We've done squirrels, what about Pigeons?

[Justin Passing]

I don't hate them like some, but we get too many. A dozen is too many.
We have a small bird feeder which was never a problem. Now even when it's empty they're everywhere.

Has any one tried one of those Raptor kite/ on a Pole things??
I assume those would scare evything, though

An ultrasonic device might work because small birds wouldn't set it off.
Anyone been round the loops?

I suppose shooting them is illegal...

 

[foxhole]

I have a pidgeon dispatching Shih Tzu you could hire.She is as efficient as the local sparrow hawks .
We encourage the squirrels as they kill the rats .

 

[Exedon]

Wood pigeon feral pigeon grey squirrel rats
Rabbits crows magpies and jackdaws are all on pest list and can be shot.
There are restrictions! Search UK pest list.

 

[Koolpc]

Air rifle is your friend!

 

[foxhole]

You need a licence.
In the UK, several pest species can be legally shot with appropriate permissions and licenses. These include grey squirrels, rats, rabbits, stoats, and mink, as well as certain bird species like pigeons and crows under general licenses or for specific purposes. It's important to ensure compliance with the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and any relevant general or individual licenses.

 

[Justin Passing]

You need a licence.
In the UK, several pest species can be legally shot with appropriate permissions and licenses. These include grey squirrels, rats, rabbits, stoats, and mink, as well as certain bird species like pigeons and crows under general licenses or for specific purposes. It's important to ensure compliance with the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and any relevant general or individual licenses.

So you do - GL35,41.
Preserve public health or public safety , feral pigeons (WML GL35)

Presumably you'd need to be able to claim they were crapping everywhere, or similar. Serious damage to crops, wouldn't apply. Sport and for food don't qualify. You're supposed to try non lethal methods first.
I'm disabled, Blue badge etc. I could claim it's a slip hazard.
The neighbours might complain, so it would have to be legal.
Would an air pistol be powerful enough? 6 ftlb. I wouldn't want to maim them.
I can get pretty close (6m, prone, redundant catflap). Taking out half a dozen before people are up, appeals.
I could nake a emote controlled sprung net easily enough. It would be obvious, though.

Pretty risky though, all in all. Could end up in court.

 

[evdamadiynot]

You put food out for them and they will take it is the bottom line...

I visit an elderly couple who use a cheap wireless doorbell
The bell is under the feeder platform and she sits inside the conservatory with the button

Not sure it works that well but its a break from the endless repeats of Bargain Hunt,Tales of the Unexpected and Bergerac.
He stands guard with a pair of scissors waiting for a blade of grass to dare rise above the regulation 7/8" .
I cant wait for retirement.

 

[blup]

Get a cat

 

[Scally-Ho]

I can put up with most birds except the poxy highly intrusive gulls who never seem to roost at night and argue all frikkin day at exceptionally high volume. Whoever decided to declare them as a protected species, obviously had not witnessed a great grandchild viciously attacked for a snack the wee one was trying to eat. They are intrusive, loud, attack people, plus damage buildings and drop their corrosive crap over everything .. .. sky rats of the worst kind

 

[Lower]

You need a licence.
In the UK, several pest species can be legally shot with appropriate permissions and licenses. These include grey squirrels, rats, rabbits, stoats, and mink, as well as certain bird species like pigeons and crows under general licenses or for specific purposes. It's important to ensure compliance with the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and any relevant general or individual licenses.

Feral pigeons are covered by the general licence that you don’t need to apply for.

 

[Stuart981]

Birds will always try to find their favourite nibble and chuck the rest on the ground which attracts the pigeons. I have found that partially filling the birdfeeder works quite well. The birds will quickly empty the feeder and then clean up the seed that's on the ground so there is not a lot for the pigeons who quickly lose interest.

 

[Stuart981]

You need a licence.
In the UK, several pest species can be legally shot with appropriate permissions and licenses. These include grey squirrels, rats, rabbits, stoats, and mink, as well as certain bird species like pigeons and crows under general licenses or for specific purposes. It's important to ensure compliance with the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and any relevant general or individual licenses.

The problem these days is that firing even a street legal air weapon in your garden is likely to get you a visit from a police ARU. Bring back the good old days when me dad used to pay me a shilling a go for shooting pigeons in his veg patch from the bedroom window using his old LR rimfire.

 

[Elsa TLC]

I have a pidgeon dispatching Shih Tzu you could hire.She is as efficient as the local sparrow hawks .
We encourage the squirrels as they kill the rats .

Do the really?

 

[Justin Passing]

Can You Shoot Pigeons in the UK 2025? | Merlin Environmental

In the UK, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) enforces legislation under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (Chapter 69), which makes it illegal to kill or harm wild birds—including pigeons and gulls—unless permitted under specific licences. If a property owner is...

merlinenvironmental.co.uk

You put food out for them and they will take it is the bottom line...

Sure but it's a question of degree. There are fairly large flocks of pigeons sometimes, they only recently started bothering us.
They spend most of their time shagging on rooftops.
I sit much of the day near a bedroom window they fly close to. They're noisy!

It seems nobody has used:
Ultrasonic scarers
"Raptor present" scarers.
If these would put them off significantly that would do.

 

[Justin Passing]

Get a cat

Used to have one. He sat and watched with his jaw quivering. Since he went we get pied and green woodpeckers and a load of others. Then one day, cometh the pigeons...