The City Bowl is the CBD and the older residential suburbs packed into the bowl formed by Table Mountain, Devil's Peak, Lion's Head and Signal Hill.
Bird Proofing by suburb
We cover all 26 suburbs on our City Bowl & Atlantic Seaboard route. Each suburb page covers what we find there and what works for those streets and buildings.
City Bowl & Atlantic Seaboard 26 areas
Southern Suburbs 29 areas
South Peninsula 17 areas
Northern Suburbs 16 areas
Blaauwberg & West Coast 10 areas
Cape Flats 24 areas
Birds around City Bowl
Feral pigeons roost on heritage facades, signage and window ledges right across the CBD, and their droppings stain stonework. Netting, spikes and post-and-wire systems protect buildings without harming the birds.
In the CBD you have office towers, heritage buildings, hotels and hundreds of restaurants and cafés. Up the slopes are Victorian and Edwardian semis with wooden floors and corrugated iron roofs, along with newer apartment blocks.
Pigeons on buildings and bed bugs in hotels and rentals round out the main issues.
Worth knowing
When we survey a building, the first thing we look for is where the droppings land. That tells us the roost spot, which is often not where the owner thinks it is.
Bird proofing involves no poison at all, which makes it a good option for homes with children, dogs and cats.
Tell-tale signs
Tick every sign you have noticed. It takes ten seconds.
How we handle bird proofing in City Bowl
We start by watching where the birds actually land and nest, because proofing the wrong ledge is a waste of money. Ledges and beams get bird spikes or tensioned wire systems that stop birds settling. Larger open areas such as courtyards, loading bays and light wells get bird netting fixed to a frame so birds cannot get in at all. Gaps under solar panels and roof tiles are closed with mesh or panel skirting so pigeons cannot nest underneath. Old nests and droppings are removed first, and if bird mites are present we treat the area as well.
Want the full step-by-step? See how our bird proofing service works.
Stopping a repeat visit
- Keep refuse bins closed and clean up spilt food around outdoor eating areas.
- Deal with the first nest quickly. Pigeons that breed on a site get attached to it.
- Fit mesh skirting around new solar panels at installation, before birds discover the gap.
- Clean gutters before winter, and check for nesting material at the same time.
- Do not feed pigeons near your home or business. A reliable food source keeps them coming back.
Pricing, honestly
The cost depends on how many areas need proofing, how high they are and how much access equipment is needed. Netting a large courtyard or a warehouse roof is a bigger job than spiking a few ledges. Clean-out of heavy droppings and any mite treatment are included in the free quote once we have done the site survey.
Pigeons breed throughout the year in Cape Town, so proofing is a year-round job. We see a rush in late winter and spring when birds start nesting heavily, and again before the winter rains when people find their gutters blocked.
Bird Proofing questions from City Bowl
Can you stop pigeons nesting under my solar panels?
Yes. We clean out the nests and fit mesh skirting around the panel edges so birds cannot get underneath.
Why am I getting bites after the pigeons left?
That is often bird mites leaving an abandoned nest. They do not live on people, but they bite, and we treat the nest area to stop them.
Will netting be visible?
Bird netting is fine and usually black or clear, so from the ground it is hard to see once it is fitted.
Can you do commercial buildings?
Yes, a lot of our bird proofing is shops, warehouses and blocks of flats where droppings affect staff and customers.
Do bird spikes hurt the birds?
No. The spikes are blunt and simply stop birds from landing comfortably. They move somewhere else.
Do you come out to City Bowl for bird proofing?
Yes. City Bowl is part of our regular City Bowl & Atlantic Seaboard route, along with Gardens, Tamboerskloof, Oranjezicht, Vredehoek. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Office 021 012 5825 · WhatsApp us
