Birds are generally adorable creatures. They are pretty, make good music in the morning, and usually have a feel-good aura about them. However, pigeons can cause a lot of problems in your backyard. Therefore, you must find out how to get rid of pigeons in your backyard if you want to keep it safe.
Even ardent nature lovers have mixed feelings about pigeons. A band of pigeons will wreak havoc in your backyard. Besides their droppings, the birds are loud and obnoxious. Forget about a calm morning if you’ve got these noisy neighbors resting on the rooftop.
How To Get Rid Of Pigeons In Your Backyard
Fortunately, you don’t have to put up with pigeons all your life. There are a couple of methods you can use to deter these birds from nesting in your house.
The best way is to constantly chase the birds and prevent them from landing anywhere near your backyard. But since we can only do so for so long, you have to consider automated methods that’ll save you time and energy.
Here are a few ways to get rid of pigeons from your backyard.
Many birds are naturally prey animals. They are always on the lookout for predators like cats, snakes, and even other birds. Therefore, they have acute senses to give them a heads-up in case of danger.
Pigeons have an incredible sense of hearing. As a result, they can detect sounds that humans are unable to perceive. That’s why an ultrasonic emitting device works wonders when deterring pigeons from nesting in your backyard.
The ultrasonic pest repeller emits a sound that’s too loud for you to detect. However, the birds will hear them and immediately scamper off.
This gadget is quite handy because it only works when there are birds around. It has an infrared motion sensor that sets off the sound. There are three levels of ultrasonic sound, just in case you are dealing with persistent birds.
There are pigeon repellents that include LED strobe lights alongside the disturbing noise. The flashing light compounds the shock effect caused by the noise. This gadget will give your pigeons a pretty good scare that they’ll take some time to come back.
An ultrasonic pigeon repellent is a humane way of deterring pigeons from nesting in your backyard. You won’t physically harm the birds but only scare them away.
This method is entirely stress-free. Once you’ve acquired the gadget, quickly set it up at a vantage point where the birds like to perch or close by. It’s an automatic device that detects the presence of pigeons and then emits a disturbing noise.
Most ultrasonic pigeon repellers will also scare other pesky intruders. So you can forget about raccoons, rodents, and snakes alongside the pigeons.
However, it’s important to note that if you have pets, this repellent might scare them too.
2. Use Scarecrows
Pigeons are cowardly birds, and for a good reason. They are a preferred meal for most predators, including house cats. So a scarecrow shaped like their most feared predator will work wonders if you are looking for how to get rid of pigeons in your backyard.
Owls hunt various birds and rodents. Pigeons will go to great lengths to avoid larger birds. Get yourself a Natural Enemy scarecrow molded into an owl figurine. For maximum effect, this scarecrow has an electrical rotating head that also bobs up and down. The scarecrow is also lightweight and will gently move under a breeze.
Additionally, the owl replica has an effective color scheme. Even for a pigeon repellent, it does look scary. Once you place it at a strategic point in your backyard, the pigeons will think twice before perching close by.
It is another effortless means of getting rid of pigeons in your backyard. You only need to strategically place the scarecrow on a ledge or rooftop where it is in view.
The mechanical movements involved add to its scare factor. The head bob and swinging body make the owl more realistic for oblivious pigeons.
If you’ve got a bunch of crops and fruit growing in your backyard, a scarecrow is a must-have. Pigeons are voracious feeders and will eat all your produce if you allow it.
If you leave the owl out all year round, its effectiveness drops. Birds are not highly intelligent animals. However, they will notice how uninterested your owl is in making a meal out of them. Before you know it, you’ll have pigeons perching on your scarecrow.
Try to vary the times you put out the scarecrow. Mostly, you’ll want to scare away birds when they are most likely to invade your home.
3. Reflective Tape
Birds have excellent vision. Since they are airborne for most of their lives, they need to detect multiple objects in mid-air and avoid predators. You can use this acute sense to your advantage to find out how to get rid of pigeons in your backyard.
Reflective tape has a holographic design that scares pigeons. The pattern catches the sunlight and gives a range of reflections that are alien to the birds. If there is a light breeze, the reflective effect is enhanced. They’ll then keep off property, trees, and gardens with reflective tape.
The tape has a robust fabric that will take time to wear out. Also, the flashing light from the ribbon is irregular, and the birds won’t get used to it.
Using reflective tape is easy when trying to get rid of pigeons in your backyard. You only need to tie the fabric around a tree or suitable stand. You can also nail it to your fence.
It’s the cheapest and easiest method to use. Additionally, the tape will last quite a while and can complement other means of discouraging pigeons from your lawn. However, reflective tape only scares away birds. So it isn’t an effective method if you’ve got raccoons and squirrels roaming in your backyard.
