Keep pigeons away from your garden using humane tactics that scare off birds

While pigeons are relatively harmless, they may cause a nuisance in your garden due to their noise and mess.

They're notorious for littering gardens with their droppings and feathers, and the noise from their cooing - especially early in the morning - can become quite intrusive. On top of that, their highly acidic faeces can cause staining and accelerate the deterioration of surfaces.

Not only do they have a penchant for damaging crops, flowers, and vegetables, but they can also drive away other friendly wildlife, making them less-than-ideal visitors to your green space. However, it's important to remember that harming wild birds, their occupied nests, or their eggs is illegal in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Nonetheless, there are still lawful ways to discourage them from taking up residence near your home.

Looking to keep pigeons at bay? Fantastic Pest Control suggests four quick and humane methods to deter these birds so they "won't bother nesting" and "wont come back".

One traditional tactic recommended by experts is to hang old CDs or other shiny objects like tin foil around your garden, as reported by the Express. The reflective surfaces create a prism effect that can temporarily disorient the pigeons' vision.

There are numerous items in your garden that could attract a pigeon, but it's best to avoid increasing this attraction by leaving food out for them. If pigeons are fed, they will return.

However, bear in mind that if you don't leave bird feed out, it won't just be the pigeons that go hungry. The most crucial time to feed birds is during spring and early summer when food supplies are scarce.

Another method of deterrence is to scatter strong spices that pigeons reportedly dislike - such as cinnamon, black pepper or chilli spice. You can, for instance, hang fabric bags filled with these spices around your garden, or simply scatter them in the soil or grass.

Remember, this is only a temporary solution, and you'll need to keep replenishing these - particularly after it rains. Foxes and cats are also said to 'hate' these potent smells, so they should also be deterred from your garden.

Finally, experts suggest that you could try spraying them with a hose, but this will only be effective if you catch them before they start building nests. You can use your garden hose for this, or purchase an automatic water jet to protect certain areas of your garden.

Once they've established nests, your impromptu spraying won't prevent them from returning home.

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