Pigeons

[MsBehave]

Ok, how on earth do you get rid of pigeons from the garden without chasing away the other birds? We have lots of hangers in the garden for all the wee birds (blue tits,sparrows etc) but the pigeons are taking over! We have a few crows and with them being so clever and all they shake the hangers and the pigeons gather at the bottom to collect the food. The wee birds really are missing out and the pigeons are creating such a mess. I want a kind way to get rid of them!

Can anyone help?

Thanks

[Loosehead]

Other than eating them there is no way to get rid of the pigeons without also getting rid of the birds you want to keep.

[MsBehave]

Lol. Thats pretty much what i figured! We are thinking about getting a fake owl. Do you think that might work?

[scubadiver]

We are in the same position. We have 4 hangers and a bird table and at the moment are having to top these up every day. As well as the little birds, we have a pigeon gang, a dove gang, several blackbirds, 4 mutant elephant sized woodpigeons, an equally large magpie, an owl and an occasional visit from a sparrowhawk.I can't think of any way to select only the small birds. What seems to happen in our garden is that the larger birds seem content with the table and picking up any fallen seeds from under the hangers, while the small birds benefit from the hangers that the larger birds can't use.

While I can understand your frustration, I actually like the diversity of bird life that we attract - at times it is like a scene from "The Birds" as they all queue up on the fence waiting for a spot at one of the feeders.

[gen2]

Not an answer I'm afraid.
Last year we had robins, dunnocks and blackbirds feeding on the spillage from the feeders, This year, the pigeons discovered it and a flock of 12 refugees from the High Street have now worn a bare patch in the lawn with their constant pacing.

I have considered placing netting or a mesh of some sort over the lawn so that small birds could get in but not the pigeons.  I didn't go ahead with that idea because I felt that in the event of a visit by a neighbour's cat, the birds' escape would bre hampered.  So, like MsBehave, I'm still looking for a solution.

[shaneystar]

I have rationed my birds to peanuts only!
Peanuts and fatballs in the winter.
Have positioned the feeders so that the pigeons cannot possibly eat them.They are to big and heavy to land on them and give up and clear off!! Plus I have a fake owl on the shed roof and I truly believe this scares them away!I Don't mind them but as in these previous posts they muscle in on all the others and they play follow the leader and all of a sudden you have nothing BUT pigeons!

[mfewell]

I keep a hanging feeder of nuts in a squirrel-proof container (you don't mention squirrels, I'm surprised you're not plagued with them). No problem with pigeons there. The only other food I put out is on a table right bang outside the back door. I have a lovely little robin with scruffy tail feathers. He is so tame he will come just inside the door and look at me, head on one side, when the food runs out. Pigeons won't come that near the house when I am in, they know ! Nor magpies. I remove the food when I go out. It's a bit labour intensive but works for me. I throw bricks at pigeons, never hit one yet fortunately because I know I'd feel awful if I ever hurt one.