4. Anti-Roosting Spikes
Pigeons won’t come around if they cannot find perches. If you take away their landing points, the birds won’t consider roosting on your property.
Pigeons will usually look for resting points after a long flight. If they find favorable conditions in your backyard like plenty of food scraps, a place to perch, and eventually a roost, the birds will stay a while longer.
Anti-roosting spikes prevent pigeons from resting on ledges or rooftops. They are protrusions with a pointy or curved edge intended to discourage birds from perching. If a pigeon cannot stand on the spikes, it won’t nest, and you won’t have a pigeon problem.
You can install flexible spikes anywhere else the birds want to roost. It can be on the backyard fence, gate, windowsills, or rooftop overhang. Use an adhesive or drill nails through the spike framework to secure the structure.
If you can’t get anti-roofing spikes, broken glass pieces are equally effective. Just be careful not to cut yourself while doing it.
This method doesn’t involve killing or mutilating birds. It is also pretty straightforward because you only have to attach the spikes in place. Afterward, the birds won’t bother stopping by since they don’t have a place to rest.
While the anti-roosting spikes are pretty effective against pigeons, they aren’t the most aesthetically appealing addition to your home. Also, smaller birds will quickly nest among the protrusions.
5. Automatic Water Sprinkler
A sudden splash of water will help get rid of pigeons from your backyard. While it certainly won’t kill the birds, the spray will catch them off-guard and effectively scare the birds away.
Like most pets, pigeons don’t like getting wet, at least not on their terms. That’s why getting a motion-activated garden sprinkler is one of the best ways to eradicate pigeons.
A water sprinkler may be the last thing on your mind when wondering how to get rid of pigeons in your backyard. But a jet of water works just as well as throwing rocks. It’s just the more humane way.
Get an automated sprinkler that runs on its own. It combines a motion detection unit with a battery-operated sprinkler.
Once the sensor detects bird movement nearby, it activates and splashes water around your backyard. The detectors are sensitive within 30-feet, and the sprinkler blasts water continuously for a couple of seconds – enough to scare away pigeons from your property.
The device uses more than a jet of water to scare off pigeons. Once activated, the sprinkler produces a series of clicking sounds as water flows out through its valve. The sound and sudden water splashes are enough to startle any bird.
The sprinkler is an adjustable device. For example, you can set it higher above the ground to target pigeons that perch at higher levels. Also, you can vary the motion sensor’s detection range and the amount of water sprayed at a given time.
The sprinkler is a vengeful method of eliminating pigeons from your backyard. Finally, the birds will no longer poop on your lawn with impunity.
Most homeowners use sprinklers in their gardens. While they are excellent pigeon repellents, the devices are unbiased and cannot differentiate between pets, people and pigeons.
6. Eliminate Food And Water Sources
Pigeons commonly invade human settlements looking for food, water, and a place to nest. Find out how to get rid of pigeons in your backyard by eliminating these favorable factors.
You must eliminate visible leftovers. You can use closed trash bags to remove the scent of food. Also, take away pet food from open spaces. Once the birds can see or even smell your pup’s treats, they’ll quickly descend to have a look. If you don’t deter them, pigeons will quickly roost in your backyard because they can expect some treats.
If you’ve got a backyard garden, ensure there’s a net covering your veggies. To the birds, that is free food, and they’ll quickly grab what they can. It would help if you also took away water baths. Pigeons will occasionally come down for a drink and a splash in the water.
7. Destroy Pigeon Nests
Pigeons don’t immediately nest until they are sure they’ll have a steady food and water supply. Also, if your backyard is conducive for nesting, then expect tons of pigeons to settle there.
If you are looking for how to get rid of pigeons in your backyard permanently, then you’ll have to consider extreme measures. While destroying their nests sounds over the top, it is better than killing the birds and cleaning up afterward.
Initially, you’ll need to scare the birds. Then take down all their nests from your backyard. Once they don’t have a place to rest, the pigeons will move on. Like any animal, pigeons will seek out a favorable habitat away from threats.
Takeaway
Most birds are a welcome addition to your backyard lawn. And a lot of homeowners will include a birdbath on their property. However, pigeons are not like most birds. They can quickly turn from adorable creatures to a menacing horde. That’s why you have to know how to get rid of pigeons in your backyard.
Birds’ droppings, for instance, are corrosive enough to damage your roofing tiles. Pigeons are also notorious disease-transmitting agents. In addition, their nests are a fire hazard, and you must take them down.
There are plenty of methods you can consider when you want pigeons off your property. This guide outlines the best, most humane ways to eliminate pigeons from your backyard.
