Many homeowners like to keep an eye on what wildlife and animals enter their gardens during the warmer months of the year.

From bees and butterflies with mesmerising patterns on their wings, to tiny birds fluttering about in trees and bushes.

But sometimes, there are also unwelcome visitors, such as pigeons.

Although they tend to mostly mind their own business, they can cause havoc in our gardens by damaging plants and home-grown fruit and vegetable patches.

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Not to mention, pigeons are often deemed "rats of the sky" due to the diseases and germs they carry.

Some people might have noticed they can also scare off other smaller birds which don’t visit your garden as often (their loud flapping wings aren’t the most welcome noise).

With this in mind, if you want to discourage pigeons from coming into your garden without causing them any harm, the RPSCA has got you covered.

How to get rid of pigeons in the garden 

The animal welfare experts have suggested the “most humane” way to prevent pigeons from visiting is to reduce their access to food, “as this is often why they will be attracted to a certain place”.

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Yet for those who want to continue to feed other birds, it can be difficult to figure out a way whilst also trying to limit feeding pigeons.

In this case, the RSPCA recommends:

  • Stop putting food out for birds for a while
  • Dispose of edible litter carefully - secure your bins so the birds can’t access it
  • Move feeders away from perches or use feeders with slippery tops so larger birds are unable to perch as easily
  • Use feeders with narrow feeding holes ideal for smaller birds
  • Use smaller seed mixes, pigeons tend to prefer larger grains

If you want to find more information about how to stop other bad habits from pigeons including nesting in your gutters, visit the RSPCA website.