Sometimes You're The Pigeon And Sometimes You're The Statue!

Last year, a pair of wood pigeons nested in our wisteria arch, producing a couple of 'ugly ducklings' ...

Photo 1: Two Ugly Nestlings (August 2024)

Although not a direct consequence of this, we are now overrun with the damn things. Presumably we got a good review on Airbnb!  They are always hanging round the bird feeder hoping to pick up the scraps discarded by the other birds or perched on local vantage points such as the roof, flowering cherry tree, etc. You can almost always guarantee that on stepping onto the patio (either from the house, the outside gate or returning from the kitchen garden) there will be that loud flapping noise as the wood pigeon takes flight.

We have only ourselves to blame, of course and we could stop it instantly by not putting bird food out. But then we would not be able to enjoy our other feathered friends or help their survival. Mary is, however, keen to deter the pigeons because of the significant mess they make from their rear ends. Their only redeeming feature is hoovering up waste bird food that has fallen on the ground, thus deterring other vermin.

We have amended the way we feed the birds which has significantly reduced the amount of waste created by the other bird visitors. But still the wood pigeons come; sometimes as many as seven at a time. Having always considered the wood pigeon as a slow, clumsy and none too bright member of the avian family, I may have cause to change my mind.

Having seen their easy source of food disappear, at least some of the pigeons are exploring alternatives. This does involve some additional balancing skills, not easy for such a cumbersome bird, in order to extract food from the aerial bird feeders (Photo 2)

Photo 2: Wood Pigeon Trying to Access the Seed Feeder

At least one of the wood pigeons is now 'skilled in the art' of accessing the bird seed on offer at the bird feeder despite a little swaying on its perch (Video 1). The other wood pigeon looks on in admiration at the new found expertise of his companion ...

Video 1: Balancing Wood Pigeon and the Bird Feeder

This behaviour was unacceptable to Mary so we put an immediate stop to it by moving the seed holder to a lower position where there isn't a suitable perch.

Unfortunately, it hasn't stopped the wood pigeon visits ...