Learn More About Nuisance Birds

The pigeon was introduced to the United States as a domesticated bird from the European Rock Dove. Many of the birds escaped and began forming into wild populations. Today, the pigeon is the most severe bird pest to the human population.

Behavior:

• Pigeons stick together in large cities and may be seen congregating in flocks of hundreds on tall buildings. Smaller groups will take over a roof or two of a home, ledges, lofts, attics, drain spouts, and caves.
• These birds do not construct a nest as other birds would. Instead, they gather twigs, sticks, and grasses and clump them together to form a platform like nest.
• Feed on garbage, grain, and any other source of food that people may or may not intend to give them.
• Pigeons are monogamous- they have one mate for life. The male will care for and guard the female and the nest. Young will hatch 18 days later and will leave the nest at 4-6 weeks of age.

Identifying Characteristics:

Typically, pigeons have grayish to black bodies with a whitish behind, two distinguishing black bands on the wings, and a broad black band on the tail. The head is usually a darker gray color with greenish-purple metallic coloring. A pigeon can weigh as much as 13 oz. and average length is 11 inches. The only bird that the pigeon can be confused with is the mourning dove, but the main distinguishing features is the tail; the mourning dove has a pointed tail, and the pigeon has a fanned tail.

Since the 1800s, cowbirds have earned their name by following bison across grasslands, catching the insects bison kicked up as they roamed. Today, cowbirds follow cattle in the same way.

Fun Fact: A group of cowbirds is not called a flock — it is called a herd.

Behavior:

• Cowbirds are North America's most common nest parasite. Rather than building their own nests, they lay their eggs in the nests of other small bird species and leave those birds to raise their young. Cowbirds lay eggs in more than 220 different species' nests.
• Some birds recognize the difference in eggs and respond by ejecting the cowbird eggs, building a new nest over them, or puncturing and discarding them. However, many species do not detect the difference and raise the cowbird young as their own.
• Because cowbirds rely on nest parasitism, researchers find it difficult to assess their social structure. They are not monogamous — females mate with multiple partners in a single season.

Identifying Characteristics:

• Males are small, shiny black birds with a dull brown head. Females are smaller than males and are solid brown with a whitish throat.
• Male: 7.5 to 8.7 inches in length, weighing 1 to 2 oz, with a wingspan of 14.2 inches.
• Female: 6 to 7.9 inches in length, weighing 1.3 to 1.6 oz, with a wingspan of 12.6 to 15 inches.

House sparrows have lived alongside humans for centuries. In the 1850s, they were introduced in New York, and today they appear everywhere across North America — with the exception of Alaska and northern Canada.

Behavior:

• House sparrows depend on human activity. In rural dry areas, they survive only near people. In other environments, they thrive in farms, cities, and suburbs — though they avoid woodlands and grasslands entirely.
• Sparrows nest in holes in buildings, stuffing whatever materials they can find until the opening is nearly filled. They also nest in streetlamps, traffic lights, and gas station roofs, creating messes with droppings and nesting debris.
• House sparrows are aggressive nesters and frequently take over nests belonging to other bird species.
• Females lay up to 8 eggs at a time, and eggs hatch in approximately 14 days.
• Sparrows are highly social and often feed alongside other birds. At feeders, they eat breadcrumbs, and on farms they consume chicken feed, corn, grains, and seeds.

Identifying Characteristics:

• House sparrows grow to 5 to 7 inches in length and weigh approximately 1 oz, with a wingspan reaching up to 10 inches.
• They are similar in size to a song sparrow but stockier than most of their species.
• Males are more colorful than females and display a black patch along the throat. Females are grayish brown and appear more worn or rough in comparison.

Approximately 8 species of swallows commonly appear in the United States. Swallows are widespread across North America and frequently appear near open fields, bodies of water, agricultural areas, and residential structures. They prefer environments that offer open airspace for feeding and stable surfaces for nesting.

Behavior:

• Swallows are generally monogamous during the breeding season. Females typically lay 3 to 6 eggs per clutch. Both parents incubate the eggs, which hatch in approximately 14 to 18 days.
• Swallows build nests on man-made structures such as eaves, barns, bridges, and sheds, using mud, grass, and plant fibers as construction materials.
• Swallows feed almost exclusively on flying insects — including mosquitoes, flies, beetles, and gnats — making them effective natural insect controllers.
• These birds are highly social and frequently nest in colonies. Their attraction to buildings stems from the stable surfaces available for nest attachment and the protection those structures provide from predators and weather.

Identifying Characteristics:

• Swallows are small to medium-sized birds with streamlined bodies, long pointed wings, and forked or slightly notched tails built for agile flight.
• Plumage varies by species but commonly includes shades of blue, brown, white, and rust, with lighter underbellies and darker backs.
• The easiest way to identify swallows in the field is by their fast, acrobatic flight — continuous swooping movements as they chase insects through the air.