Pigeons are harmless creatures, but it can be incredibly frustrating if they start eating seeds, plants or ripening in your garden, as they can destroy months of hard work.
Pigeons can destroy garden plants, but they can also cause considerable damage to the home, as their droppings are highly acidic and will weaken stone structures, metals or even concrete.
In the UK it is illegal to disturb pigeon nests or their eggs, but if pigeons do enter your property there is one natural deterrent known to scare them away.
Ryan Jenkins, pest control specialist at Sefton Meadows Gardening Centre, says shiny objects can scare birds away and keep them out of your garden.
He said: “Shiny objects may seem to you to attract animals (a rumor started by humble magpies thought that shiny objects were attracted), but the opposite is true.
“In sunny weather, shiny objects reflect light onto birds and scare them away. Some theories also suggest that birds are afraid of their own reflections!
“This may not be the most attractive solution, but it is useful, especially in the field and around vegetable and flower beds.”
Shiny objects scare pigeons because they create reflections or sudden flashes of light, and sudden movements can signal danger to birds because they may suspect a predator is nearby.
When hanging, objects can also sway in the wind, which can mimic the movement of birds of prey such as owls, which will also cause pigeons to avoid the area.
All you have to do is hang old CDs or DVDs in the garden, but cans, foil, aluminum pies or any other shiny material will also produce the same desired effect.
Some people also buy shiny strips, also called deterrent tape, to hang on fences or trees, which also scares pigeons away.
However, don’t hang anything made of glass around your garden, such as mirrors, as it can break or even be a fire hazard on hot days.
Ryan said: “Be careful with mirrors on particularly sunny days as concentrated light in a dry garden can be a fire hazard.”
Using shiny objects to keep pigeons away is not only a natural and environmentally friendly way to prevent them from damaging your property, but it’s also incredibly cheap.
However, it should be noted that pigeons can be very intelligent, as although shiny objects can be very effective at keeping them away, over time they can learn that they are harmless.
The best way to prevent pigeons from entering the garden is to periodically change deterrents such as sound devices, crow scarecrows or even plant white flowers and use shiny objects and soon the pigeons will start avoiding the area.
