An elementary school in La Prairie, on the South Shore of Montreal, contacted our team after discovering a well-established pigeon colony in the spaces under the sloping roof of the school. The situation was concerning in several ways: droppings were accumulating near the main entrances and on playground benches, birds were disrupting yards by nesting in ventilation ledges, and management was concerned about health risks to children. Our team of exterminators in La Prairie has been mandated to solve the problem safely in a school environment.
School-Friendly Assessment
Intervening in a school requires careful planning. Our technician in charge first met with the management and the janitor to establish an intervention schedule compatible with school activities and vacation periods. The initial inspection, carried out on a Saturday morning, made it possible to identify the areas of infestation without disturbing the staff or the students.
Examination of the building envelope revealed that pigeons accessed mainly through two openings in the soffits on the side facing the Saint-Philippe sector. Active nests, some of which contained eggs, were found in the space under the eaves. The window sills of the main façade also showed traces of fresh droppings, indicating daily perching. This situation called for a comprehensive pest control program covering exclusion, deterrence and decontamination.
Bird exclusion and access protection
The work began during spring break to avoid any disruption. Our team first removed the nests in the attic and then proceeded to install tightly meshed galvanized mesh on all the openings of the soffits. The two main entrances identified during the inspection were closed with aluminum frames and wire mesh, securely fixed to resist attempts to penetrate birds.
On the window sills of the façade, anti-perching spikes made of high-strength recycled plastic have been installed. This material was chosen for its lightness, durability and less visually aggressive appearance than a silver metal, which was better suited to the context of a public building frequented by children. Repellent adhesive strips have also been installed on the window sills on the ground floor.
To protect the main entrances and covered play areas, we installed exclusion nets stretched under the roof overhangs. These nets prevent birds from landing under awnings while remaining virtually invisible from the ground. The fastening work was carried out without drilling or damaging the existing structure of the building, using pressure hooks adapted to the wooden profiles of the roof overhangs.
Decontamination and health safety
The presence of pigeon droppings near children is a significant health risk. Our technicians carried out a complete cleaning of the spaces under the eaves, the window sills and the playground. The process involved dry vacuuming of solids, brushing of surfaces, and then spray disinfection with an antimicrobial agent approved for use in child-frequented environments.
All removed materials (nests, droppings, feathers) were hermetically bagged and disposed of according to the applicable biological waste rules. Our technicians wore full personal protective equipment during all phases of decontamination, in accordance with current best practices. For projects requiring extensive decontamination, consult our decontamination and disinfection service.
For reference, you can consult our bird exclusion project in a public institution as well as our intervention in a multi-purpose building to see how we adapt our methods to different types of buildings.
Assessment and prevention programme
From the beginning of the following school year, the staff noticed the complete absence of pigeons in the treated areas. Driveways remained clean and complaints from parents about droppings on the playground stopped. A documented intervention report was submitted to the school administration for its compliance files.
We advised management to inspect the devices every fall, before the cold weather, to verify the integrity of the fences and spikes. An annual inspection by our extermination company is also recommended to detect any potential new entry points before a new colony becomes established.