Pigeons (not strictly gardening)

[SockFluffInTheBath]

…but they’re in the garden by the hundred.

In short, how do I deter pigeons without scaring off everything else? If I don’t put food on the ground the poor blackbirds gets nothing and crowds of pigeons just stomp around under the feeders. Someone in the village has a dovecote and they all come to me for food. I can’t keep spending what it takes to feed them on top of the existing bird population- the greedy little bastards literally hoover every last drop.

You don't actually need to feed birds. They are pretty good at fending for themselves .

Just grow a variety of plants, blackbirds love crabapple, pyracantha, berberis and mahonia. Also ensure lots of invertebrate life by leaving corners of your garden a bit wild. Consider a pond. Leave piles of sticks. Use no poisons.

Make or buy a cage to go over the ground food so the cats can get in and the pigeons can’t. You can buy a cage to go over a hanging feeder. Have a look at CJ Birdfood or Ark to see the type of thing, then shop around

Stop putting any sort of food out in your garden during the summer months, April to October. No food, no Pigeons.

Our foxes keep the pigeons in check.....

@MereDintofPandiculation thank you I will look at those.

@MrsBertBibby thank you for the suggestions. I have all of those already, most of the plants are wildlife-centred, I have very little that’s purely ornamental. The feeders are incredibly busy through winter, so it gives the impression they’re needed.

@KonTikki that doesn’t help me in the winter, they come back as soon as I start feeding again. This winter has been worse than last and I’ve been spending a ridiculous amount on bird food and at least half of it is just hoovered by the flying rats.

Ours need to get out of their bed and get round here 😁

it gives the impression they’re needed.

Well yes, most creatures will take the easiest option for getting food. That doesn't mean they won't find food naturally if easy pickings aren't there.

If you don't enjoy the pigeons, don't put out food that attracts them.

Sorry @MrsBertBibby meant to say I have some very wild corners 😁 and wild patches all round the garden, stick piles, small ponds for the newts etc and never spray or lay pellets etc

Hanging feeders might be better. Ours are used by blackbirds, starlings, tits and gold finches. We do have 3 pigeons who visit to find whatever has fallen on the floor but that doesn't tend to be much.

All of the birds use the square feeder filled with suet cakes. Only the smaller birds use the small narrow feeder filled with sunflower hearts.

@starlingdarling i have a few hanging feeders already but I’ve never seen the blackbirds on them. What kind do you have that the blackbirds use please?

We have this one and use it with the square suet cakes (regularly on offer from the RSPB) shopping.rspb.org.uk/bird-feeders-boxes-tables/bird-feeders/suet-feeders/rspb-ultimate-suet-feeder.html

For the most part the starlings dominate it but the blackbirds and tits hang back then jump in when the starlings start having a squabble. I thought it was funny that they had a woodpecker on the product photo but my friend who is in the countryside has a woodpecker regularly visiting hers. The cage fits two square blocks but I only use one at a time. They seems to go through two blocks in the same time as one and it was costing a fortune.

Thank you @starlingdarling

I’ve been reading that blackbirds and pigeons like different types of food so may try that tack next winter. DH keeps promising to make me a bird table so he needs to get on with it this summer!

I’ve just looked at the cages @MereDintofPandiculation that might go on the list with the bird table!

Watching with interest as I've never seen so many pigeons in my garden as I have this year. Have no idea why. I don't put food out. They're humongous too!

I found this last night if it helps anyone else, some good ideas to circumnavigate the flying hoovers…

homeandroost.co.uk/blog/feed-blackbirds-but-not-pigeons/

Blackbirds won't use a hanging feeder. Try putting out mealworms for the blackbirds - pigeons don't eat them.

We’ve just put an owl object out to deter squirrels (jury’s out whether it’s been effective). We’ve noticed we haven’t seen our wood pigeons come in the garden since then.

The blackbirds in our garden ignore the bird table and head to the hedgehog food bowl to eat that, I think they prefer it, not sure if it does them any good though. The crows and magpies also eat the hedgehog food. Pigeons, crows, woodpecker, magpies and the squirrels use the bird table mainly

We have a plastic snake

We also removed bucket of water that attracted them in first place

I would be happy to hear of a good squirrel deterrent after one nibbled nearly every bud of our potted rhododendron, they also bury nuts from next door's bird table all over the garden and in the pots. The squirrels come across the road and down the fence each day to do this, like they are on a daily jolly.

If they're hoovering up every crumb they will deter the rats. We don't feed the birds at all for that very reason.

As long as it's scattered, the blackbirds get as good a chance as the wood pigeons.

I scatter a cup around the garden, lots of places. The dunucks and blackbirds and pigeons all look at the same time.

Thanks for the suggestions. @Riverlee are the smaller bothered by the fake owl?

My problem, as I mentioned in the OP, is that it’s not the usual number of pigeons- it’s a flock of someone’s ‘pets’ and I’m not paying to feed them anymore.

@User7493268965 our hedgehog bowl gets cleaned out by a late night fox! The different food choices are interesting though.

@PaulaTrilloe that made me laugh, DH hates snakes I might get one and not tell him 😁 is it just a normal toy snake or a special garden one?

Nope, starlings still coming to bird table. (Not sure about other birds as stopped putting birdseed out due squirrels recently).