Wood Pigeons stripping my tree!

[LeighW]

I know, first world problems and all that, but the damn wood pigeons are stripping all the leaves off my Cherry Plum tree, any ideas how to stop them? We often get wood pigeons in the garden, but they've never touched the tree before this year.

The internet suggests netting, but the tree is at least 15 feet tall, so that's a no go. I don't want to kill them, I may have taken the odd pop at them with my BB gun (just plastic BBs) , but unless you score a direct hit, the buggers don't flinch, and they soon come back anyway. The neighbours will start to think I'm slightly mental if I keep on running down the garden shouting and waving at the trees...

Any sensible (and stupid) suggestions welcome, it really is annoying me. Here's a pic of the top of the tree (poor quality using a phone on zoom, but you get the gist). Only the ends of the branches where they are too thin to support the pigeons' weight are untouched.

Edited by LeighW on Thursday 28th April 23:45

[LeighW]

Murph7355 said:

Kill them. Flesh wounds with BB guns are not cool on wild animals.

Mine wouldn't even mess their feathers up. Having shot myself in the hand with it by accident (don't ask... ), and it not even breaking the skin, I know it won't hurt them at 45 feet. It's not air powered, just spring.

[LeighW]

Halb said:

Get a cat?

I've got one. Does he look like he can be arsed to chase birds? He might squeak at them through the window - if he can be bothered.



I don't want to kill them either, I just want them to leave my tree alone. However, I've not seen them attack it for two days now, they're too busy humping each other on the roof or fence.