Putting the pigeon problem in perspective

As September winds down, I find myself using more birdseed almost every day. It's simple backyard bird economics; birds demand more seed, and I supply it.
But I do so willingly because I enjoy the constant company of cardinals, chickadees, finches and woodpeckers. I might not be so generous if pigeons dominated my feeders. But because I live in a wooded rural area, I've never even seen a pigeon fly over my yard.
Pigeons, however, are common to abundant in many towns and cities, and every year I receive dozens of pleas for help. "How can I keep pigeons off my feeders?" readers ask. Others complain that pigeons eat too much food and scare away smaller birds.
Too many of them
Pigeons are virtually impossible to eliminate, so don't even try. There are just too many of them. You could spend $50 for a pigeon trap and catch 100 pigeons over a four-week period, but more would just move in from surrounding areas.
Only a concentrated citywide control effort could make a dent in a local pigeon population, but that would be a public relations nightmare. It's difficult to put a positive spin on a practice that leaves dead and dying pigeons lying and flopping on sidewalks. Besides, many city people like pigeons. They represent their only contact with "wildlife."
Here are some ways birders can deal with pigeons in the back yard.
First, be sure you are using good birdseed. Lots of sunflower seeds, nyjer and nuts. No corn, milo or wheat. Cheap birdseed mixes might just as well be labeled "pigeon food." A menu adjustment may be all that's needed to send pigeons packing.
Too big for perches
A better strategy might be to use feeders that pigeons can't perch on. For example, if your tube feeder has a tray, remove it. Pigeons are too big to use most tube perches.
But if the pigeons manage to use the perches, shorten them. A perch need only extend an inch from the tube to accommodate finches, chickadees, titmice and other small feeder birds.
Or try a dome-covered bowl feeder. Only clinging birds with strong feet can use these perchless feeders designed to frustrate squirrels. Pigeons cannot and will not use them. One such feeder that I recommend is the Droll Yankee "Big Top."
Some manufacturers also sell "pigeon-proof" feeders. A tube is suspended within a wire mesh "cage." Small birds can enter; pigeons cannot. A cheaper alternative is to build a cage of chicken wire.
The common denominator of these suggestions is to physically exclude pigeons from the food. Tubes with small perches, perchless bowl-style feeders and feeders enclosed in wire cages are ideal. Of course, pigeons will still be attracted to food that falls to the ground.
To shut pigeons out completely, build a frame of 2-by-2-inch lumber about 12 inches high and large enough to cover the area beneath the feeders. Then cover the frame with chicken wire. Finches, juncos and other small birds will easily pass through the chicken wire, while pigeons, grackles, starlings, blue jays, mourning doves and even squirrels will be fenced out. This is an easy do-it-yourself project, but not everyone is handy.
Prefabricated exclosure
Recently I discussed the pigeon problem with a leading feeder manufacturer. He has designed a prefabricated pigeon exclosure that would rest on the ground beneath a hanging feeder. His concern is retail price. Using quality materials including heavy plastic coated wire mesh, he says the retail price would come in at $90 to $100, and he's not sure they could sell enough to justify the set up costs.
So I told him I'd ask you. If you've got a pigeon problem, would you pay up to $100 for a quality product that, when placed beneath a tube or bowl feeder, would prevent pigeons from getting to seed on the ground and force them to feed elsewhere? Use a post card or e-mail to let me know, and I'll pass your thoughts along.
XSend questions and comments to Dr. Scott Shalaway, R.D. 5, Cameron, W.Va. 26033 or via e-mail to sshalaway@aol.com