Pigeon deterrents

[Adsibob]

Anyone had any success installing something to deter pigeons. We have a beautiful lilac tree that gets eaten by pigeons. I tried spraying it with a chemical deterrent but it didn’t do a great deal. Now considering something ultrasonic, came across this but looks too good to be true:

 

https://pigeon-deterrent.co.uk/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA3JCvBhA8EiwA4kujZs17JYzMjWHGlq2jPqA2rdOe-SrxKSOXftRsvt85bbQsQCzcAGuhMxoC45YQAvD_BwE

[Nick Thomas]

Hmm, I don't know, but am also interested - I was hoping to get something like this to pop in the loft and deter the pigeons that are eyeing up my solar panels as a nesting area!

 

Rail stations in the region are using audible discouragement: https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/transport/northern-to-broadcast-hawk-calls-over-loudpspeaker-at-yorkshire-railway-station-to-fight-pigeon-poo-4371318

Edited March 3, 2024 by Nick Thomas
add rail station hawks

[markc]

Problem with pigeons is they soon get used to anything that initially scares them. 

[joe90]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Laptony-Scarer-Flying-Protector-Telescopic/dp/B096MTVQ6D/ref=sr_1_8?adgrpid=532402

[ToughButterCup]

[Jilly]

I think I’ve read about raptor shaped garden ornaments helping a bit. Or actual raptors. Might not fit with your garden aesthetics tho’… To be fair, I’d rather the pigeons sat on the bushes than pooped on my car. Stoping them nesting nearby can help, however, as someone said, they can be determined and quite fearless. Sorry Joe, I didn't follow your link!  

Edited March 3, 2024 by Jilly

[Adsibob]

  On 03/03/2024 at 11:27, ToughButterCup said:

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Seriously considered this. Probably not lawful though.

[Nick Thomas]

  On 03/03/2024 at 12:45, Adsibob said:

Seriously considered this. Probably not lawful though.

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Hah, me too. I think it'd be legal - just about - as long as I hit the target. Bit risky.

[joe90]

You watch, pigeon,s will be protected next after bats and newts 🤷‍♂️.

 

 Oh, they are.     courtesy of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (Chapter 69), which effectively reports that it is illegal to kill or injure any wild bird, including pigeons ...

Edited March 3, 2024 by joe90

[Nick Thomas]

https://merlinenvironmental.co.uk/blog/pests/birds/can-you-shoot-pigeons-in-the-uk/ goes into a bit more detail. It's fine as long as you've tried non-lethal methods first and they've failed, and you also stick to all the rules governing air weapons (like not shooting beyond the property boundary).

[SteamyTea]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/OFFO-Stainless-Windows-Deterrent-Seagulls/dp/B0BL7PF3WG/ref=asc_df_B0BL7PF3WG

 

May help in the surrounding area.

 

Maybe a cat, though there are new laws about encouraging the neighbours' cat to stay away from home now.

 

Maybe some sort of electric fence weaved into a few branches.

 

Or a noise.

 

 

 

[ToughButterCup]

With proper permissions, and a bit of care a good deal of practice, it's fine to shoot pigeons.

 

The problem I have is getting it past SWMBO: hence image intensifier and night shooting: 

Shoot> recover> bag> bin> pub> return all smiles.

 

"Nice time sweetheart? "

"Yep" 

"What are those feathers stuck to your boots? "

"I cleaned out the chickens earlier today"

 

Pheeeewww . Close.

[dpmiller]

shouldn't that be

shoot> recover> bag> sell in pub> return all smiles?

[SteamyTea]

  On 05/03/2024 at 16:10, dpmiller said:

shoot> recover> bag> sell in pub> return all smiles

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Pulling the shot out is a pain, much better strangled.

 

Here is how a mathematician deals with them. Maybe @Garald can knock up a suitable ditty.

 

 

 

 

[ToughButterCup]

  On 05/03/2024 at 16:10, dpmiller said:

shouldn't that be

shoot> recover> bag> sell in pub> return all smiles?

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There's a good deal of competition  in our deepest-darkest-Fylde-Coast-desert-with-wind-in-it-tumble weed-pub. 

 

A while back a deer  jumped onto a passing car late one evening. By the following morning it had already been distributed into local freezers. 

Pigeon anyone?

Yawn.

