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Pigeon pest

darren hansen 134darren hansen 134 Posts: 122
in Problem solving
Does anyone have any ideas on keeping pigeons out of my garden?. Have got a couple of plastic black crows which seem to work a bit..but not completely
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  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,487
    It all depends where you are, and in what type of area.  It's basically a lost cause unless you're right out in the country where you can shoot them.  To some extent they may be either wood pigeons or feral but you may have to accept a well meaning neighbour could be feeding them - as we do, I'm afraid.
  • darren hansen 134darren hansen 134 Posts: 122
    Am in Cambridge.. England
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    If you have an open area such as a garden, it is practically impossible to decide which species of bird you want  ( or any other creature come to that ).
    As per @nick615, if you live in town or suburbs, feral pigeons may be  constant visitors.  If you are in a more rural area, you may have Wood Pigeons.
    If your main concern is pigeon of whatever variety nibbling your veg, easiest solution is to net your veg bed :)

     
  • barry islandbarry island Posts: 1,847
    I've just read an article that on 19th June 9000 racing pigeons went missing from Peterborough, they were supposed to return to the North East of England but never arrived some turning up in Ireland. Apparently the same thing happened in Portugal and Belgium, it's thought that it may be due to solar flares disrupting the birds ability to navigate. If you find one please give it water and some corn or rice.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I loathe the feathered rats.
    There's barely a minute in the day I can't either see or or hear them - they're everywhere, and at this time of year they line-up outside my bedroom window at 3:45am and start cooing 🤬 they're decimating the berries on the amelanchiers and snapping branches as they're so fat (is it un-PC to fat-shame a pigeon?)

    The only thing I've found successful keeping them at bay is to hang cd's from a single thread so they twirl in the slightest breeze.
    My neighbour has bought holographic children's windmills and twirly things that also seem to work.
    I have about 12 cd's strung up and it keeps an area about 30ft x 20ft clear of them.
    My raspberries, black currants and blackberries have not been touched in the last 3 years. The area is not really visible from the house, so I don't have to put up with the disco effect on sunny days

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    They don't just attack the veg plants which we use bamboo cuttings to deter them from landing and attacking the foliage.
    They attack the leaves of our gages, plums and cherries.
    We have used bonded fibre strips and old CDs to hang on the trees. Worked well for some days and then they had got used to them and continued to take the leaves.
    They don't look at the apple and pears trees. Interesting.
  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,487
    Ours are all feral type and descend en masse (10-25) from the rooftop every morning when I go out with their seed breakfast.  They find something to interest them on the lawn during the day, but I've never had them touching the veg.
  • SherwoodArrowSherwoodArrow Posts: 284
    I also use cd’s and the windmills but mostly just run around shouting like a mad women trying to keep them away. 

    We have had more and more feral pigeons over the past few years due to the fact they are now living under people’s new solar panels.
    Nottinghamshire.
    Failure is always an option.

  • tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
    Same here in France.  I have a street lamp in the vicinity of my veggie garden.  2 of them sit up there watching me, sow, plant etc.  Then they swoop.  Netting leafy vegetables seems to be the only solution.  Yes, @Pete.8  We have that dawn chorus too.
    A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

  • darren hansen 134darren hansen 134 Posts: 122
    Have managed to get rid of them by putting strips of silver foil and some mini disco balls😂 hanging on the clothes line
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