Pigeon Spikes…on Trees

A developer in Bristol installed pigeon spikes on trees to keep bird droppings off cars.

1 minute read

December 26, 2017, 11:00 AM PST

By Casey Brazeal @northandclark


Bird Poop Prevention

Roland Tanglao / Flickr

A property management company in Bristol, England has installed pigeon spikes on a number of trees in the city. "Hillcrest Estate Management said the trees attract roosting pigeons and it needs to protect vehicles at the 'prestigious development'," reports the BBC.

The move prompted a predictable backlash, and has been called part of "a war against wildlife" by one observer and simply "idiotic," by another.

For their part, Hillcrest claims the spikes were the best option. "Hillcrest Estate Management said it had tried a number of measures to deter the pigeons, including fake birds and noise deterrents, but had little success and installed the spikes in 2014," the BBC writes. 

Tuesday, December 19, 2017 in BBC

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 11, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of Shirley Chisholm Village four-story housing development with person biking in front.

San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning

SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

June 8, 2025 - Fast Company

Yellow single-seat Japanese electric vehicle drivign down road.

The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs

The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.

June 6, 2025 - PC Magazine

Two small wooden one-story homes in Florida with floodwaters at their doors.

As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?

With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.

1 hour ago - Governing

People riding bicycles on separated bike trail.

With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike

For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.

3 hours ago - UNM News

Bird's eye view of half-circle suburban street with large homes.

In More Metros Than You’d Think, Suburbs are Now More Expensive Than the City

If you're moving to the burbs to save on square footage, data shows you should think again.

5 hours ago - Investopedia