Topic: pigeon proofing my bird table

[aquilegia]

I got a lovely wooden bird table for Christmas. The food I put out is going rapidly now (much faster than I can fill it!) so the birds have definitely found it. I've only ever seen one bird on it and that was a pigeon. The little b*****s seem fat enough already.

So if I created a grid of wire to stop the pigeons from being able to access it, but allow smaller birds to still feed, how big should the holes be?

How can I ensure the birds can see the wire and don't fly straight through it like cheesewire? urgh.

[Mrs Ava]

No idea Aqui, but pigeon pie is yum!  :P ;D ;)

[Jesse]

Aqui you could probably use a large chicken wire, it's not so much letting the smaller birds squeeze through but preventing the large birds getting in, so anything with holes that are slightly smaller than a large and fat pigeon! I don't think you'd have a problem with the smalle birds getting "cheesewired". The birds in my garden tend to fly onto a nearby branch (my feeder hangs in a tree) and then hop from the branch onto the feeder. So they're not coming in at full speed onto the feeder.

Or something else you could try rather than wire is to attach some twiggy branches around the feeder. The little birds will land on these and hop onto the feeder, the pigeon would not be able to because of weight and size. It might be less unsightly than wire as well.

[Marianne]

Aquilegia,

I know about your problem so well because we suffer from the same one.

years ago, I had a bird table which I surrounded with chicken wire (with holes about 5cm square).  This would allow in those smaller birds - i.e. robins, chaffinges, tits, and leave out the larger ones. 

However, it will not allow in the blackbirds and fieldfairs.  So you will need to leave some food for them on the grass.  Blackbirds and fieldfairs are very early feeders and will get their full before the dreaded pigeons get there!

Happy birding !  :)

[aquilegia]

Thanks All (apart from EJ!  ;D ;))

I think I might give the twiggies a go Jesse. I think I prefer the sound of that rather than using wire.

Also the table is in the middle of a bed. I think I might need to move it to somewhere with more cover.