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Original poster

Bloody Pigeons!

63 replies

MontyDonsAssistant · 28/03/2023 14:15

Does anyone have an issue with this or any tips?
The pigeons in my garden are destroying some things. I've lived here for over 20 years and this year it's worse than ever.

There have always been about 6 pigeons flying around but now they are taking over.

They have a nest in one tree and are constantly flying about pooping on everything. I live in a village, not a city.

They have ravaged a honeysuckle hedge by eating all the new shoots (I've tucked silver foil amongst it which is working a bit.)

But at the moment they are eating all the new growth (leaves and blossom) on a cherry tree. There can be 8 in it at any one time. I am afraid the tree will be leafless and even die.

When I'm here, I do go outside and shoo them away but it's becoming a real nuisance.

Anything you can buy to deter them?

OP posts:
purpledalmation · 29/03/2023 09:09

Totally agree. I live rurally and they decimate local fields. They are vermin. We don't get many 'normal' pigeons mostly the wood pigeons who don't have woodland but thrive in gardens and farmers fields. Their numbers have rocketed at the expense of smaller birds. I make sure they can't get to my bird feeders. Luckily we have enough fields around that they don't bother our gardens.

Theraffarian · 29/03/2023 09:16

We have a fairly healthy population of pigeons , but also just about every other variety of native popular birds in the garden daily . To be honest I feed the lot of them and we’ve never had an issue with them decimating the garden . Although our most regular guests at the moment are magpies strutting around the lawn and lower trees , which do seem to put the others off a little .
I know it sounds counter productive, but birds have to eat , make it easy for them and I suspect your problem will diminish, of course it could go the other way and they will call all their bird friends over for a party !

Theraffarian · 29/03/2023 09:18

Oh and cost wise the cheapest raw porridge oats will keep them going for ages .

Nolongera · 29/03/2023 09:21

MontyDonsAssistant · 28/03/2023 14:15

Does anyone have an issue with this or any tips?
The pigeons in my garden are destroying some things. I've lived here for over 20 years and this year it's worse than ever.

There have always been about 6 pigeons flying around but now they are taking over.

They have a nest in one tree and are constantly flying about pooping on everything. I live in a village, not a city.

They have ravaged a honeysuckle hedge by eating all the new shoots (I've tucked silver foil amongst it which is working a bit.)

But at the moment they are eating all the new growth (leaves and blossom) on a cherry tree. There can be 8 in it at any one time. I am afraid the tree will be leafless and even die.

When I'm here, I do go outside and shoo them away but it's becoming a real nuisance.

Anything you can buy to deter them?

.22 or .177 if it's safe.

pd339 · 29/03/2023 09:54

MontyDonsAssistant · 29/03/2023 08:09

I posted here as I thought it was the right place to ask for advice on a problem- like Radio 4 Gardeners' Question Time!

I didn't expect to be drawn into an argument over them.

@Xrays They are damaging my plants, in the same way that rabbits can. Eating plants. It's devastating to see a 30 year old tree being potentially stripped of all its leaves and blossom. If you have a garden and grow anything you'd know that other birds don't cause this damage.

Thanks for the sensible replies, folks.

Actually you're totally wrong. Bullfinches eat the blossom on my forsythia every year from example. Rather than crying about losing the flowers I'm proud to be feeding the birds. Thankfully your sort of attitude to wildlife is dying out.

Ferntastical · 29/03/2023 10:08

I posted here as I thought it was the right place to ask for advice on a problem- like Radio 4 Gardeners' Question Time!

😂

Konfetka · 29/03/2023 10:08

Oh the irony of human beings categorising any other species as vermin. Homo sapiens are pests on a different level and have driven this planet to the brink of destruction.

As an aside, let's not forget the reason that pigeons are so numerous: We domesticated them, we bred them, we used them, we worked them. And now we want rid of them? Poor pigeons!

BaronessBomburst · 29/03/2023 10:15

The blackbirds strip my raspberry bushes despite me keeping them in pots outside the backdoor, so now I buy raspberries and just keep the bushes for the birds.

Have you tried hanging CDs in the tree?

Xrays · 29/03/2023 10:22

MontyDonsAssistant · 29/03/2023 08:09

I posted here as I thought it was the right place to ask for advice on a problem- like Radio 4 Gardeners' Question Time!

I didn't expect to be drawn into an argument over them.

@Xrays They are damaging my plants, in the same way that rabbits can. Eating plants. It's devastating to see a 30 year old tree being potentially stripped of all its leaves and blossom. If you have a garden and grow anything you'd know that other birds don't cause this damage.

Thanks for the sensible replies, folks.