[SteamyTea]

  On 06/03/2024 at 09:27, ToughButterCup said:

Pigeon anyone

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There are whole articles about eating road kill.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/may/27/accidental-meat-should-carnivores-embrace-eating-roadkill

 

But what I want to know is why there are so many mustelidae having a sleep on the side of the A30, is there a pub nearby, maybe called The Badger.

Edited March 6, 2024 by SteamyTea

[Nick Thomas]

  On 03/03/2024 at 17:19, SteamyTea said:

Maybe a cat, though there are new laws about encouraging the neighbours' cat to stay away from home now.

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Pretty sure my cat's been reading this - he brought home a pigeon on Monday. These are wood pigeons, too, not the little feral ones.

 

We didn't eat it, but the dog had a go.

[Bozza]

I used to live in a city centre apartment complex that was plagued with seagulls.

 

bought a plastic hawk off the internet, put it up high in the roof.  Was surprised at how effective it was.  Eliminated the issue permanently.

 

*plastic hawk as in a moulded plastic bird with reflective eyes, not as in what you would use for plastering.  The latter probably wouldn’t work and your neighbours may think you’re mental*

[Adsibob]

I've bought this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00QQTRPXO?psc=1&smid=A08231583FSHJCK2HXZMY&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp

 

Let's see if it does the trick.

 

The next challenge will be how to mount it securely near enough to the tree I want to protect.

[Temp]

I'd mount it on a pole that you can lean up against different parts of the tree.

[SteamyTea]

  On 07/03/2024 at 13:42, Temp said:

a pole

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A few short years back you could have employed one.

Trouble is they stole all the high skilled, high paid, pidgin scaring jobs, but they did learn Pidgin English.

[Adsibob]

  On 07/03/2024 at 13:42, Temp said:

I'd mount it on a pole that you can lean up against different parts of the tree.

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That's not a bad idea, although then I'd need to find a way to secure the pole, given wind etc. I was thinking of mounting it on a concrete fence post that is quite close to the tree. The pigeons often sit on the fence (literally, not figuratively) before attacking the tree. 

[Nick Thomas]

How's the fake peregrine falcon going, @Adsibob?

 

The pigeons here are still nesting under the solar panels and it's driving me a bit mad. They lay eggs, the eggs roll straight off the roof and I get yolk or fetus all over the front of the house. And then there's the droppings. Siiiigh.

 

I got a mini drone (<250g) and have been flying that up when I see pigeons to scare them off, which has seen mixed results so far. It does make them leave, but doesn't seem to stop them from coming back again.

 

A touch off the original topic, but I was thinking about hiring a scissor lift for a weekend and DIY-fitting something like https://www.birdspikesonline.co.uk/Bird-Spikes/Defender-Bird-Solar-Panel-Spike to the perimeter (the panels themselves are apparently not suitable for fitting wire mesh to directly). These just attach with silicone adhesive, but I have a few doubts about their longevity, and with the eaves at 6M high, it's a slightly scary proposition ^^. Better ideas appreciated.

 

Edited September 6, 2024 by Nick Thomas
add pics

[marshian]

  On 03/03/2024 at 11:27, ToughButterCup said:

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This was my solution 

 

We never had a problem with pigeons on the close I’ve lived for 33 years till recently…..

 

3 years back English Heritage repointed up a local church ruins - all the nooks and crannies were filled up and all the ledges covered in spikes - so the population of pigeons and doves decamped 50 yards to the nearest houses 

 

Each house got 4 to 5 new roof top occupants

 

The first year they decimated all the fruit trees and so we pruned them back 

 

the second year they destroyed every single young plant in the veg patch the other half does every year

 

The other half tried feeding them to save her veg patch this year - they pulled the young plants up and left them

 

The territorial males constantly fight for the right to f (party) - they s (defacate) over everything - windows cars patio decking it’s everywhere and I have one modern car with water based paint and the laquer coat is utterly ruined in places

 

The doves I leave alone - the feral pigeons unfortunately I don’t - there is a “bird table” in the garden now that has a substantial back stop (6 inches thick)

 

They soon get used to feeding from there

 

They get a weeks worth of free food then they get despatched 

 

Downside is that as they seem rather territorial more move in

 

But numbers are going down…… about 4 a fortnight 

[Alan Ambrose]

PV panels are often fitted with little screens on the side for exactly this reason. You can probably find some to retrofit..