# Does Pigeon Poop Corrode Buildings?



## lindylou (Jul 25, 2009)

I am wondering if anyone can supply me with information that indicates that pigeon poop is not corrosive to buildings or paint. Most of the information about pigeon poop on the net seems to come from the pest control agencies whom we know have their own agendas. I am about to have to provide this information to the Board of Directors in my building. So is there anyone out there that can help me to find good information that is correct in this regard?

I have found one site in the UK that indicates that to say pigeon poop corrodes buildings is not correct:

"Another common myth is that pigeons droppings corrode buildings, but these droppings are NEITHER ACIDIC NOR ALKALINE and cannot corrode building materials. But pigeons are a convenient visible target for anyone who would rather pin the blame on them, rather than the sulphur dioxide of car exhausts and acid rain." http://pigeoncote.com/vet/revovery/recovery.htm


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## Alamo (Nov 22, 2008)

There IS acid in pigeon droppings....Droppings of pigeons can and will eat away roofing material..It might take many years,but it will do so...Being from NYC,and having pigeons on the roofs,we had to reroof the part of the roof where the lofts were every 10 years,because the material started to disinergrate away....My dad had pigeons on one building in NYC for 47 years...They fixed that roof at their expence,to keep the landlord happy every 10 years......Alamo Loft


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

I have no idea lindy lou
What is going on?


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## lindylou (Jul 25, 2009)

Thank you for your imput, everyone. 

I have done more research on the matter and I will share this with you all, because it is well worth noting in case you have to defend pigeons. Apparently the culprit is not the poop, but the uric acid which comes out of the bird at the same time as it's poop. When a pigeon and others birds poop, pee, mate and lay eggs, the same tract does it all. But if one is going to say pigeon poop corrodes, it should be noted that ALL BIRD DROPPINGS are corrosive, as they all contain uric acid and phosphate, nitrate and other compounds. I looked for studies that were not presented by the pest control agencies but were independent, scientific studies. It was interesting and useful to learn as well, that these independent studies were not able say that their evidence prooved one way or the other that the bird droppings alone were the sole culprit and cause of the corrosion. They also said that the combination of all of the following will also deteriorate the surface of a structure and its paint: Acid rain, automobile pollution, pollen, tree saps, resin from trees, UV rays and heat produced by the sun, unattended cracks and fissures caused by natural weathering in which molds could grow, if located by the sea, sea salts in fog and smog, a wet climate with frequent rainfall combined with industrial and automotive emissions. Of course, considering that one pij can produce 25 lbs. of droppings in a week, allowing the droppings to build up and not cleaning them frequently is just asking for corrosion. A wise shop owner or building manager would ensure that maintenance people clean it away regularly. If that is done, there would be no chance of long term problems. Since all bird droppings can corrode in this manner pigeons are just an easy target to blame as they are social and congregate in large groups. Even the most fastidious devotee would surely not agree that we should wage a war with the entire bird populations, pinging them off our rooves from lowly pigeon to falcons, seagulls, starlings, chickadees, sparrows, on infinitim, just to keep a clean roof. The solution is blocking off nesting places with mesh (plastic) and of course KEEPING BUILDINGS CLEAN of feces build-up.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

lindylou said:


> Thank you for your imput, everyone.
> 
> I have done more research on the matter and I will share this with you all, because it is well worth noting in case you have to defend pigeons. Apparently the culprit is not the poop, but the uric acid which comes out of the bird at the same time as it's poop. When a pigeon and others birds poop, pee, mate and lay eggs, the same tract does it all. But if one is going to say pigeon poop corrodes, it should be noted that ALL BIRD DROPPINGS are corrosive, as they all contain uric acid and phosphate, nitrate and other compounds. I looked for studies that were not presented by the pest control agencies but were independent, scientific studies. * It was interesting and useful to learn as well, that these independent studies were not able say that their evidence prooved one way or the other that the bird droppings alone were the sole culprit and cause of the corrosion. They also said that the combination of all of the following will also deteriorate the surface of a structure and its paint: Acid rain, automobile pollution, pollen, tree saps, resin from trees, UV rays and heat produced by the sun, unattended cracks and fissures caused by natural weathering in which molds could grow, if located by the sea, sea salts in fog and smog, a wet climate with frequent rainfall combined with industrial and automotive emissions.* Of course, considering that one pij can produce 25 lbs. of droppings in a week, allowing the droppings to build up and not cleaning them frequently is just asking for corrosion. A wise shop owner or building manager would ensure that maintenance people clean it away regularly. If that is done, there would be no chance of long term problems. Since all bird droppings can corrode in this manner pigeons are just an easy target to blame as they are social and congregate in large groups. Even the most fastidious devotee would surely not agree that we should wage a war with the entire bird populations, pinging them off our rooves from lowly pigeon to falcons, seagulls, starlings, chickadees, sparrows, on infinitim, just to keep a clean roof. The solution is blocking off nesting places with mesh (plastic) and of course KEEPING BUILDINGS CLEAN of feces build-up.


