Although this may seem difficult at first, there are clever ways to feed birds without attracting pigeons. Most bird lovers choose to place bird feeders in their gardens or on balconies to observe diverse species of birds. However, this can lead to unwanted guests such as pigeons moving into the area and eating all the bird food. In order to solve the problem quickly and so that your efforts are not in vain, here are some tips and proven methods that will keep hungry pigeons away from feeding places.
What should you know before feeding birds without attracting pigeons?
Well-organized bird feeding without pigeons and care for garden birds is crucial for the preservation of the species. This can accordingly contribute to thefeathered friends in the gardenfeel welcome all year round. Since pigeons are an invasive bird species, most garden owners would be happy to avoid them. In addition, pigeons can cause harm to other bird species and cause serious problems in the garden area. For this reason, it would make sense to deter such pest species and keep them away from bird feeders. However, there is a risk of scaring away useful garden birds from your property at the same time. In order to prevent this, certain measures must be taken.
If pigeons have become a nuisance in your outdoor area, you can consider how to keep only these birds away and not other birds. If a pigeon finds out that it can easily get bird food in your garden, it will certainly inform other comrades. As a result, you will soon have a large number of pigeons in your garden eating up all the bird food.
So if you want to feed birds without attracting pigeons, you should “arm” yourself with the right equipment and some simple but ingenious tricks. Read on to learn how to prevent pigeons from entering feeders that have already been set up. This way you will ensure that only welcome visitors to your garden eat the seeds in the feeders.
Set up the right nesting boxes in the garden area
The nesting habits of pigeons are usually quite strange. They usually build their nests on dry, flat surfaces such as attics, roofs or under bridges. This species of bird also nests in a flimsy manner, with nests mostly made from collected sticks and debris. For this reason, pigeons basically choose places that are already particularly well protected.
So you can assume that open and largeNesting boxes in the gardencan become an involuntary home for pigeons. Additionally, you can block their access by opting for nesting boxes that can let wild birds in and keep pigeons out. In this case, earth cages and nesting boxes with smaller entrances are recommended. This allows smaller garden birds to nest safely in your garden and at the same time forces pigeons to look for nesting places elsewhere.
Keep pigeons away humanely with bird nets
As already written, places that offer shelter are preferred by pigeons because they like to nest there. You can keep the birds away from such places in your outdoor area by using bird netting. This is a type of humane deterrent because it allows you to catch pigeons without hurting them. This way, the birds will soon know that it is pointless to look for their new home on your property. Additionally, you can also place bird netting around your garden area and around the outside of your home. However, such a variant could also affect other bird species and drive them away as well. You also need to check your bird nets regularly to release any birds caught in them.
Keep the garden floor clean and feed birds without attracting pigeons
There is a high chance that pigeons will get bird food in the garden despite access being blocked, as it falls from feeders to the ground. This happens because feeders are usually hanging on trees or fences, and fallen bird seed can quickly attract pigeons to the garden. In this case, you can try to keep your garden floor near the bird feeders as clean as possible. It is best to check the nearby area for leftover food and other types of food to limit the interest of local pigeons.
Of course, it's not always easy to pick up seeds or birdseed from the ground, but your efforts will be worth it as pigeons seem to prefer to feed on the ground. Also try not to use feeders on the ground to achieve the same effect. Another thing you can do is to buy specially designed feeders that don't allow bird food to spill onto the ground so easily. This will make your garden soil less likely to attract pigeons.
Choose bird food that is unsuitable for pigeons
Another option is to provide bird food that does not attract pigeons. This bird species has the reputation of being able to eat pretty much anything, although pigeons also have preferences. Choose foods that are unappealing to pigeons to provide smaller birds with a hearty meal. This can for examplehomemade fat balls, niger seeds or peanuts. So only fill your bird feeders with bird food that will keep pigeons away.
Use decoys against pigeons
You can also try scaring away pigeons by using scarecrows or decoys. However, choose the right species to prevent pigeons from visiting certain garden areas. Owlbirds, for example, are a suitable species that would deter pigeons. Due to natural instincts, pigeons are afraid of owls as they are birds of prey. Before doing so, observe where the pigeons are so that you can position the decoys in the right places. Although the pigeons will logically eventually get used to the decoys, this trick involves repositioning the decoys every now and then. So move the owls every now and then to keep the pigeons guessing where they are. Using a hawk as a decoy can be equally effective if you can't find owls. This option requires little effort, but it can also be off-putting to other bird species. However, the method is worth trying.
You now have the opportunity to take the actions described above. This means you will be in a good position to drive away annoying birds such as pigeons from your garden or balcony.
You might also be interested in: “WHAT SHOULD YOU NOT FEED BIRDS? THESE FOODS COME RISKS FOR FEATHERED FRIENDS!“
