Behaviour of Pigeon Excreta on Masonry Surfaces

Abstract Pigeon droppings are implicated in spoiling and decay of buildings. Several studies have examined the effects and chemistry of accumulations of pigeon droppings under highly localised pigeon roosts. Scant information exists on the impact caused by individual pigeon droppings at perch sites, even though these constitute the majority of bird use in urban areas. This study experimentally examined the processes that affect masonry immediately after pigeon excreta have been voided from the body and what effects discrete, fresh pigeon droppings have on different kinds of sandstone. The experiments demonstrated the susceptibility of freshly deposited excreta to environmental conditions (relative humidity and precipitation). In real-life situations, with pigeon excreta deposited on window ledges, cornices and parapets, the majority of damage would occur within the first two weeks of deposition. After that, the majority of individual droppings would have either dissolved or desiccated to such a degree that they would have rolled off. Much of the observed staining is superficial. While individual bird droppings make a building look dirty, even for months at a time, the effect on the building material is not substantial unless other factors come into play such as colonisation of the excreta by mould or leaching of salts from the excreta.