pesky pigeons

[rovershooter]

im in need of attracting birds to my garden, its a fairly long garden with a large oak tree at the bottom, i would love to attract some smaller birds to it but at the moment its being ruled by some bloody pigeons that i cant shift they seem to rule my garden at this time and every time i put food out in the hope of attracting birds they just fly down and scoff the lot ! has anyone got some ideas for me to get rid of them

 

[gramps]

im in need of attracting birds to my garden, its a fairly long garden with a large oak tree at the bottom, i would love to attract some smaller birds to it but at the moment its being ruled by some bloody pigeons that i cant shift they seem to rule my garden at this time and every time i put food out in the hope of attracting birds they just fly down and scoff the lot ! has anyone got some ideas for me to get rid of them

I have pigeons in my garden too but I use seed feeders for the small birds and place them out of reach of the pigeons.
Inevitably the small birds drop lots onto the floor and a little of this is picked up by a Dunnock but most hovered up by the pigeons ... works well.

 

[rovershooter]

I have pigeons in my garden too but I use seed feeders for the small birds and place them out of reach of the pigeons.
Inevitably the small birds drop lots onto the floor and a little of this is picked up by a Dunnock but most hovered up by the pigeons ... works well.

thanks gramps, im really fed up with them im not a pigeon fan as it is just hope i can attract the other birds, but thanks again for your help

 

[Tringa]

im in need of attracting birds to my garden, its a fairly long garden with a large oak tree at the bottom, i would love to attract some smaller birds to it but at the moment its being ruled by some bloody pigeons that i cant shift they seem to rule my garden at this time and every time i put food out in the hope of attracting birds they just fly down and scoff the lot ! has anyone got some ideas for me to get rid of them

We have found sunflower hearts very good. They are more expensive than mixed seed but the birds throw away quite a bit of the mixed seed so I think in the long term sunflower hearts are more economical.

If you have squirrels visiting your garden then you'll need a feeder that excludes them, otherwise the squirrels will force the birds from the feeder, eat a lot of the food and will damage/destroy the feeder.

Squirrels can be excluded by using a cage around the feeder - something like this https://www.birdfood.co.uk/medium-peanut-feeder-with-guardian

or by using a feeder like this - https://homgar.com/products/pestoff...MI5ZmYrbv-6AIVRNreCh0S0QCSEAQYBCABEgIvqvD_BwE

Dave

 

[Stuart Philpott]

Steve as per Roger use feeders that the pigeons can't access. Mate which type of pigeon are they. your big oak is pulling small birds or it will shortly it's all but a given the life in an oak tree is astounding might not present phot ops but maybe with a longer garden place the feeders down that way as all manner of little chaps will be visiting agreed also on the David' sunflower heart certainly our orrible lots fav food well they scoff more of that than anything else. Place feeders close to cover........ a hedge a bush... say a few yards away . Sparrow hawks pick up on the density of birds drawn to feeders,the little guys will use the veggies as a bolt hole. consequently they feel more secure and will use the feeders more readily. You are probably starting at the worst time as everybody has babies on there mind ,so this time of year is often when numbers at feeders are at their lowest so be patient ,but hang in there is will come with time.

Steve once you finally have some subjects then come's the next bit making attractive images,I'll show something shortly when I get a mo that might give you more ideas. a feeder but not terribly conventional.

I like pigeons, we have a pair here they don't cause me too much aggro, I get lots of other small folks,so you can definitely win this one
take care
stu

 

[Nikon f1.8]

I have pigeons coming to the garden all the time, quite a few round here, but the small birds are always around as well, they go to the feeders whereas the pigeons cannot get to them. Blue tits, Goldfinches, Sparrows, robins... they don't seem to bother with the bigger birds, even the Magpies don't scare them away as the bigger birds are ground feeders.