Pigeons

[derek60]

Has anybody had any luck repelling pigeons with some sort of sonic device? Or any other other method for that reason?

[HHTel]

Maybe not relevant to you but I had a real problem with pigeons a few years back. The numbers were growing almost daily and somehow were even getting into the roof space.
I watched for a while and noticed they would eat the dog's food.
I moved the food inside and a week later there were no pigeons. I've never put dogfood outside since then and have never had a pigeon problem.

These birds also gather on city roofs to be near a food source and out of reach from predators or other nuisances.

allowing them to scope out food sources that they can exploit. In many cases the food is something homeowners have left outside, such as food for other birds or exposed trash in bins.

There are two main reasons why a pigeon or seagull has chosen to move onto your property without permission. Initially these birds will have identified that some of the highest points on your property are very close to, or directly overlooking, their regular food source.

My thoughts were to deprive them of their food and it worked!

[PeteC]

We've had a few threads about the problem over the years. Some or possibly all below.

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=38274

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=31383

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=27441

[PeteC]

.......There are two main reasons why a pigeon or seagull has chosen to move onto your property without permission. Initially these birds will have identified that some of the highest points on your property are very close to, or directly overlooking, their regular food source.

My thoughts were to deprive them of their food and it worked!

You can add "water source" to regular food source. If you have a pool they will be there during the hot season. Cold and wet seasons not so much. However, my pool is an overflow type so the water edge is right there, no drop between pool edge and water like some skimmer pools have, so it's easy for the buggers to fly in like a plague of locusts for a drink several times a day.

[PeteC]

A good point is that the Chinese love roasted pigeon, and they don't discriminate between the street pecker type or the more wild woodland type.

If the opportunity arises announce that fact to every restaurant you go into so they are prepared when the Chinese tourists eventually arrive back here.

You may actually be able to sell your pigeons to restaurants, or at least have them collected for free?

[HHTel]

This does remind me of thousands of pigeons being captured in Trafalgar Square and sold on to restaurants.

At the time there was no law to protect the pigeons and they were being loaded into boxes in full view of the public. I believe the Wildlife Act has been changed making it illegal to kill wild birds except under licence.

AFAIK pigeons, especially wood pigeons, are still on restaurant menus in the UK. Being brought up in the 50's, pigeon was very common and a lot cheaper than chicken.

[HHTel]

An underused law in Thailand. It's illegal to feed pigeons or sell food to feed them.

feeding pigeons or selling the food to nourish them can be jailed up to three years and fined 25,000 baht

A spokesman for the agriculture ministry suggested:

If efforts to rein in the population don’t fly, he suggested a practical solution to the squab problem: eat them.

The bird’s meat is safe to eat as only few birds have been found infected with avian flu. Most of the bacterial diseases are in their droppings

[handdrummer]

Pigeons = flying rats.

[derek60]

Thanks for all your comments guys!