help! my neighbours are trying to kill my garden birds!

My neighbours have started putting out dried rice right next to the fence that divides our properties.I have feeders and tables in my garden, and get a good variety of birds. Unfortunatley, because I live in a city, it attracts some pigeons (5 or 6 hang around most of the day) and while I try to stop the pigeons from using the feeders and bird table, there is nothing I can do about them picking up the food the other birds drop. I think this has annoyed them (although they have never said anything to me about it) What do you suggest I do? should I stop feeding them? 

please help, I'm very upset!

Rhiannon.

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  • Hello Rhiannon.

    I've just had a look on the main RSPB page, in the "What food to provide" page.  It says that uncooked rice will attract pigeons, doves and pheasants.  Many speices will eat cooked rice, which sould be either white or brown and be unsalted.  http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/helpingbirds/feeding/whatfood/index.asp

    I'm not certain that your neighbours are trying to kill the garden birds but I would suggest speaking to them about it, because I'm fairly sure if they had a problem with the pigeons they would have mentioned by now.  I really hope you can get the situation sorted out amicably.

     

    Paul.

    Warning!  This post contains atrocious spelling, and terrible grammar.  Approach with extreme edginess.

  • Hi Rhiannon , many pigeon mixers contain rice so dont worry,the only thing I would say is why next to the fence?

    I would get some and have a look at it.

  • And wear disposable gloves...

    The necessity of bird-watching is a really good reason for avoiding all forms of housework.

    The dust will still be there tomorrow - the birds may not be!

  • unfortunatley I recieved a letter from my council today requesting that I take most of my feeders down, and only keep one up, and I'm only allowed to fill it once a day.  I'm looking out my window now, watching a wren, a dunnock, a robin and a whole host of sparrows bounce around where the bird table used to be. I feel quite bad, but there's not much else I can do!

  • PeregrineRhi said:

    unfortunatley I recieved a letter from my council today requesting that I take most of my feeders down, and only keep one up, and I'm only allowed to fill it once a day.  I'm looking out my window now, watching a wren, a dunnock, a robin and a whole host of sparrows bounce around where the bird table used to be. I feel quite bad, but there's not much else I can do!

    That's absolutely rotten news.  What were the reasons they gave for asking you to remove most of your feeders and do you have any grounds for appeal.?

    Warning!  This post contains atrocious spelling, and terrible grammar.  Approach with extreme edginess.

  • apparently they have recieved several complaints from various people that the birds were causing
    A. Noise disturbance in the mornings,
    B. Fouling people's property (cars)
    C. Causing a health and safety risk and attracting vermin to neighbouring gardens.


    The thing that angers me is the fact that vermin in the street would more likely be attracted by the communal bin area we share. We have no plastic containers like wheelie bins to put our waste in, just a yard in which we pile up all our bags. We have feral cats and Gulls getting in there all the time! I

    I hate living in the city, as soon as I've finished uni, I'm out back into the good old country!

  • I really am so sorry to hear about the letter. I presume their has been a letter from your neighbour complaiining about the bird food encouraging vermin. My advice is to keep to what they say and at least you are still able to continue feeding the birds (albeit on a smaller scale ) and then your neighbours have no room for further complaints.

    Just read your additional message. People can be cruel but at least you know that in time you will get away from them. 

  • This disgusts me. I'm sick of the human race, people seem to think that we have a divine right to do what we want at the expense of all other living things on the planet, and woe betide anything should put a "dampener" on our right have a free reign over everything. Birds and in fact most animals have populated the planet for a hell of a lot longer than human beings and therefore have more of a right to a free and undisturbed life than we do yet people still think they can lord it over the rest of natural kingdom.  How can a few birds in someone's garden constitute noise disturbance? I absolutely adore waking up to hear the birds, whatever they are doing and whatever noise they are making - it means they're still alive and thriving. If people want their precious cars to stay clean then car covers come at ten a penny these days, and I'm sorry dear council but wherever there is a built up area there is bound to be so-called "vermin", people make just as much waste without feeding birds and I doubt very much that forcing one person to feed the birds less is going to make any kind of difference.

    They should be thanking you for caring for wildlife, not punishing you. I would be absolutely blind with rage if they dared to stop me from feeding the birds.

  • Johnny Mac had a similar situation, see here: http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/forums/p/5099/37579.aspx#37579 and invited an environmental health person to come & see for themselves the so called problem... might be worth considering.

    "All weeds are flowers, once you get to know them" (Eeyore)

    My photos on Flickr

  • Thank you for your comments Brenda, and Annabanana I am very angry/upset with this situation, and I have no idea how a robin's song (he sings every morning and dusk) can be classed as noise pollution?
    I dislike the fact that I am being punished for this, when other young people my age (and older, come to think of it!) are out trashing the city center every weekend, and they get no punishment for it!
    It really is a sad state of affairs.

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