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Just installed a decked area at the bottom of the garden and have quickly come to realise that it is directly below a favourite spot in a tree for the local pigeons and the mess they leave is disgusting (and Googling suggests it won't be very good for the decking either).
I have tried shooting them with the kids' Nerf water pistols which has some success for short periods but I assume pigeons have very limited memory skills so just keep coming back.
I have searched around and reviews on sonic repellers and decoy owls etc seem very mixed so I was wondering if anyone has had any kind of success with any methods?
Cheers
Tried the RSPB site?
Shoot.
Cook.
Sounds like the pigeons were there first to me.
I assume pigeons have very limited memory skills
Pigeons have excellent memory skills. They are also extremely territorial and will always return to their homes.
They're sort of famous for this.
My parents use a decoy Eagle Owl which is not subtle but has worked so far. You could try those plasticy spike things too if you dont mind a network rail look....but a tree seems fair 'game' for pigeons.
Get a fake eagle or some such.
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The spikes will be tricky to attach to the branches No?
Some fake Owl or Bird of Prey would be my guess..
Or move the patio, obvz..
Move the patio? Not with what's buried under there.
Jamie - MemberGet a fake eagle or some such.
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Depending on feasibility (boundaries, proximity to other houses etc), I'd shoot them - or find someone from an air rifle HFT club who would do the same..
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Have you thought about purchasing a medium sized Sumatran tiger?
Thermite?
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I'd rather have some pigeons to look at make home in my trees than have a deck to sit on.
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submarined - Member
Have you thought about purchasing a medium sized Sumatran tiger?
A decoy one would do.
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Cheaper version, plus you get to eat some teeth rotting cereal before placing the box in a prominent position to scare off the birds
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I assume pigeons have very limited memory skills
Pigeons have excellent memory skills. They are also extremely territorial and will always return to their homes.They're sort of famous for this.
Coffee-keyboard interface just happened 😆
submarined - Member
Have you thought about purchasing a medium sized Sumatran tiger?
A decoy one would do.
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Pretend birds purchased.
Found three of the buggers in the tree this morning – and they were out of range of the Nerf gun so I resorted to a stone. Rats with wings. Nasty things.
I saw a video once of a guy re-engineering a nerf gun to make it more effective. It involved up rating the spring and attaching razor blades to the bullets.
That would do the job nicely.
Mine is a Nerf water pistol. I guess I could upgrade by using acid? Or petrol?
Standing under the tree firing acid upwards - what could go wrong 😉 ? I suspect British pigeons are not afraid of a drop of water !
Air rifle will kill a few but probably not dissuade them from returning. Decoys can work well but if that's placed under the tree the pigeons lay feel safe high up anyway
I suspect British pigeons are not afraid of a drop of water !
I am sure they are not, it's just to startle them and it does work for a day or so. I keep forgetting to go out in the evening when they are settling down - I assume if I get them to move then, they will stay away overnight and hopefully find a nicer tree to s/hit in.
Decoys can work well but if that's placed under the tree the pigeons lay feel safe high up anyway
I was going to put them in the tree.
Get a cat. But then you'll have to deal with cat shit, so get a dog. But then you'll have deal with... about that tiger, then?
I already have a dog. Dog is afraid of cats. But loves chasing birds. I think dog thinks dog is cat. I shall tie the dog up in the tree.
Thank you Cougar for giving me clarity on the solution.
Rats with wings. Nasty things.
If you're living in a city, then there's some validity to that
If you're not, well, they're an indigenous species of bird, and they were there first.
Big metal chicken in a prominent spot.
Seems to work for us at keeping some of the thicker birds off the veg.
🙂
How about a small speaker in the tree playing Radio2?
They would get so bored/angry that they would leave the tree.
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If you're living in a city, then there's some validity to thatIf you're not, well, they're an indigenous species of bird, and they were there first.
So are wasps, rats, foxes etc - it doesn't mean I want them in my garden.
If you're not, well, they're an indigenous species of bird, and they were there first.
Individual pigeons, probably not, with a lifespan of 6 years. Family/genus/species as a whole, probably moved in as the ice retreated, as did bipedal hominids.
Standing under the tree firing acid upwards - what could go wrong ?
Obvious solution is obvious. You need a small flame at the end of the barrel and you also need to replace the acid with petrol.
Individual pigeons, probably not, with a lifespan of 6 years
You are wrong. I remember as a kids watching a BBC factual documentary where one of the pigeons (called Clara) was a long distance lorry driver. There is no way a 6 year old could hold a HGV licence so they must live much longer than than six years.
So are wasps, rats, foxes etc - it doesn't mean I want them in my garden.
Why not? Wasps keep the numbers of other insects down, rats eat slugs and snails which are probably even worse for your garden and foxes are ace (unless you have chickens, but then it's your job to protect them from the foxes, not to get rid of the foxes)
Why not? Wasps keep the numbers of other insects down, rats eat slugs and snails which are probably even worse for your garden and foxes are ace (unless you have chickens, but then it's your job to protect them from the foxes, not to get rid of the foxes)
Why not? Because I would rather they are not in my garden, I understand all this Circle of Life stuff, but they can do it elsewhere as far as I am concerned.
What you want is an autonomous automatic gun, a bit like this one:
Ought to be good for cats as well.
😉
Big metal chicken in a prominent spot.Seems to work for us at keeping some of the thicker birds off the veg.
So all you need to scare thick birds away is a huge cock?
Sure there's a joke in there somewhere.......
BTW, anybody suggesting shooting them needs to read up on the terms of the general licence.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/wild-birds-licence-to-take-or-kill-for-health-or-safety-purposes
Note these paragraphs:
"You can only use this licence to preserve public health or public safety.
You can’t use this licence to kill birds because they are damaging your property, such as your car or house, or if they’re a nuisance."
Disturbing the site a lot seemed to work for me. The population changed too so they might move on.