Wildlife Removal in New York City: Raccoons, Pigeons & Urban Intruders

New York City's wildlife problem is a product of its architecture. Eight million people live in a dense grid of attached brownstones, pre-war brick apartment buildings, and aging row houses — structures that were built before modern wildlife exclusion standards existed and have been accumulating gaps, cracked mortar, and rotted trim for a century or more. Animals don't need much. A gap the width of a quarter is enough for a bat. A soft soffit corner is enough for a squirrel. A missing chimney cap is an open door for a raccoon.

Central Park's raccoon population is estimated in the hundreds, and they range freely into every surrounding neighborhood. In Brooklyn and Queens, raccoons follow the greenway corridors — Prospect Park, Forest Park, Jamaica Bay — into residential blocks. They're strong enough to tear through deteriorated cornices and wood trim that's common on pre-war construction, and they're smart enough to remember which buildings have accessible entry points year after year.

The attached nature of NYC housing creates a compounding problem: a raccoon that enters through a gap at one end of a brownstone row can travel through a continuous attic space and emerge in a unit three buildings away. Effective removal means inspecting the entire roofline, not just the unit where the homeowner hears the animal.

Pigeon infestations are the most common wildlife complaint from NYC property managers. The city's flat rooftops, HVAC equipment, and building ledges provide unlimited nesting real estate, and the food supply — from outdoor dining to open garbage — is inexhaustible. Pigeon droppings are highly acidic and degrade roofing membranes, stonework, and metal flashing faster than almost any other environmental factor. A building with an unmanaged pigeon colony on the roof will need significantly more frequent roof maintenance.

Little brown bats and big brown bats are common in pre-war masonry construction throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. Deteriorated mortar joints — a feature of virtually every building over 50 years old in NYC — provide entry gaps that bats exploit readily. A single bat can squeeze through a gap of ⅜ inch. In a building with 80 years of settling and weathering, there are typically dozens of such gaps.

New York State DEC regulations prohibit bat exclusion from June 1 through August 15 (maternity season). During this window, we can seal gaps that lead to living spaces but cannot perform full exclusion. Planning ahead matters — schedule an inspection in spring or early fall.

Gray squirrels are everywhere in NYC, and they're persistent. The decorative cornices, carved stone details, and wood trim on brownstones and pre-war buildings create more entry opportunities than modern construction. In attached housing, squirrels in shared attic spaces can affect multiple units simultaneously.

Wildlife removal in New York State requires NYS DEC licensing. Certain species — bats especially — have strict seasonal restrictions. NYC buildings may also require DOB permits for exterior work above certain heights. Our technicians are licensed by the NYS DEC and familiar with NYC building access requirements, including coordination with co-op boards and property management companies.

All five boroughs plus Westchester, Nassau County, and northern New Jersey. We work in co-ops, condos, single-family homes, and commercial buildings.

Call (800) 319-1556 for a free inspection and written quote.

View our New York City service page for more information.