I am trying to attract various small birds to my feeder. Is there anyone out there with any tips on how to keep pigeons away from this feeder? I have bought a feeder that has bars around it so that the small birds can get in but keeps the big ones out. That didn't work, the pigeons can fit their heads through the bars. Please help!
We made a bird with outstretched wings out of cardboard and hung it up as a test. It scared the pigeons. We can go outside with our arms outstretched without saying anything and they will take off. It's the bird in the prey mode. We've searched for something made out of plastic or anything that can last outside and haven't been successful. I feed the various small critters out of bowls and the pigeons just wipe out the food in minutes. We're determined to keep working on it. It's very frustrating. (07/18/2005)
By Vicki
I am buying a squirt gun as a last resort. The one I ordered squirts up to 25 feet. I'll let you know if it works. (10/22/2005)
By Allegra
Use that cardboard as a stencil for a wooden version. You could then paint it really scary and hang it from a swivel somehow - then it could almost double as weather-vane.
(02/17/2006)
By Qryztufre
Forget the squirt gun, as it only works when you are out there chasing them. The rest of the time they are gorging on the seed you so generously set out for the other birds.
Go with the phony bird profile. (04/27/2007)
By Joe B.
My motto is if you can't beat them join them. It can be very hard to get rid of some birds and not others. You could try changing the feed, but then you may not attract the birds you like. You could also try attaching a dish to the bottom of your feeder so the seeds don't fall on the ground.
By Terri
The water gun is a failure. But I found a hose with high pressure will scare them away. I tried it, and they haven't been back since. (07/16/2008)
By anonymous
I used to use a regular feeder and had 50+ pigeons every day. I built a larger feeder with 1 1/2 or 2 " chickenwire mesh. The pigeons put their heads thru and tried to get the food but couldn't reach it. Very quickly they gave up. I've had the little one for 2 years now and have just built one twice as big. (08/12/2008)
By Steven (Albuquerque)
I live in the city and feed birds on my fire escape. Keeping pigeons away is impossible. So I tried multiple feeders: a platform for pigeons and hanging ones for small birds. But the pigeons and doves go to great lengths to balance on the small feeders and eat the seed! The only time small birds come to feed is when I make seed hangers using bagels or paper towel tubes with peanut butter and seed or buy hanging seed bells. Once I even had a downy woodpecker eat at one! (10/23/2008)
By Christina
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Obiviosly there is NO solution on how to get rid of pigeons I have not seen any answer. All I wanted to do is feed smaller birds for the harsh winter. But now my feeders are swarmed by 50 or more poopey pigeons.
I know the feeling. The problem is when you end up with 50 or so pigeons and doves. I started out getting just around 20 doves or so and then the pigeons showed up so now I have around 50+ of them all hovering around under the hanging feeder picking up scraps. A neighbor has complained and whenever anyone steps out into their driveway they all explode into flight and make neighbors jump each time. TRY THIS - I often turn the sprinklers on, which really helps as they will avoid the yard but yet the smaller birds will continue to fly to the feeders without any issue.
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