Gugulethu is busy, close-knit and built tight, so a pest problem in one home rarely stays there for long.
Birds around Gugulethu
Pigeons roost on taller buildings, shopping centre ledges and church roofs. Netting or spikes on those ledges is usually enough to move them on.
The older parts are rows of council-built houses on small plots, many now extended with brick additions and backyard rooms. Hostels converted to family units, newer RDP homes and informal structures sit alongside them.
It sits on the flat, sandy ground of the central Cape Flats, where winter rain pools quickly and stormwater drains can back up.
From the technician
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.
How to tell you have a problem
Tick every sign you have noticed. It takes ten seconds.
Why it matters: Pigeon droppings are acidic, mark paintwork and roofing, and become slippery underfoot on walkways. Accumulated droppings and old nests can carry fungi and bacteria, and cleaning them up dry raises dust you do not want to breathe. Nests block gutters and cause water damage when winter rains back up into the roof. When birds leave a nest, their bird mites often wander indoors looking for a new host, which leads to itchy bites.
Our process, step by step
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.
Prevention that actually works
- Deal with the first nest quickly. Pigeons that breed on a site get attached to it.
- Do not feed pigeons near your home or business. A reliable food source keeps them coming back.
- Close off broken air vents, missing tiles and open eaves as soon as you notice them.
- Fit mesh skirting around new solar panels at installation, before birds discover the gap.
- Keep refuse bins closed and clean up spilt food around outdoor eating areas.
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.
A few spikes on a low windowsill is a fine DIY job. Netting and solar panel proofing at height is not, both for safety and because poorly tensioned netting sags, traps birds and ends up looking messy. I would rather do it once and do it properly.
Questions we get asked in Gugulethu
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.
Do bird spikes hurt the birds?
No. The spikes are blunt and simply stop birds from landing comfortably. They move somewhere else.
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.
Do you use poison on pigeons?
No. Bird proofing is about physical exclusion, which is safer and lasts longer than trying to kill birds.
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.
Do you come out to Gugulethu for bird proofing?
Yes. Gugulethu is part of our regular Cape Flats route, along with Nyanga, Manenberg, Bonteheuwel, Philippi. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Office 021 012 5825 · WhatsApp us
