Pigeons Under Solar Panels: Risks & Bird Proofing

Thursday 29/10/2026

For pigeons, the gap between a solar panel and roof is one of the best nesting sites a town has to offer. Bird proofing, once an afterthought, is now being fitted as standard, and is typically carried out by professional installers rather than homeowners.

In the past decade, Britain has installed well over a million rooftop solar systems, and feral pigeons discovered them before most owners did. The space under a panel is dry, warm, sheltered from rain and safe from cats and people. Once a pair moves in, a colony follows, and the first the household knows of it is cooing at five in the morning and streaks of droppings down the tiles.

What has changed

For years, bird proofing for solar panels was something a pest controller fitted after the birds had already moved in. Now things have changed. Roofers and solar installers increasingly fit bird proofing, such as solar mesh, when panels are first installed, while pest controllers are called out to existing installations throughout the year, not just in spring. Solar mesh is becoming an increasingly common part of the solar installation kit, with professional installers driving the growth.

Why it matters

• Bird droppings are acidic. They can corrode fixings and brackets, stain roof tiles and make future maintenance jobs more dangerous.


• Nesting materials can block gutters and downpipes, and if they are packed against warm cables, they can even become a fire risk.


• Pigeon nests can also harbour bird mites and flies, which may find their way into the home through the roof or loft space.


• If panels become shaded or fouled by nests, they generate less electricity, which means it takes longer to see a return on your investment.


• Dealing with an established pigeon problem can require professional pest control, specialist access equipment, a thorough clean and proofing to prevent the birds from returning.

How to tell you have a problem

You might have a problem if you hear cooing or scratching from the roof at dawn, see droppings on the panels or the roof tiles, notice twigs and feathers in the gutter, or spot pigeons lined up along the ridge above the array. If the panels are more than a year old and have never been proofed, it is likely pigeons have already found the space.

What good proofing looks like

• A galvanised, PVC-coated mesh creates a barrier around the perimeter of the solar array, stopping pigeons from getting underneath and nesting beneath the panels. The galvanised steel is designed to withstand long-term exposure to the weather, making it well suited to permanent outdoor installations.


• Choose clips instead of screws. Purpose-made clips hold the mesh to the panel frame without drilling it, so the panel warranty stays intact and nothing pierces the roof.


• Clean first. Before the mesh goes on, old nesting material and droppings should be cleared away. If birds are actively nesting, the nest cannot simply be removed or sealed in, so always check for active nests before starting work.


• Make sure the work is done at height by someone who is properly insured. Companies like JG Pest Control can remove pigeon colonies and fit proofing to existing solar arrays.

For installers

If you are installing panels, offer bird proofing at the same time. Mesh and clips are a small addition, and any array without them is a call-out for someone else within a couple of seasons.

About this piece

Based on PestFix's experience supplying bird proofing to the pest control and installation trades since 2019. PestFix, Chichester, supplies professional and DIY pest control products across the UK.