Bird Trapping

Not sure shooting is your cup of tea for getting rid of your pigeons! And you’re over the deterrent methods such as spikes and nets and owls etc. And so you’ve come up on the idea of trapping those pest birds. Before we discuss trapping; let’s be clear! Pigeons don’t go away by themselves. If you do nothing their numbers will grow. And for some sites managing the problem is the best that can be achieved. Dealing with pigeons early before they breed is going to save a lot of time and money down the track.

Shooting and Trapping are without a doubt the most reliable methods of getting rid of pigeons. However, by themselves they are not a complete solution. Once you have gotten rid of your birds, you need to clean the mess so future pigeons aren’t attracted back by familiar smells and bird sign.

Trapping is a very different strategy than shooting. The results are never so direct. But can be a very effective way of removing large numbers of a flock. Rule of thumb is about 1 trap per 50 birds. The success of trapping has a number of variables. For instance; can traps be placed where people, predator, pets etc. won’t disturb the birds? Establishing a feeding area can be a challenge. Feeding sites are rarely on the same property as the roosting and loafing sites.

There are techniques that those who do pigeon trapping use to get the best results, and you can be sure the key ingredients to thier success are kept very confidential. It takes many years to learn the likes and dislikes and behaviors of pigeons through much trial and error!  You can be sure that the bird controller has discussed issues like the feed used, or trap design, or location for setting the trap etc but this is just the basics and are not the closely held secrets that make the difference. Certainly things like local food opportunities at a local School or Hungry Jack’s or local Bakery impact on results. Also the time of year changes feeding habits; are there birds of prey in the area etc, these and other factors are going to impact the final result.

We’re no different to most of the local pigeon controllers; we think we know things the rest don’t and believe this knowledge and equipment will ultimately give us the better result.

This might all sound a little negative about the success of trapping, but if you need to reduce large flock numbers trapping is often the NO. 1 solution. But that is only in certain types of environments. We try to be transparent and honest, so this information is really about giving the customer a genuine understanding of the issues so they can make an informed decision by understanding there are issues that no bird control company can control. Having said that, trapping can be the right tool for the job. Some locations simply don’t suit shooting! In many cases trapping can be carried out very discreetly with very little public scrutiny. Trapping does require more patience and vigilance. We make sure the birds are comfortable in the traps with food , water and shelter so that they don’t become distressed.

 

 

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Custom Built Trapping

What’s different about our trapping methods. Nothing that we’re prepared to publish online. Some pre-bait the traps before loading the trap doors, some impose two week breaks every month. Some use tunnels, other swear by wire bobbins. Others will tell you it’s location or the feed or the routine they use. What we can tell you is; we’ve tried them all! And in the right spot all of these options can work. Our equipment is entirely purpose made. We routinely modify our traps per site to achieve the best results. By constantly testing and evolving our traps and techniques we continue to improve our results!

Don’t be fooled by pictures of traps full of birds or where water and shelter aren’t shown in the shots. If you see pictures of traps with 30 odd birds in there, they are just marketing hype. There is no sense in keeping 30 birds in a trap. The mess alone doesn’t condone leaving that many birds in a trap. Not to mention the birds welfare. And if you catch 30 birds in 20 minutes, you don’t just leave them in there. Many of the trapping pictures you can find online are only mock-ups meant to impress or disguise the carefully concealed key facets of the equipment. While the shot here is a real shot of a working trap, key elements have been omitted or altered to keep certain information obscured.

Birds caught in trap

We recommend a minimum program of 3 months.

Once you start a program of trapping, you have to see it to the end!

Trapping Program Pricing

We can’t offer a standard price for trapping. Variables that impact the actual cost are: bird numbers, access, distance from the CBD, and any Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare procedures required at the property.  But a rule of thumb is around $1200 per month plus GST.

  • Additional traps etc. add charges.
  • Travel time varies the cost.
  • Access time to attend traps.
  • Set-up and decamp costs.
  • Holding cages.

Our program is a minimum 1 month period with 30 days notice required to end any trapping program, however, depending on bird numbers a 3 month program is probably a average.