Don’t Feed The Pigeons!

This should be obvious, but if you don’t want pigeons lurking around, do not give them food! Even though they are domesticated birds, they should still be considered wild animals. Once any wild animal gets a taste of easy to acquire food from a residential or commercial location, they often assume there’s more to come.

They will not leave for a good amount of time!

A very common and unintentional cause for pigeon infestations is having a food source on your property that can sustain them. This can come from several sources.

It might seem like a given, but having a bird feeder is a really good source of food for pigeons. Many people have one, then only see small birds like finches or sparrows use them and figure they’re the only ones getting the food.

It’s true that pigeons and other larger birds will not perch on many hanging feeders because they are too large to get a stable foothold. This does not mean they can’t eat the food though. Most of the time the little birds will make a mess underneath the feeder by spilling food they don’t consume. This waste that falls on the ground will attract larger birds like pigeons, doves, crows, and so on.

Scraps from a feeder may not be a primary source of food for pigeons. However, if it becomes a consistent form of food, pigeons will stay on your property for it and will likely build a nest somewhere on your home or property.

Don’t have a feeder? Do you have outside pets? If so, you should make sure you don’t leave any food for your pets outside. If you have an outside cat or dog, it’s best to feed them on a schedule with a fixed amount of food if possible. Otherwise, food left outside will also attract birds.

Nobody likes pulling weeds, right? Well, not pulling them can also be a food source. Some weeds can get quite tall and have a sturdy stalk to them. Once they go to seed, birds will land on them where they can and eat up the seeds. Then of course, some will fall on the ground and before wind can carry them away, some birds are likely to get to them first.

Got bugs? Yes, you guessed it. Having too many insects on your property can attract pigeons and other birds. Of course birds are great for getting rid of many of them, but then you have a bird problem. It would be much better to have an insect extermination plan to keep the tiny critters at bay. This ensures one less food source for unwanted pests on your property.

Summary

The bottom line here is to make sure you’re not providing any food source outside anywhere on your property that could attract birds. Once a pigeon gets something to eat at your place, they are likely to move in and become a permanent, unwanted guest. So inspect your property for any potential food sources and get rid of them. This will go a long way in pigeon control and prevention in the long run.