The best thing you can do is to temporarily stop feeding birds in your garden and disinfect everything. Pigeons are smart birds and often quite dependent on humans for survival. Thank you, HERE IS MY REPLY BUT I WOULD LOVE IT IF ANYONE HAS ANY OTHER IDEAS. I have a ground feeder table that is covered with an adjustable feeder sanctuary. You do not want birds to congregate together in your garden as this will allow the disease to spread to healthy individuals. It’s almost impossible to clean spilt bird food from the grass. While none of these behaviors are deliberately malicious, the result is that one bird or one type of bird will usurp the feeder and prevent other birds from feeding. How to Keep Blackbirds Away From a Yard. I’ve noted that some of the comments about feeding the blackbirds have mentioned putting food under bushes and the like but living in a town, the place is full of rats so I also have to put down poison making sure that it is covered enough so the birds don’t eat it. I am not here to feed the feathered fatties who frighten off the robins and tits. Provide fresh fruit for the birds. These members of the thrush family are one of our most familiar birds and their melodic song is a defining feature of the dawn chorus. If you don't find a pigeon-proof hanging feeder, another option is a grackle-proof bird feeder, which should discourage both grackles and pigeons from getting comfortable. The larger birds such as rooks, crows, pigeons cannot fly / balance to get onto the bird table.  Blackbirds and smaller birds can.  Unfortunately it means that starlings can get onto the bird table, http://birdtablenews.com/2009/07/keeping-pigeons-away-from-bird-tables/, Thank you for getting in touch.  I have not had an internet connection for ages, because of the storms.  Here’s hoping that things are sorted now, but I don’t think so as I know there is another fault on the line. Clare is a freelance writer and illustrator living and working in Gloucestershire UK. How to feed blackbirds but not pigeons. proclaim the birth Birds can quickly fly twelve feet to reach the safe cover, yet predators cannot use it to hide within striking range of the feeder. Stop Using Incorrect Seed Or Feeders. How to Feed the Birds but not the Squirrels Posted on October 6, 2014 by admin. Fill your feeders at the food bin. Make marks on your lines at the edges of the feeder. Here is a link to an article about another way to keep larger birds off bird food.  You may not be able to do this – and it does look strange.  It means you have to put garden canes round a bird table. to welcome Spring, Unfortunately, the rats in my garden can climb pole feeders – vaseline on the pole didn’t help. Let’s take a look at the truth about hedgehog fleas. I tried water buckets all round the bottom of the pole, but they can jump (and swim anyway). I made a tunnel out of a piece of wire netting then as the blackbirds and other smaller birds got used to going in and out I bent the ends down from the top so pigeons are unable or unwilling to get in … I have been doing it for years . If you already have bird feeders without seed catcher trays, there’s no need to go out and buy a whole new set. Thread the string through the holes to make 2 loops that will fit over the perches on the bird feeder. It’s easy to spill bird food when you are filling your feeders. To stop this becoming a problem unhook the feeder, take it to your food bin and fill it there. Other ground feeding birds will love this too. And don’t make the mistake of leaving new sacks of food lying around, get fresh supplies straight into your food bins. It is nigh impossible to to feed blackbirds but not starlings. People who don't start feeding birds until severe weather arrives may be missing out. They are out in the fields and woods, feasting on seeds and berries and well-fed insects. Some people suggest that you can solve the problem by making your garden “rat proof”. Cardinals and chickadees will eat safflower. I don’t want another cat like her (sadly, run over). He only caught a few rats, which he brought to me live, but sat on a couple by mistake. I think the barbs on barbed wire are too close together – attaching rose thorn cuttings to the pole did nothing, My house is very old, but winter invaders are usually bank voles – I stupidly used horse chestnuts as a moth deterrent in the past and they thought I had set up their winter larder. It’s stable enough to support a small bird, but not a rat or squirrel, and it can be easily cleaned. and buttercups grow bright shrub and tree, Assessing the Situation Identify whether the baby is an altricial or precocial bird. spreading far You can easily feed the smaller birds by putting the food in a wire mesh ground feeder. Ruler or something to draw a straight line with. A backyard filled with bird song can be inviting and relaxing. And while these feeders are generally strong enough to support garden birds, there’s no way they will hold up a big fat rat. But caution! I too hang bird seed balls from a container and the sparrows and the two blue tits that come rarely, its all sparrows, can hang off it, however, I have noticed a blackbird and robin but they can’t hang and I would like to fee them but have 2 magpies living close by, pigeons and seagulls and do not want to encourage these larger birds on my balcony due to the mess plus after living in London 20 years I hate pigeons! Although you could spend some money on a good camera, with a bit of planning and know-how, you can get great shots with a simple “point and shoot” camera or your smartphone. But there are plenty of simple strategies you can put in place to keep the birds happy and keep the rats away. Place the tray on it and fit the string over the perches. One of the common issues in Backyard Wild Bird feeding is how to attract and feed desirable songbirds and yet limit access to undesirable birds and pests. Pull the loops tight and tie the string under the tray. 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