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Experts Reveal a Simple Yet Clever Way to Keep Pigeons Away From Bird Feeders: ‘They Tend To...’

Pigeons not only gobble up the bird food but also terrorize other birds from approaching the feeder. But there's a way to deal with them.

BY NEHA B.

PUBLISHED 1 DAY AGO

A woman feeding the pigeons in a park. (Representative Cover Image Source: Freepik | Boryanam)

In a RSPB discussion thread timestamped 2010, a birder shared how some fat rock pigeons would invade her garden during the breeding season, stripping their pyracantha plant of its red berries and gobbling up the food they kept for young chicks in an open-top feeder. Their entitled behavior even instilled terror in other frequent visitors like robins, sparrows, and blackbirds who stopped coming to the garden altogether. Several birders are related to it. This collective issue can always be solved if you station yourself in the garden and spend your day chasing off these raiders. Is it effective? Yes. Feasible, not. So, instead, you can follow a trick Richard Green shared with the Express.

Two pigeons sitting on a sill (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Ashithosh U)

"Pigeons tend to flock in large numbers, which often causes overcrowding at feeders. This additional strain can cause physical damage to feeding ports, perches, and other components, making it difficult for smaller bird species to access food,” said Green, who is a wildlife expert and head of production at Kennedy Wild Bird Food & Pet Supplies. He underscored the fact that despite being harmless critters, pigeons are sometimes those feathered terrorists that can scare the wits out of other birds, who then tend to resist returning to the feeder.

A pigeon in a sunlit garden (Representative Image Source: Freepik)

“Pigeons have strong beaks that can exert force when pecking at feeders, especially those made from softer materials. Over time, this can lead to significant wear and tear, making the feeder less effective and potentially unsafe for the intended bird species,” Green explained, and went on to share some simple hacks that can help you ward off these pesky pigeons. The simplest trick to protect your feeder is to encapsulate it in wiring or mesh cages.

Bird perched upside down on a feeder filled with seeds (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Miro Vrlik)

“Mesh cages are a great physical barrier to keep pigeons away from your bird feeders. These cages allow smaller birds to pass through and access the food while blocking larger birds like pigeons from doing the same,” described Green. Another option is to make your feeder less attractive to pigeons, while simultaneously taking care of the birds’ feeding needs. For instance, foods like safflower seeds and nyjer seeds are less inviting to the pigeons and highly inviting to various other birds. Serving foods like these will deter pigeons and attract other birds, accomplishing both goals.

A flock of pigeons perched on a sill (Representative Image Source: Freepik)

Another sensible measure is to attach a spare tray beneath the feeder. If a pigeon dares to swoop and perch at your feeder, the spilled seeds will fall into the tray below, instead of scattering all around on the floor. Installing a weight-sensitive, motion-activated feeder is also a good idea. You can use baffles, too. Yet another trick is to use “hanging feeders,” especially tube style, because they are quite difficult for pigeons to access, as bird experts Kenn and Kimberly Kaufman shared in a conversation with Birds & Blooms. “There are also tray-style feeders with cagelike baffles that fit over the top, designed to keep large birds from reaching the seed. Since pigeons prefer to feed on the ground, be sure to keep the area under your feeders clean as well,” they added.