Wood pigeons

[Nimrod103]

This year, I have had much greater trouble from wood pigeons than ever before. They seem more bold. They have stripped my white currants, just before I could get them netted, and they have taken most of my young pears. Don't seem to have touched the apples or a few cabbage I grow. The only thing really safe is my fruit cage.

How can I get rid of them?

[dspp]

This year, I have had much greater trouble from wood pigeons than ever before. They seem more bold. They have stripped my white currants, just before I could get them netted, and they have taken most of my young pears. Don't seem to have touched the apples or a few cabbage I grow. The only thing really safe is my fruit cage.

How can I get rid of them?

Employ a few sparrowhawks. Every time I see pigeons, I mentally think of a neat pile of feathers and a well stuffed hawk.

regards, dspp

[bungeejumper]

Getting worse, apparently. https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=207 . But I can certainly attest to the difficulty of scaring them off.

Unfortunately pigeons are more intelligent then they look. The fact that you can race their near relatives across entire continents without losing too many can tell you that. And they have no distress call, which means that sonic deterrents are useless.

We've probably had more success with dangling those things they used to call CDs (remember them?) on cotton threads. And our local farmer is having success with one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Patterned-Falc ... B07F7G7JSQ . It's fine if you don't mind having a 6 metre pole in your garden.

No? Oh well, back to the drawing board.....

BJ

[Nimrod103]

This year, I have had much greater trouble from wood pigeons than ever before. They seem more bold. They have stripped my white currants, just before I could get them netted, and they have taken most of my young pears. Don't seem to have touched the apples or a few cabbage I grow. The only thing really safe is my fruit cage.

How can I get rid of them?

Employ a few sparrowhawks. Every time I see pigeons, I mentally think of a neat pile of feathers and a well stuffed hawk.

regards, dspp

Do they work through an agency, or should I just post a sign outside saying 'Pest controller wanted - apply within'?

[Nimrod103]

Getting worse, apparently. https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=207 . But I can certainly attest to the difficulty of scaring them off.

Unfortunately pigeons are more intelligent then they look. The fact that you can race their near relatives across entire continents without losing too many can tell you that. And they have no distress call, which means that sonic deterrents are useless.

We've probably had more success with dangling those things they used to call CDs (remember them?) on cotton threads. And our local farmer is having success with one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Patterned-Falc ... B07F7G7JSQ . It's fine if you don't mind having a 6 metre pole in your garden.

No? Oh well, back to the drawing board.....

BJ

I suspect farmers are not allowed to shoot them like they used to. The strange thing is that it has always been well evidenced that woodpigeons go for brassicas and leafy veg, but in my case they go for young green berries of cherries, plums, pears, currants and gooseberries. They have left the cabbages alone.

PS edit to add, I'm not convinced any kind of fake raptor will fool the pigeons for a minute.

[bungeejumper]

I suspect farmers are not allowed to shoot them like they used to.

Yes, for about a year now, I think? https://www.theguardian.com/environment ... in-england

The strange thing is that it has always been well evidenced that woodpigeons go for brassicas and leafy veg, but in my case they go for young green berries of cherries, plums, pears, currants and gooseberries. They have left the cabbages alone

It's the Mediterranean diet, you see. I blame global warming.

As for whether hawk scarers work, all I can say is that our local farmer is having great success with his. I can see his silage clamps from our window, and there's not a rook or a pigeon in sight. Mind you, his kit comes with two different kites, so he can change the bogey-bird every so often.

BJ

[dspp]

This year, I have had much greater trouble from wood pigeons than ever before. They seem more bold. They have stripped my white currants, just before I could get them netted, and they have taken most of my young pears. Don't seem to have touched the apples or a few cabbage I grow. The only thing really safe is my fruit cage.

How can I get rid of them?

Employ a few sparrowhawks. Every time I see pigeons, I mentally think of a neat pile of feathers and a well stuffed hawk.

regards, dspp

Do they work through an agency, or should I just post a sign outside saying 'Pest controller wanted - apply within'?

I suspect they are overworked at prsent

[Gengulphus]

As for whether hawk scarers work, all I can say is that our local farmer is having great success with his. I can see his silage clamps from our window, and there's not a rook or a pigeon in sight. Mind you, his kit comes with two different kites, so he can change the bogey-bird every so often.

Red kites, by any chance? ;-)

Gengulphus

[Mike4]

As for whether hawk scarers work, all I can say is that our local farmer is having great success with his. I can see his silage clamps from our window, and there's not a rook or a pigeon in sight. Mind you, his kit comes with two different kites, so he can change the bogey-bird every so often.

Red kites, by any chance? ;-)

Gengulphus

Lol.

I don't think 'red kite' kites on a stick would be much of a deterrent as red kites are scavengers rather hunters. The clever pigeons will know this.

Buzzards however are hunters and live happily alongside red kites with no conflict, as each relies on a different food source AIUI. I suggest the OP gets a buzzard on a stick.

[Breelander]

I don't think 'red kite' kites on a stick would be much of a deterrent as red kites are scavengers rather hunters. The clever pigeons will know this.

Rooks and crows are corvids, a far more intelligent group than the pigeons. They will mob a Red Kite to drive it off. It's the outline of a raptor that triggers this, they don't bother to ask if the raptor is a scavenger.

[sg31]

I've had good success keeping wood pigeons off plants with bird scarer tape tied to 4' canes. Tie to the top end of the cane and cut it to just short of the ground. They come within a few feet of the cane so you will need a few.

Obviously it doesn't work well in windless conditions but most of the time there is some breeze.