Any bird feed that pigeons hate ?!

tim_uk

tim_uk

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I'm trying to attract some birds to our small garden with a view to taking some pictures. So far have made a simple table with various feeders hanging from it and I just sprinkle some seed type food on the table.
We've had a few birds come to eat now but the problem is I get a fat pigeon come down who just sits there and eats loads ! I was therefore wondering if anyone had any suggestions for table food that he won't like.
I dont want to put a wire type enclosure to just let small birds in as this would spoil any photos.

Any ideas ?
 
:agree:
Having seen pigeons happily feasting on bird seed, chocolate bars, chips, burgers & donner meat, even vomit, I don't think you'll have much luck finding something other birds like that they hate. :(

A quick flash with a Class 2 laser pointer generally scares them off (for a while, anyway) without disturbing other birds.
 
There is something they don't like called "buck" something or other. Oh, I remember now, its called buckshot.

Sorry, to be more serious. I agree with footman, try a bird feeder instead of the table.

The best seed I have found are sunflower hearts. They are not cheap but if you use cheaper bird food and the birds don't like it they will simply pick it out the feeder and drop it on the ground.

If you don't mind the idea of live food, try mealworms. Many birds love them and if you have robins around there is a good chance of being able get them to come very close or to hand feed them.

If you have squirrels around the garden you will probably need cage around a feeder.

Dave
 
Tringa said:
There is something they don't like called "buck" something or other. Oh, I remember now, its called buckshot.
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I don't know if it's true, but I read somewhere that a crop full of seed can give a pigeon the equivalent of a ballistic vest. You can injure them, but it protects the vital bits.
 
Tori_T said:
I don't know if it's true, but I read somewhere that a crop full of seed can give a pigeon the equivalent of a ballistic vest. You can injure them, but it protects the vital bits.
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Throat and upper chest, yes, but the head (and vent!) are still available to the skilled airgun shooter.

There's quite a bit of crossover between photography and shooting - similar techiques for holding equipment still and common suppliers like Nikon.
 
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Snapsh0t said:
Throat and upper chest, yes, but the head (and vent!) are still available to the skilled airgun shooter.

There's quite a bit of crossover between photography and shooting - similar techiques for hold equipment still and common suppliers like Nikon.
Click to expand...
We have a massive pest problem with the bleeders, they closed us down 3 years ago for health and safety reasons because of the amount of pigeon poo which when dry is a carcenogen (sp), Rentokil came in and shot over 200 in a single day then spend 2 solid weeks cleaning the poo and removing every single trace, we now have a company airgun and pick em off on Saturday mornings.
 
pigeons = flying rats.

with the good weather i'm hoping to get more nature/bird shots just trying to get as much practise but pigeons are a curse!!
 
footman said:
I wouldn't use a table. I've never seen a pigeon able to perch on a standard garden feeder.
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Got this one in my garden, it scoffs all the seed.
pig-2.jpg
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I have just been watching a wood pigeon getting its breakfast. Glever it is sits on a perch on the other side and stretches way over and gets a seed at a time as it falls. Gone and moved it nearer to it so it can now get a proper breakfast:)

I don't mind them at the feeders. Well at least its two wood pigeons:D
 
I found I had to give up on any ground feeding stations or bird tables because of pigeons.

Short of shooting them, you can't get rid. I now use hanging bird feeders only and find that the pigeons just clean up the spill on the ground, which actually works quite well. We now only have a couple of pigeons visit the garden whereas when we had a bird table could get up to 20 congregating regularly.

The new problem is magpie's and crows which are altogether more resourceful and able to use the feeders too.

If you want nice pics, then for the smaller birds, having the feeders near somewhere that they can perch will help. It can be a branch you place nearby artificially. I find the smaller birds like to perch somewhere first, go get some feed, take it away and eat it. Plus pics of birds on branches look nicer than feeders as well.

Use feeders to attract birds into the garden, then what's on them isn't so important. Also you can then use some of the ones that prevent larger birds with cages round them.
 
Short of shooting them
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Why stop short :D Nice bit of pan fried Wood Pigeon is lovely!

Jesting aside though, and this might be a daft suggestion, but have you tried having the feeder closer to the house?
I got a few shots of robins and the like over the winter by chucking corn down a few feet from the house, I found the larger birds were too wary to come that close!

Or have two feeders, one close and one far... you might find the smaller birds prefer the closer quieter one?
 
Cyanide :thumbs:
 
You can use tomatoes or peppermints on your table. Pigeons do not like both tomatoes and peppermint's smell. It will be helpful to keep pigeons away from your feeding table.
 
I watched one the other day. It sat on a branch which bent over just close enough to get to a peanut feeder where it ate peanuts one after the other for at least 10 minutes. I was surprised when it flew away - even more surprised it didn't burst, greedy pecker.
 
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