repairs.(60 sq ft) . . . nineteen!
• Mealworm beetle larvae present. . about fifteen . . . thousand! !

A feral pigeon roost in a roof void is a lethal place to go... without the right personal protective equipment (PPE) that is! Pathogens and diseases are rife here!