Do Ultrasonic Bird Deterrents Work on Pigeons?

Written and reviewed by Elaine Bliss, Technical Manager, PestFix
Last reviewed 19 October 2026

Ultrasonic deterrents can help, up to a point, and they work best as part of a wider plan. Give each speaker a clear line of sight to the spots birds use, take away food, and choose a model that adds audible distress calls or a strobe light, such as the Broadband Pro (£1,305.50) for large open spaces or the Super Quadblaster (£1,030.00) for enclosed buildings. For persistent pigeons, pair any unit with proofing such as spikes, netting or gel on the ledges they use: research suggests pigeons hear little in the ultrasonic range, while sound birds can hear and physical barriers have a stronger record.

Prices and stock checked on 19 October 2026 and taken from the EnviroGuard shop, subject to change. All prices include VAT.

What the research says

The research on ultrasound and birds is worth knowing, because it explains why the models with audible calls or a strobe, and proofing, matter so much when pigeons are the problem.

• The pigeon study. Jenni-Eiermann, Heynen and Schaub (Journal of Pest Science, 2014) tested a commercial ultrasonic deterrent on free-living and caged feral pigeons in Switzerland. Free-living pigeons were not deterred, and neither the behaviour nor the stress hormone levels of caged pigeons changed. The authors concluded that ultrasound does not deter feral pigeons.
• What pigeons can hear. Hearing tests on domestic pigeons by Heffner and colleagues (Behavior Research Methods, 2013) found that, at the study’s 60 dB SPL level, the pigeons’ average hearing ran from about 54 Hz to 6.4 kHz, with the best sensitivity between 1 and 4 kHz. Ultrasonic units are specified well above that: the UltrasonX and Balcony Guard product pages give outputs from 15 kHz upwards.
• The UK government review. The 2020 review of non-lethal bird management, carried out for Defra by the National Wildlife Management Centre, cites the pigeon study and earlier work and states that most species of birds do not hear in the ultrasonic range. It reproduces the finding of an earlier Defra-funded review of 456 documents that ultrasonics were either ineffective or unsafe as bird scarers.
• Official guidance. Natural Resources Wales advises that ultrasonic devices are not thought to be effective against birds, as most birds cannot hear in the ultrasonic range, and that they could disturb bats.

Sound deterrents that birds can hear have a better record. The same Defra review describes bio-acoustic deterrents, which play recorded distress and alarm calls, as often considered the most effective sound method, although birds still habituate and responses vary by species. Natural Resources Wales notes that distress calls may be less effective against pigeons, which do not produce readily identifiable distress calls, than against gulls, starlings and crows.

When an ultrasonic deterrent can help

• As part of a combined unit. The Broadband Pro plays species distress cries, predator cries and harassment sounds alongside its ultrasonics, and its product page names gulls and pigeons. Audible distress calls have a stronger research record for birds in general, particularly gulls, starlings and crows, although the studies we cite did not test this particular unit.
• Indoors, with light as well as sound. The Super Quadblaster QB-4 adds an integrated strobe light as a visual scare for enclosed and semi-enclosed spaces.
• For mammals as well as birds. The UltrasonX product page lists foxes, cats and rodents, and the Quadblaster lists rats, mice and squirrels. Many mammals hear far higher frequencies than birds do.

Where an ultrasonic unit needs some help

• Persistent pigeons. On the evidence above, make proofing the main measure against pigeons, with a combined audible or strobe unit alongside it rather than ultrasound alone.
• Pigeons that are roosting or nesting. A pigeon with a nest or a sheltered roost has every reason to stay. Proofing that stops it landing or getting in is the reliable answer, fitted when no nest is active.
• Anywhere without line of sight. The UltrasonX and Broadband Pro product pages explain that the ultrasonic output does not travel around corners or through solid objects, and the Balcony Guard, UltrasonX and Broadband Pro pages each give a range of about 8 to 10 metres in front of the speaker.
• Where pets spend time. The Balcony Guard product page notes that it is not bird specific and may affect any mammal within 8 to 10 metres of the speaker.
• Where pigeons are being fed. No deterrent of any kind will hold pigeons off a regular food source. The Broadband Pro product page says food sources and nest sites must be removed before installing for it to be fully effective.

How to get the best results against pigeons

1. Proof the places pigeons land and nest

Use bird spikes on ledges, sills and parapets, from £2.04 a metre for narrow stainless steel pigeon spikes; bird netting for balconies, light wells, loading bays and roof voids; and bird repellent gel on cornices and signs that are awkward to spike.

