Pigeons will fly clear of your garden with little-known trick using throwback item everyone leaves to gather dust

The Sun

28-04-2025

GARDEN-LOVERS can use an old-school item likely gathering dust in the house to keep their flowers and patios free of pesky pigeons.
Pigeons can not only wreak havoc on by pecking away at your plants and property, but also pose a risk to human health.
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Their droppings are often contaminated with harmful bacteria which is not good for people or the soil in their gardens.
Pigeons can also spread airborne diseases, and they produce a large number of feathers that scatter nesting material across residences.
These are known to clog gutters, eaves, and air vents which can cause water build-up.
Organic gardener and founder of platform Lovely Greens, Tanya Anderson, has revealed a simple hack to shoo pigeons away using an item people no longer use.
She says hanging CDs around the garden, which can scare them off: "Tie old CDs by a string in your fruit trees, bushes, or elsewhere in your garden. Their reflective surfaces will flash as they move in the breeze, scaring birds away.'
Positioning them in the areas that pigeons tend to land the most in the garden is the best way to do it, at different heights to ensure their reflected light is visible at different angles.
It is also recommended to space them out as having too many in a cluttered space can diminish the effectiveness.
Pigeons subsequently get confused by the sudden movement of CDs in the wind, and the shifting light they cause.
They often mistake these quick movements for predators, with the flashing lights making them disoriented and feel unsafe in the area.
Tanya added: 'One of the most significant things to take from it is that birds aren't stupid. They quickly realise that a scarecrow left in the same place for weeks isn't going to harm them."
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This goes the same for CDs, so the pigeons may also come to realise they do not pose any real danger.
Other methods that can have been used to scare away birds include pinwheels, ribbons, decoys, white flowers and of course, scarecrows.
Reflections caused by hanging scrunched up pieces of aluminium foil can similarly be used as a pigeon deterrent.
This has been revealed as another budget-friendly way to pigeon proof the garden, without spending money on pest control products like spike strips or an anti-roosting strip.
The best way to ensure pigeons stay away is the regularly change and adjust these deterrents each month.
It is also effectively to constantly move the CDs into different locations around the garden
Plant companion plants such as peppermint to repel rats.
Place Garden Netting Pest Barrier, over your flowerbeds.
Fill open-top containers with beer and place in soil to repel slugs.
Spray plants with Neem Oil, to repel ants, flies, and spiders.
Dust your flowerbeds with Diatomaceous Earth.
Mix 1 tablespoon dish soap, 10 drops peppermint oil, and 4 cups water and spray on flowerbeds.
Place eggshells around your plants to protect from slugs and snails.
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