Wood Pigeons

[Kirsty_84]

I couldn't decide whether this should be in pests or wildlife ...

We've got a few wood pigeons visiting regularly from the nearby woods which wasn't much of a problem (apart from bullying the blackbirds) until they pecked all my calendula seedlings this morning and made a right old mess.

What's the best and cheapest way to scare them off?

[frogga]

Pidgeons are a real pest in our garden, we put cd's on string that made a sound and reflected the sound which worked abit, or foil in the wind.

They got used to it after a short period which meant for more drastic methods of trapping (with nuts in a rabbit trap), or firing a gas gun to scare them.

Clapping or loud bangs work quite well though.

[Two_Sheds]

netting is the only solution

[Kirsty_84]

Thanks for the suggestions. I've rigged up a CD on some string over my patch of lettuce, I bet they figure it out quickly though. I'm going to put netting over my carrots - they haven't bothered with them so far, but just in case ...

They used to be scared of clapping but now nothing moves them until you get within a foot and they fly into the tree and sit there until the coast is clear.

[Two_Sheds]

Pigeons don't eat carrots, but carrot root fly maggots do: use very fine netting or fleece

[burnie]

A couple of pigeons died from a nasty case of lead poisoning near me