When is it safe (for birds) to cut hedges?

[Trustytoo]

Have a row of conifers forming a hedge at the rear of my garden. Would like to get the cut them down to more reasonable height before Winter. Think pigeons have been nesting in them.

When will it be safe to do the work and avoid disturbing the birds?

I think it’s just the spring nesting season to avoid?

I think you should be OK now. I think you have to leave it until after July as bird's can still nest then.

Google indicates it's March to August. So you're probably alright in about 10 days time. Not sure how long pigeons hang around for tbh.

When will it be safe to do the work and avoid disturbing the birds?
The law says you mustn't disturb nests so you can cut at any time if you check first that there are no nests. As a rule of thumb, people tend to work on the basis that nesting season = March to August.
However, as we know, pigeons are a pain the proverbial. They don't have a 'season' and can be at it all year round. You will need to do a visual check.

Agree with the comments that added a visual check. Can you leave an extra week or so, as with variable weather birds get disturbed earlier in the season and sometimes nest later.

Great you are checking.

wish someone had told my new neighbour he has cut down the trees and the holly bush that the robins lived in , there was also a thrush nesting in the other bush, not seen them since , twat🙄

I dont think it's ever safe for birds to cut hedges; where are they going to grip the secateurs? Under the dorsal guiding feathers? gets coat

If you have something nesting then not until they have left. All nesting birds are legally protected.

Pigeons are particularly difficult as they breed out of season so the March-August rule of thumb doesn’t always apply

Wait until they have left then cut.

Agree, wait longer. We still have some in our hedge.

Pigeons are idiots and they nest all the time, as far as I can see. We have a pair who like to nest in our garden, and two neighbours' gardens. They're rubbish at it, so every time they build a nest and lay an egg, it gets attacked by crows and then they start again in a plainly visible-to-crows location in a different tree. The only successful crow-avoidance strategy they have developed (usually quite late in the summer, might be starting now) is to attempt nesting in a willow tree whose branches are too flimsy for the crows, but also a bit flimsy for two fat pigeons and a nest.

Anyway, if we wanted to cut our trees, we'd have to wait for the crow to get the nest out, then seize the moment, I think.

Is it a particularly bad (or good for them) year for pigeons?
I hate them and our garden is full of them, far more than usual.
If I am outside I can't hear anything but pigeons.