I read something very similar to this, but couldn't find it when you requested information. I actually read it after that large bridge collapse in the US. They initially tried to blame it on pigeon droppings. After the investigation it turned out to be the 'other' reasons you stated above! NOT PIGEONS!
That's when they started inspecting other bridges all over the US and found that MANY of them are in bad (unsafe) disrepair. We have 2 bridges here that I use daily that connect Maine and NH (over the Piscataqua River) that are on the 'danger' list. One will be closing within a year to be rebuilt. These are being corroded by SALT. At one point they were painting them every year.......and they were rusted by the next year!! Salt and moisture will corrode faster than bird droppings.
I am so tired of pigeons getting blamed for EVERYTHING!


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## maniac (Sep 27, 2009)

"*Of course, considering that one pij can produce 25 lbs. of droppings in a week*,"

That must be one big bird !!!!


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

Haha must be msfree's Walter!!
I know my mamacita doesn't produce that much maybe a few ounces
Anyways that's good to hear, I always thought rain would mostly rinse off the poo on roofs
Big argument in this town with all the gulls, a lot of people like to feed them in Thier own yard, but the buggers always have to sit on the niehboors house for good viewing of when the goodies are coming out, people can get really heated about it
I get calls on how to keep them off the roofs all the time, I revert to telling them to be more sneaky about it and feed the gulls only when those people are at work


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## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

Only thing I can say is that pigeon poop cannot corrode concrete  I am not so clean-loft guy but my concrete floor does not mind 

Jokes apart, as you said, not being kept clean and a humid condition can get wood and metal corrode. Yet i don't think a well painted galvanized sheet or a protective coated wood will be damaged due to pigeon poop. Normally its the scrapping with metal or harder objects which destroys the layer of protection and aids the corrosion.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

So basically...after all the verbiage...the answer remains: inconclusive.

Unless...someone actually did a study which isolated poop from all of the other environmental corrosives...


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

human wildlife conflicts are almost always preventable,sadly it's usually cheaper to kill them than forking out the dough to prevent animals from getting into your house or putting up deterrents to prevent birds from roosting where they are unwanted
The animals always lose, we are a horrible destructive species on this earth


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

It's one of the reasons I rehab, I hope to make up a tiny bit for what we to to them
90% of the animals I get are either direcly or indirectly in trouble because of the human impact on thier environment


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## JRNY (Nov 17, 2009)

I think it takes time before poop does damage. You will get more damage from feral pigeons. The poop just biulds up. Theres no one to clean it. That acid will eat alot of man made materials.


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## lindylou (Jul 25, 2009)

Right on MSfreeBird. Pigeons are an easy target for sure.


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## lindylou (Jul 25, 2009)

That's right. A study needed on pigeon poops alone as a corrosive agent. It's all about money and the cost of cleaning up the poop. They would rather let it sit there for decades and then complain about the terrible mess.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

altgirl35 said:


> *Haha must be msfree's Walter!!*
> I know my mamacita doesn't produce that much maybe a few ounces
> Anyways that's good to hear, I always thought rain would mostly rinse off the poo on roofs
> Big argument in this town with all the gulls, a lot of people like to feed them in Thier own yard, but the buggers always have to sit on the niehboors house for good viewing of when the goodies are coming out, people can get really heated about it
> I get calls on how to keep them off the roofs all the time, I revert to telling them to be more sneaky about it and feed the gulls only when those people are at work


LOL, No........ Walter would just collapse a roof..... IF HE SAT ON IT!!


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## lindylou (Jul 25, 2009)

*does pigeon poop corrode buildings*

they are finding, interestingly enough, that adding ZINC to paint will offer very good protection from corrosion of all types, including bird droppings.

Sorry about the poundage of pij poop: it is 25 pounds over A FEW MONTHS (I just checked the study, sorry folks). Yeah, funny.....what a wopper of a pigeon that would be, hee hee!


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