2. Remove food and old nest sites

Clear food waste, ask neighbours not to feed pigeons, and clean droppings and old nesting material away once no nest is in use. The RSPCA advises that reducing the food available is the most humane way to deter pigeons.

3. Choose a powered unit with audible or visual output

If you want a powered deterrent as well as proofing, pick one whose output birds can hear or see: the Broadband Pro for large commercial spaces, the Super Quadblaster for enclosed buildings, or a distress call unit such as the BirdXPeller Pro, which plays pigeon, gull, starling and sparrow calls over up to an acre.

4. Give every speaker line of sight

Point each speaker straight at the places birds sit, with nothing solid in between, and work to each product’s stated coverage. The Balcony Guard product page gives up to 65 square metres, with a range of 8 to 10 metres in front of the speaker; the UltrasonX gives up to 330 square metres across its four speakers, 8 to 10 metres in front of each; and the Broadband Pro gives 900 square feet (about 84 square metres) from each speaker, in an 8 to 10 metre pattern. The Quadblaster and Super Quadblaster product pages do not give an area figure.

5. Vary it and allow time

Birds get used to anything that never changes. The Defra review notes that varying the pattern and timing of sounds helps to hold off habituation, the BirdXPeller units can play their calls in random order with varied gaps, and their product pages allow 2 to 3 weeks for full effect.

Which deterrent should you buy for pigeons?

• For pigeons on ledges, sills or a balcony: spikes, netting or gel first. If you want a scarer on a balcony as well, Terror Eyes, £89.34, is a visual scarer designed for balconies and needs no power.
• For pigeons inside a warehouse or other building: netting to close off the roof space, with the Super Quadblaster if you also want a powered deterrent.
• For pigeons and gulls across a large commercial site: proofing on the ledges and roofs they use, with the Broadband Pro or a BirdXPeller Pro for sound they can hear.

Ultrasonic deterrents and the law

Preventing birds from landing, roosting or nesting is not a licensable activity, provided the method does not injure them or trap them. All wild birds are protected, including feral pigeons: under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 it is an offence to intentionally kill, injure or take a wild bird, or to take, damage or destroy its nest while it is in use or being built, so plan proofing for when no nest is in use. Our guide to bird control and the law sets out the position for England in 2026; the rules in Scotland and Wales differ.

Common questions

Can pigeons hear ultrasonic sound?

Very little, as far as the research shows. In hearing tests on domestic pigeons, at the study’s 60 dB SPL level the birds’ average hearing ran from about 54 Hz to 6.4 kHz, with the best hearing between 1 and 4 kHz, and the UK government’s 2020 review states that most species of birds do not hear in the ultrasonic range, above 20 kHz. That is why the models with audible calls or a strobe, and proofing, matter for pigeons.

Do ultrasonic bird deterrents work on seagulls?

The government review states that most bird species do not hear ultrasound and gives no reason to expect gulls to be an exception, although the pigeon hearing study did not test gulls. Gulls do respond to distress calls: UK landfill trials found distress calls among the most effective initial deterrents, although gulls became used to them. The Broadband Pro combines distress calls with ultrasonics and names gulls, and our guide on how to keep seagulls away covers the proofing that does most of the work on roofs.

Are ultrasonic bird deterrents safe for pets?

The Balcony Guard product page notes that it is not bird specific and may affect any mammal within 8 to 10 metres of the speaker, and the UltrasonX lists foxes and cats among the animals it deters. If dogs or cats use the area, choose proofing or a visual scarer instead.

Can people hear ultrasonic bird repellers?

The product pages describe the ultrasonic output as virtually silent to people. Units that also play distress calls, such as the Broadband Pro and the BirdXPeller Pro, are audible, and the Broadband Pro’s calls can be set to play in daylight hours only.

What should I use with an ultrasonic deterrent for pigeons?

Physical proofing: spikes on ledges, netting across spaces pigeons fly into, and mesh under solar panels, with the powered unit covering the open areas around them. The authors of a 2014 Swiss study on pigeon deterrents concluded that exclusion and mechanical barriers remain the most reliable option, and the RSPCA describes anti-perching spikes as one of the most humane ways to deter pigeons.

What is the difference between ultrasonic and visual bird scarers?

Ultrasonic units use high frequency sound and need power and line of sight; visual scarers such as hawk kites, owl decoys and reflective ribbon use predator shapes and movement and need no power. Our guide to ultrasonic vs visual bird scarers compares them side by side.

Browse our ultrasonic deterrents and the full bird scarers range, read whether hawk kites work on pigeons and gulls, or visit our bird control installers page to see who fits what.