I have large pigeons in my garden leaving poo all over the place

[frankie3]

I have just come in the garden and am covered in poo! I keep seeing large pigeons on our lawn and there is poo all over the garden. Does anyone have any hints how I can deter the pigeons from the garden?

[SunshineIsAMiracleCure]

put a cat among them?

[spikemomma]

shotgun.

[Mspontipine]

Ha ha ha SunshineIsAMiracleCure !!!

[BananaFruitBat]

Watching thread as I need to get rid of pigeons too.

My cats are scared of the things.

[ABetaDad]

Are they ring necked doves?

Quite big about the size of small hen, mainly grey, slight shiney purple coloration in parts with a prominent white ring of feathers round their neck.

We have them in our orchard. Poo everywhere. They graze the grass like a flock of winged grey sheep.

Not much you can do except put strings across the garden with shiny silver plates hung on them that clatter and shimmer in the wind.

A scarecrow could be good fun for the kids to make at the weekend.

[sameagain]

We had pigeons that used the Dcs slide/climbing frame as a perch. Made it not a pleasant place for kids to play. Problem was solved by hanging a couple of free CD's from it (on string). They move about and the reflections seem to keep the birds away - don't need to be noisy.

[frankie3]

ABetaDad - it does sound like they are ring necked doves. Would love to be able to put strings of CDs across grass, but might be a problem with my DS's on their bikes!

[ABetaDad]

Looks like its going to have to be the shotgun or the scarecrow then.

[southeast]

nothing on ground level detered mine. flapping my arms out of the upstairs window got rid of them for a while.

[mistlethrush]

If in UK, more likely to be Collared Doves or Wood Pigeons (these illustrations not great, sorry!) - Doesn't help with getting rid of them... The wood pigeons are bigger, the collared doves have a black collar.

[PheasantPlucker]

A bloody wood pidgeon has just pooed all over the window on my back door......! How?!

[HeadFairy]

I'm plagued with pigeons and their poo too (I'm a poet and I know it ). A chap who was pigeon proofing our garden told me to get a fake owl (you can get them at garden centres or online) it does scare them off initially but they quickly learn they're not real, so they come back. Some say you should move the owl around the garden to give the impression it's alive and moving, so the pigeons don't get too comfortable with it there.

[HeadFairy]

although the fake owl may attract other birds!

[frankie3]

I am covered in poo again... disgusting! Fake owl seems like a good idea - I will give it a try. That one looks quite scary - might deter my DS's from playing in the garden!

[southeastastra]

if all else fails hire someone with a bird of prey to circle about a bit every week

[Bunnyb7]

We have tried the fake owl and moving it round the garden to no avail. Loud bangs work but they come back with in 10 mins. All the old folk down our road feed them and as we have the only large tree(70 feet) we cop them all. Keep trying to convince my hubby or brother to get there and hand some cd's. A farmer told us it was the best way x

[Nannynoggins5]

These are a nightmare!
The problem is scaring away the pigeons but still allowing the smaller birds to feed. the pigeons eat everything in sight.!
I put more feeders in the tree which makes it harder for the pigeons,
You can try plastic spiking on top of the swing /slide set.
I've tried bunting and windmills to stop them eating the grass seed with some success and thought a spud gun might do the trick!
Now I keep a gun that makes a loud noise by the door!!

[rizlett]

one of those fake kestrel kite things.... that you hang from an ariel thing on your roof.