How to Get Rid of Pigeons Safely
Many people put up bird feeders and scatter bird seed on the ground to bring bright, chirping songbirds to their lawn or garden. Doing so can bring uninvited guests like pigeons, though. Although pigeons are harmless, they can overwhelm a property quickly with growing numbers and aggressive behavior. Get rid of pigeons on your property with a couple of easy steps. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Take down any bird feeders, and stop spreading seed for the birds. This is what is attracting pigeons to your property in the first place. Taking down the feeders will mean that you're getting rid of all the birds you currently feed, but that is a necessary evil if you want to be rid of the pigeons.
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Secure any garbage cans or pet food containers. Pigeons adapt to city life easily, and become scavengers if there isn't a ready source of food around. Taking down bird feeders may drive them into your garbage for food, so make sure that your trashcans are securely fastened, to keep pigeons from getting food there.
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Install bird spikes on any vertical surfaces to keep pigeons from roosting on your property. Although the spikes are unattractive, they will keep birds from landing, which will encourage the birds to stay away. Buy spikes that are pigeon sized, so that smaller birds can still land in the openings.
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Spray your property with bird repellent to keep pigeons away. Bird repellent may not work with all birds.
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Acquire a cat and release it on your property. Cats naturally hunt birds and will scare away any pigeons that land in your yard.
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Tips & Warnings
For birds that are particularly aggressive or persistent, consider getting bird traps and rereleasing any trapped birds far away from your home.
Find old birds nests on your property and destroy them. Birds are likely to return to old nests year after year, but will find a new place to nest if their old nests are gone.
Killing birds is illegal in many states, and is not recommended.
References
- Photo Credit The pigeon image by Angelina Matsiievska from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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Mija check out the bird spikes there only a few dollars per foot. You will probably need only three or four.
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Owl (decoy) sounds like the best, first step, to discourage pigeons from hogging the bird feeder. In fact, when an owl decoy was near the feeder, pigeons weren't as great a problem as when the owl decoy was located farther away (near fruit-bearing trees). Hence, the owl decoy shall returneth, and we'll see if the pigeons chicken out.