Oh I have a garden. A large one. And I live rurally- 5/10 mins walking from my house and you’re in the fields. We learn to accept wildlife, we have deer in and out of our gardens eating everything. Pigeons are the least of our worries 😆 and we just laugh about the deer. They’re beautiful. They eat stuff to survive, don’t we all. I understand it’s annoying if you spend ££££ on your garden and it’s being destroyed but I’d much rather buy cheaper plants and have it a bit wild with animals I can watch and enjoy.

Choconut · 29/03/2023 10:32

Rats are local wildlife just doing what they do - I wonder if the posters defending pigeons would be happy to have them nesting in their garden?

Pigeons are rats with wings as far as I'm concerned. They might keep their nests lovely and clean but unfortunately they shit all over the ground underneath. They completely stripped all my kale (no not a wild plant) so I've had to buy a cage for it. As for clever well I had two trying to build a nest in the tree outside my house, the branches were obviously far too wide so they just ended up with the sticks falling through to the ground. The stupid things didn't realise and kept trying to build the nest for two days straight by the end of which I had a huge pile of sticks on the ground. Jackdaws are clever - pigeons are dumb as shit.

MrsSkylerWhite · 29/03/2023 10:34

Hotchick1972 · Yesterday 16:19
crikey! Wild birds eating plants to survive as they were born to do
Shocking!!! Whatever next? Bees collecting pollen?”

Quite. Don’t imagine pigeons caused the climate crisis.

purpledalmation · 29/03/2023 10:36

@Choconut yes and they breed like rabbits

QuertyGirl · 29/03/2023 10:37

Get a cat

Xrays · 29/03/2023 11:02

Choconut · 29/03/2023 10:32

Rats are local wildlife just doing what they do - I wonder if the posters defending pigeons would be happy to have them nesting in their garden?

Pigeons are rats with wings as far as I'm concerned. They might keep their nests lovely and clean but unfortunately they shit all over the ground underneath. They completely stripped all my kale (no not a wild plant) so I've had to buy a cage for it. As for clever well I had two trying to build a nest in the tree outside my house, the branches were obviously far too wide so they just ended up with the sticks falling through to the ground. The stupid things didn't realise and kept trying to build the nest for two days straight by the end of which I had a huge pile of sticks on the ground. Jackdaws are clever - pigeons are dumb as shit.

We actually have a pigeon nest in our tree. We love watching them sit in it.

And yep - their nests are rubbish. Lots of funny memes about it all over the bird loving community. It doesn’t make them stupid though: they just have different priorities!

QuertyGirl · 29/03/2023 11:05

My cat kills both rats and pigeons.

Problem solved

OnMyWayToSenility · 29/03/2023 11:41

We have wood pigeons eating buds off our fruit tree, they do it every year. As do lots of other birds
The tree produced so much fruit last year I had to sweep it up every day and put it in the food waste bin!
So I wouldn't worry too much.
The dog does see off quite a few of them sitting on the fence.

SoCunningYouCanStickATailOnItAndCallItAFox · 29/03/2023 12:20

Thanks @Xrays 🤣🤣

The pp who said pigeons are clever made me smile. Amusing, comical, good at being a pigeon yes, but not sure about clever. 😁

WobblyLondoner · 30/03/2023 23:30

Xrays · 29/03/2023 11:03

Thank you - had no idea about that particular pigeon quirk. Funny!

OP I sympathise. We've got two large cherry plum trees overhanging our garden and the pigeons have a field day and crap everywhere. But not not so much that I hate them - I still have a fondness for the noise they make and their ludicrous waddle when they take off. Now foxes ...

sequincardi · 30/03/2023 23:43

I feel you op. But I have mellowed and yes feeding them, so they leave the plants alone. I get little birds too
I used to be birdist too.
MN changed my mind. It has changed my mind on many many things but this is possibly the smallest thing which still makes me smile

sequincardi · 30/03/2023 23:43

MontyDonsAssistant · 29/03/2023 08:09

I posted here as I thought it was the right place to ask for advice on a problem- like Radio 4 Gardeners' Question Time!

I didn't expect to be drawn into an argument over them.

@Xrays They are damaging my plants, in the same way that rabbits can. Eating plants. It's devastating to see a 30 year old tree being potentially stripped of all its leaves and blossom. If you have a garden and grow anything you'd know that other birds don't cause this damage.

Thanks for the sensible replies, folks.

This is MN
We can get into an argument about anything

ZeldaWillTellYourFortune · 31/03/2023 08:02

I've had pigeons coming to my feeders for 25 years and never seen one eat a plant.

MereDintofPandiculation · 31/03/2023 10:34

I’ve had pigeons coming to my feeders for 25 years and have watched them shredding my cabbages

AuntieMarys · 31/03/2023 10:48

sequincardi · 30/03/2023 23:43

This is MN
We can get into an argument about anything

Show quote history

🤣🤣🤣

Yellowdays · 31/03/2023 12:00

I have a cat but I don't bother planting cabbage type plants-pigeons eat them immediately I plant seedlings.

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