Steenberg covers two quite different places: the busy residential area near Retreat and Lavender Hill, and the wine estate and golf course on the mountain side. We work across both, and the pest problems differ a lot between them.
Birds in Steenberg: what we see
Pigeons roost on shop roofs and around the station, and Egyptian geese visit the golf course and estate lawns.
Near the railway and Steenberg station, homes are mainly older council houses, semis and flats, often with backyard rooms. Closer to the mountain, the estate side has newer, larger homes in security developments. Dense housing makes it easy for rodents and cockroaches to spread, while large estate homes deal more with mountain-edge pests. Shops and taxi ranks along the main roads add food sources.
The Steenberg mountain rises behind the area as part of Table Mountain National Park, with vineyards on its lower slopes. Lower down, the sandy Cape Flats ground and wetlands toward Zeekoevlei and Princess Vlei bring a high water table. Winters are wet, summers hot and windy.
Something most people miss
Proofing over an active nest is a mistake. You either trap birds inside or they break through, so the clean-out always comes first.
Signs to look for
- A sour smell around a roof area where birds have been nesting for a long time.
- Cooing, scratching or flapping in the roof space or behind the gutters early in the morning.
- Tiny mites crawling on walls or bedding near a nest site.
- Blocked gutters and downpipes full of nesting material.
- Droppings building up on ledges, walls, windowsills or under solar panels.
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.
Keeping them out afterwards
- Clean gutters before winter, and check for nesting material at the same time.
- 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.
- Close off broken air vents, missing tiles and open eaves as soon as you notice them.
- Deal with the first nest quickly. Pigeons that breed on a site get attached to it.
What affects the price
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 Steenberg
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 do commercial buildings?
Yes, a lot of our bird proofing is shops, warehouses and blocks of flats where droppings affect staff and customers.
Why do I find scorpions in my Steenberg estate home?
Homes near the mountain border fynbos and rocky ground where scorpions live. Sealing gaps under doors and clearing rock piles near the house helps.
Do you service both sides of Steenberg?
Yes, we cover the residential area near Retreat and the estates on the mountain side. Treatments are tailored to each type of home.
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 you come out to Steenberg for bird proofing?
Yes. Steenberg is part of our regular Southern Suburbs route, along with Retreat, Lavender Hill, Tokai, Kirstenhof. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Office 021 012 5825 · WhatsApp 074 697 2254