pigeons damaging tree

[mutantpoodle]

Hi
I have a 'Ballerina Snowy Mespilus' about 8 ft high and 2-3 years old
fancy name is
Amelanchier x grandiflora Ballerina (!!!)

its label reads very well which is why i bought it

It does indeed have lovely blossom in spring, which is then followed by masses (well lots) of berries

and thats the problem, the berries are obviously loved by wretched pigeons who land on the new branches to eat
the branches of course cannot hold the weight of the fat pigeons
so break
so my tree is not really making any progress

I thought that maybe I should enjoy the blossom and then remove the berries before they ripen
if nothing else it would deter the pigeons

would it harm my tree???

[88V8]

I thought that maybe I should enjoy the blossom and then remove the berries before they ripen
if nothing else it would deter the pigeons
Would it harm my tree???

You might try putting out alternate food for the pigeons, but birds do like berries.

I used to shoot pigeon with my airgun years ago, and eat them, but nowadays I look on them more benignly even though they eat our elderberries, and blackbirds and nuthatch eat the big red berries from our Irish yew, as well as our blackberries and wineberries and pyracantha, and of course the berries of hawthorn. Berries are an important source of food, and in fact one should be pleased that one is feeding the birds given the extent to which the excessive human population and intensive agriculture has trashed the natural world.

All that said, if they are breaking the new branches that is not great.

If you are able to remove the berries it will do no harm to the tree. If anything it will grow faster given it will not be expending energy ripening the berries. Eventually if the tree is happy it could reach 20ft by which time you will need wings to reach the berries but of course by then any minor damage to the twigs will be of little importance.

V8

[Nimrod103]

Hi
I have a 'Ballerina Snowy Mespilus' about 8 ft high and 2-3 years old
fancy name is
Amelanchier x grandiflora Ballerina (!!!)

its label reads very well which is why i bought it

It does indeed have lovely blossom in spring, which is then followed by masses (well lots) of berries

and thats the problem, the berries are obviously loved by wretched pigeons who land on the new branches to eat
the branches of course cannot hold the weight of the fat pigeons
so break
so my tree is not really making any progress

I thought that maybe I should enjoy the blossom and then remove the berries before they ripen
if nothing else it would deter the pigeons

would it harm my tree???

Same problem here, and wood pigeons generally seem to be becoming more common. I wouldn't remove the berries firstly because there are so many, and also because the blackbirds like them as well. My Amelanchiers grow close alongside other small trees and big shrubs so they get structural support from them. Have you thought of strengthening the thinner branches by tying them to canes? After a few years the Amelanchier stems thicken up and will support the pigeons without damage.

Edit to add, I don't think Amelanchier would ever reach 20 ft. About 8-10 seems a maximum.

[servodude]

Net it during berry season until it's strong enough for your fat birds?

[mutantpoodle]

many thanks everyone

we already provide expensive bird see (wheat free)
fat balls
and seed squares of various varieties

pigeons eat anything and everythiing and as far as I can see will never get 'full up'

as suggested i shall remove the berries while the tree is still young and not so strong

[88V8]

we already provide expensive bird see (wheat free)
fat balls
and seed squares of various varieties

pigeons eat anything and everythiing and as far as I can see will never get 'full up'

as suggested i shall remove the berries while the tree is still young and not so strong

Well done with the feeding.
We buy from Vine House Farm ... anyway, was just going to say that if you put the removed berries on the bird table then they will not be wasted.

V8

[mutantpoodle]

if you put the removed berries on the bird table then they will not be wasted.

no...the pigeons will still get them, unless magpies beat them to it!!

we have 2 bird tables and have tried wire mesh round sides but the appearance is so awful that we just accept much will be wasted on the birds we not keen on