Humane ways to minimise pigeons in my garden?

[SpainToday]

Next door have a bird feeder in their garden, their choice, but obviously we get more birds (particularly pigeons) in our garden as a result, and I hate them. They leave such a mess and spoil my enjoyment of the garden. We have a cat who is too elderly to provide much help!

Any suggestions? Short of hiring a sniper I’m not sure what we can do?

Posting here for traffic

Thread title edited by MNHQ on OP's request, to make it clear she was referring to pigeons specifically

I would like to get more little birds tbh

www.the-shard.com/news-events/news-events/2024/shard-hawk/

you need to get the big birds in

Get a pole type thing with appropriate feeders that big birds can’t use. The ‘squirrel proof’ cage type won’t allow birds from starling size up into them IME.

thank you

I agree about birds in general but pigeons are a pest and you can get bird feeders that favour smaller birds

My neighbour feeds the birds but over excessively, slices of bread all over the ground every day. She also feeds the ‘foxes’ at night with a bowl out the front - sometimes full of raw chicken 🤢
As a result there a rats everywhere. I spent last summer trying to block them out of our garden (v difficult) and now I’ve just contacted environmental health. Her house is COVERED in bird poo and rats are all in the garden. She listens to no one when we ask politely to stop putting food out.
I think I have an extreme case, but it does completely suck. I love the birds but to have a garden COVERED in poo and to have rats is really difficult to put up with. I fully sympathise!!

Or just the rider's coat might do the trick....