University Estate is a small hillside neighbourhood on the lower slopes of Devil's Peak, above Woodstock and next to Walmer Estate. Steep streets and a view over the harbour come with the bush and the old drains that bring rodents and roaches calling.
Birds around University Estate
Pigeons nest in roof gaps and on window ledges of older houses. Sealing roof openings is usually enough to stop it.
Homes are a mix of older semi-detached houses, small freestanding homes and a few newer builds squeezed onto the slope. Many are built close together with shared walls, so a mouse problem rarely stays at one address. Retaining walls, terraced gardens and storage spaces under the house all give pests shelter.
Rats and mice from the mountain edge and older drains are the main concern. Cockroaches, fishmoths and ants are frequent in damp lower rooms. Pigeons and timber borer turn up in the older houses.
How to tell you have a problem
- Cooing, scratching or flapping in the roof space or behind the gutters early in the morning.
- A sour smell around a roof area where birds have been nesting for a long time.
- Droppings building up on ledges, walls, windowsills or under solar panels.
- Blocked gutters and downpipes full of nesting material.
- Birds regularly perching in the same spots over doorways or walkways.
- Tiny mites crawling on walls or bedding near a nest site.
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.
Something most people miss
Bird proofing involves no poison at all, which makes it a good option for homes with children, dogs and cats.
Bird mites are the hidden side of nesting birds. When the chicks fledge, the mites go looking for a meal and sometimes find the people inside.
What happens when we come out
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.
- Site survey
We look at where the birds roost, nest and enter, and which surfaces need protecting.
- Proposal
We recommend the right mix of netting, spikes, wire or mesh for each spot and explain why.
- Clean-out
Nests, droppings and debris are removed safely before anything is fitted.
- Install proofing
Netting, spikes, wire or mesh is fixed so it is neat and secure against the south-easter.
- Mite treatment and report
If bird mites are present we treat the area, and you get a written report.
Keeping them out afterwards
- Clean gutters before winter, and check for nesting material at the same time.
- Deal with the first nest quickly. Pigeons that breed on a site get attached to it.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
Bird Proofing questions from University Estate
I rent a room in University Estate and think I have bed bugs. What should I do?
Tell your landlord straight away and send us a photo on WhatsApp so we can confirm the identification. Bed bugs spread between rooms, so the whole house usually needs inspecting.
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.
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.
Is it normal to get rats in University Estate after a mountain fire?
It can happen, because animals displaced from the slopes move downhill looking for food and shelter. Sealing entry points and setting up bait stations around the property usually brings it under control.
Do you come out to University Estate for bird proofing?
Yes. University Estate is part of our regular City Bowl & Atlantic Seaboard route, along with Walmer Estate, Upper Woodstock, Zonnebloem, Woodstock. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Do you use poison on pigeons?
No. Bird proofing is about physical exclusion, which is safer and lasts longer than trying to kill birds.
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