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Bird bullies

RekusuRekusu Posts: 125
in Wildlife gardening
What ho one and all,

We enjoy watching the small birds feasting on the seeds, fat balls and nuts that we give them.

Recently however, all the large black bullies have found the 'restaurant' and are greedily taking everything.  Is there some way to discourage the crows and ravens from taking all the food?

Thanks and toodle pip
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Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Are you sure they’re cries and ravens … ravens are huge and usually only seen in the Scottish mountains and craggy coastal areas. Crows are pretty big too. Could they be jackdaws?  Can you post a photo of them then we’ll have some idea of possible solutions. 

    I would just add that while we love watching the little birds, we do need all the birds … they all have a place in the ecosystem. 😊 




    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    Except for parakeets😡
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited June 2023
    B3 said:
    Except for parakeets😡
    Their place in the ecosystem is on another continent  🌏 🚲 🦜 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    @Dovefromabove We have ravens here in Somerset flying over our garden,  which isn't on the coast.
    We have had magpies coming to the feeders recently. They have never done this before.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Yes thankfully ravens are spreading back across wilder parts of the country … but I doubt that they’re a problem on garden bird feeders yet … although I may well be proved wrong …

    We’ve had magpies coming to feeders for years whenever we’ve put out fat balls and suet … which we only do in the winter.  They don’t seem interested in grain/seed food mixes here. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    You can't pick and choose the birds which visit your garden but I'd agree with @Dovefromabove that your large black jobs are more than likely Jackdaws - they can easily be distinguished from Crows and Rooks and you would be very lucky indeed to get a Raven visiting.
    Check around your neighbourhood and see whether you have Jackdaws around.

    @B3 -  The parakeets are down to humans - originally released from private collections both accidentally and delibarately  but I feel sure we have had this discussion  before  ;) Like us humans , let loose and find somewhere that suits and away we go causing havoc  :D   Sorry, I know they do annoy you in your garden. 
  • EmerionEmerion Posts: 599
    edited June 2023
    I put a small piece of plastic-covered chain link fence around my bird table. The holes are  big enough to allow birds up to robin/finch size through to the seed. The peanut feeders dangle far enough from a vantage point, that big birds can’t reach them, but woodpeckers and others can hang-on to feed.  I’ve got nothing against magpies, but the seed would be gone in minutes every day.
    Carmarthenshire (mild, wet, windy). Loam over shale, very slightly sloping, so free draining. Mildly acidic or neutral.


  • ErgatesErgates Posts: 2,953
    The only ‘big’ birds that visit our feeders are jackdaws. Quite cute, but they are agile and greedy, and can empty the feeders very quickly. The crows never tackle the feeders, too big and ungainly, but they do sit underneath at times, and eat the seeds dropped by the little birds.
  • TheGreenManTheGreenMan Posts: 1,957
    The jackdaws need feeding too. 

    Let them all get on with it. 


  • RekusuRekusu Posts: 125
    edited June 2023
    OK, perhaps not ravens but certainly crows and jackdaws.  In the past, they used to hang around on the ground and gather whatever fell, but these days, they have learnt to grab the feeders.  three fat balls last the smaller birds around 3-4 days but these bullies, they have gone in one day. 
    I don't mine a couple but they are coming in mini-flocks; had six fighting to get a good position and the peanuts and seeds the other day.  Guess I have not choice but to feed whatever comes by or not feed them at all.
    Perhaps I can arm the smaller birds with an AK47!
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