Blasted Pigeons

[PJ of Hildisvik]

Yeh, the Shetland Starling is more vocal and glossy looking.

If the Lounge window is open they sometimes come in and walk around for a few minutes, cheeky sods !

[paulb]

a wee bit. they were picking on our peacock. there were hundreds in the byre yesterday. they pick on chickens to. but the chickens do kill the odd few. they are nasty horrid little things. i had seagulls teaching there young were to nick the chicken food from this autumn.

[Heimdal]

Sparrows are ground feeders though they will manage a hanging one. This is my solution to keeping the pigeons away : they walk around and around the cage looking for a way in and would eat in a minute what keeps the sparrows fed for hours. Standard plastic mesh on a wood frame and move it daily.

 

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk41/heimdal67/FeedCage1.jpg

[paulb]

great idea.

[PJ of Hildisvik]

I need a big cage, i feed on average this time of year, 60/80 Rock Doves, 100 starlings and about the same amount of Sparrows, plus 9 Blackbirds.

[Frances144]

I just feed anyone who turns up. I like my sparrows and robins best but I am not fussy tbh. Everyone is entitled.

[Guest posiedon]

Well said Frances, I am of the same mind.

[Far Haaf]

I'm feeling a little bit sorry for my little feathered friends just now, so a project for this week is to create a bird feeding table.

Nothing particular against pigeons, or any other larger bird, but I think I'll make it in a way that only the smaller birds will benefit. I feel sorrier for them.

[Guest posiedon]

Nothing particular against pigeons, or any other larger bird, but I think I'll make it in a way that only the smaller birds will benefit. I feel sorrier for them.

Shame on you Far Haaf! We all need to eat.

 

Can you explain why you feel more sorry for small birds than you do for larger ones?

[Far Haaf]

Nothing particular against pigeons, or any other larger bird, but I think I'll make it in a way that only the smaller birds will benefit. I feel sorrier for them.

Shame on you Far Haaf! We all need to eat.

 

Can you explain why you feel more sorry for small birds than you do for larger ones?

Simple.

I hate bullies.

And in the bird world, just as in the human world, and even the Shetlink world. The small guys always need a little extra help.

[Malcolm]

We put seed, bread and apples out every day for the birds during winter. If we forget or they run out they tap on the window.

[crofter-amy]

Well the chickens have just killed and eaten another wild bird. Should i tell them to get a life and sod off?....or report them to the authorities?....

[onlyjim]

Is that "wee white sparrow" not a snow bunting?

 

It's an almost albino sparrow.

There is a thread all about it somewhere on the forum

it's been coming here every morning for quite a while now and even had it's pic' in the Shetland times.

[lynnR]

A friend uses creels, they do the job. only sparrows can get in so you'll still need to put food out anyway for starlings and blackies. Personally I feed ALL birds that turn up.

 

As for bullies.... This year I raised chickens at home so the sparrows did really well (32 last year to 90+ this year). There was a really bold youngster who would guard the chicken feeder from the starlings and rock doves. It would sit on top of the feeder and whenever a starling or rock dove came too close it would face it and cheep away. If the larger bird came closer still the sparrow would grab the feathers on the back of its foes head and tug until foe gave up trying to eat.

 

There's another point, my cockerel won't let the doves eat but sparrows and starlings are allowed when the hens are finished and blackies can eat with the chickens. Possibly get some chickens.