Bird Proofing in Kalksteenfontein

Kalksteenfontein is small enough that most people know their neighbours, and that helps, because rats here are a shared problem rather than a private one. Give us a block of five or six houses that agree to treat together and we can make a real dent.

Kalksteenfontein: what drives birds here

Pigeons gather on school and church roofs and foul the walkways. Spikes on the main ledges usually move them on.

It is mostly compact council-built homes in rows and pairs, with wendy houses and brick rooms added in the backyards over the years. Roof lines often run unbroken across several homes, which gives mice a private corridor above the ceilings. The backyard rooms, with their timber floors sitting on sand, are where we find rat burrows most often.

The ground is open, flat Cape Flats sand with very little to break the wind. After a few days of winter rain, low corners and blocked drains hold water, and the open veld nearby stays soggy. In summer the South-Easter piles litter against fences, and that windblown rubbish becomes rat food.

What gives them away

1. Blocked gutters and downpipes full of nesting material.
2. Tiny mites crawling on walls or bedding near a nest site.
3. Droppings building up on ledges, walls, windowsills or under solar panels.
4. Cooing, scratching or flapping in the roof space or behind the gutters early in the morning.
5. Twigs, grass and feathers sticking out from under roof tiles or panels.
6. A sour smell around a roof area where birds have been nesting for a long time.

Something most people miss

For landlords and body corporates, pigeon problems become a tenant complaint quickly. Proofing the common areas once beats cleaning them every week.

How the treatment works

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.

1. Site survey

   We look at where the birds roost, nest and enter, and which surfaces need protecting.

2. Proposal

   We recommend the right mix of netting, spikes, wire or mesh for each spot and explain why.

3. Clean-out

   Nests, droppings and debris are removed safely before anything is fitted.

4. Install proofing

   Netting, spikes, wire or mesh is fixed so it is neat and secure against the south-easter.

5. Mite treatment and report

   If bird mites are present we treat the area, and you get a written report.

Prevention that actually works

• Deal with the first nest quickly. Pigeons that breed on a site get attached to it.
• Clean gutters before winter, and check for nesting material at the same time.
• Close off broken air vents, missing tiles and open eaves as soon as you notice them.
• Keep refuse bins closed and clean up spilt food around outdoor eating areas.
• 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.

Frequently asked questions

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