29 Apr 2021 | Apex Environmental Services (UK) Ltd
The summer months are fast approaching, a time where every homeowner looks forward to enjoying the warm afternoons and light evenings in their gardens.
Many of us have bird feeders and birdbaths to encourage the local wildlife to utilize our spaces. However, it can be hugely disappointing when pigeons descend on your garden, often taking over the place and scaring other birds away.
Why Are Pigeons A Problem?
- Pigeons are bullies - they intimidate the smaller birds and steal the food, preventing other birds from returning. Whilst many smaller breeds of birds will use your garden simultaneously, pigeons threaten the others and prevent them from accessing your garden, its water source, and its food.
- Pigeons are extremely loud. Whilst we welcome the morning bird song that springtime brings, most of us would like to avoid pigeons' loud coos.
- They move in flocks. You will very rarely witness a pigeon independently. So, whilst allowing one pigeon into your garden might not seem like a huge deal, when all of their friends arrive, your garden can quickly become crowded. The food will disappear in a matter of seconds.
- Pigeons produce vast amounts of droppings. Partly because they eat so much, but also because they move in such large groups. If you welcome pigeons into your garden, you will find your laundry and garden furniture constantly covered in bird droppings.
Choose the Right Food
Interestingly, pigeons love junk food.
Many cheaper ingredients are used to pack out bird feed. These less expensive and less nutritious ingredients are the ones that pigeons are attracted to. This generally comes as no surprise, as pigeons can be seen on any high street, feeding on the scraps that have been discarded.
Therefore, packing your bird feeder with high-quality ingredients can be an effective control mechanism.
For example, using fat balls and other suet products is a great way to attract woodpeckers into the garden. Pigeons are not attracted to these and will often fly onto new beginnings rather than enjoy this food style. Food packed with millet seeds, however, will attract pigeons in vast numbers.
Protecting Your Food Source
Choosing a suitable bird feeder is essential to prevent pigeons from being attracted to the property.
Pigeons like to eat from the ground. When not eating from the ground, they need a horizontal surface to land on, such as a wall or table.
So, hanging bird feeders can often be an ideal solution. These usually have a small rim around the bottom, sufficiently providing smaller birds with the stability they require. In comparison, heavier birds such as pigeons are simply too big to balance on the edge and cannot access the food source.
Another handy solution is dome feeders.
As the name suggests, dome feeders are sphere-shaped, transparent balls that can be attached to walls or trees. The birds can sit inside the dome and enjoy their feed at their own pace.
The holes to access these domes are very small, meaning pigeons cannot reach this valuable food source.
If you still want to provide a ground feeding solution for the other birds, then consider using a cage surrounding the food.
Although this is not always the most aesthetic solution, it provides an easy option to allow the other ground feeders an accessible food source. You could purchase a permanent cage online or fashion one from some chicken wire. Just ensure the gaps are large enough to let the smaller birds through but small enough to deter the pigeons.
Bird Feeding Tables
Bird feeding tables will inevitably attract pigeons.
The best way to deter pigeons from landing on your feeding table is to use bird spikes. Spikes placed around the edge will remove the space that the pigeons need to land. Whereas, the smaller birds will be able to fly directly to the food source.
Spikes are also an excellent option for guttering and walls.
Protect Your Bird Bath
Our bird tables quickly become the centrepiece of our gardens, especially in the summer months. It is pleasant to watch birds drink and bathe in the water, cooling themselves down during a day in the sunshine.
However, it can be extremely challenging to prevent pigeons from taking over the bath, ruining it for the other wildlife. Pigeons often foul in the water, which not only looks unsightly but can be harmful.
Similarly to the feeding stations, the best option to protect your birdbath is with a cage. This solution allows smaller birds to access the water, but prevents pigeons from doing so.
Beware of Feeding Pigeons Separately
Many choose to set up an alternative feeding station in their garden, targeted explicitly at pigeons. This feeding station will be close to the ground and provide the food that pigeons love. However, this can be a risky solution.
Pigeons love an easily accessible food source, so they will undoubtedly flock to this feeding station you have created.
They will begin to arrive in large groups searching for a regular feed, which can cause serious issues for your garden, family, and the other birds. The groups of pigeons may be encouraged to nest on your property, close to this reliable food and water source.
How Apex Bird Control Can Help
Pigeons and other bird infestations can cause enormous problems for homeowners.
Once pigeons begin to build nests on your property, they can inflict a considerable amount of property and personal damage.
We have a range of solutions, including Anti Bird Meshing and Anti Bird Spikes. Additionally, we offer a Guano Clearance Service, which may be necessary for homes with a pigeon issue.
Apex deal with a spectrum of issues daily. A discussion with our team will help you identify the best solution for your unique situation.
To find out more, contact Apex Bird Control now on 01256 578025 or email us at info@apexbirdcontrol.uk.
