Pigeons in the garden are extremely common throughout the UK, here’s how to humanely and safely deter the pesky birds from your outdoor space with four effective deterrents.
Pigeons leave an absurd amount of droppings, which many don’t realise are actually corrosive.
The common birds’ faeces are highly acidic, and can stain surfaces they’re, as well as increasing deteroration of the surface.
Pigeons also produce debris – feathers and dropping nest materials are the most common signs of a pigeon being nearby.
They are also not afraid to attack crops, flowers and vegetables in a garden, and are prone to scaring off other non-pest wildlife.
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How to get rid of pigeons
1. Don’t feed them
Like most animals, if pigeons are fed, they will return, and the abundance of food will attract other animals.
However, spring and early summer is the most important time to feed birds, as this is when natural food is scare.
It has been said that feeding birds can help them raise their chicks more successfully, so if you cut off the bird food supply, it won’t be just pigeons that will go hungry.
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2. Use reflective surfaces
An old-school, but effective solution is to hang CDs or other shiny surfaces around the garden like foil.
The reflective surfaces create a prism effect that can temporarily affect the pigeons’ eyesight, making it uncomfortable for them – and meaning “they won’t bother nesting near them, or come back”, Fantastic Pest Control claimed.
3. Spray them with a hose
This will only work as a deterrent if you catch the birds before they start building nests.
Simply use your host to squirt them with water. Alternatively, you can buy an automatic water jet to protect parts of your garden.
4. Scatter strong spices
Pigeons are said to dislike cinammon, black pepper or chilli spice.
There are three ways to spread the spices, either in fabric bags that can be hung up, or simply scatter the powder on soil or grass. But the spices will need to be topped up regularly, especially if it rains.
The third way to use the spices is by making a spray, simply infuse one in boiling water, decant into a spray bottle and spray on plants around the garden.
Similarly, foxes and cats dislike these spices, so they too should be deterred from entering your garden.