# Wood Pigeon population growth



## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

We live in a fairly rural location surrounded by arable farmland so there's always been a healthy population of Wood Pigeons and a rapidly growing population of Collared Doves.

This year however, things have changed dramatically. The Doves have all but vanished but the Wood Pigeons have multiplied significantly.

We now regularly see flocks of Woodies numbering hundreds, if not thousands.

Has anyone else noticed anything similar?


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## Sandy_Saunders (Nov 17, 2008)

The large number of Wood Pigeons is a fairly recent trend as you say. The British Trust for Ornithology says that it is down to farming practices.

_Recent changes in farming appear to have benefited the Woodpigeon and the population has increased in many areas, notably the south east of England and East Anglia. This increase may well be the result of the change from spring-sown to autumn sown grain and the introduction of oil seed rape. The knock-on effect of this has been the increase in the Garden BirdWatch reporting rate for Woodpigeon._

The Collared Dove is more of a grain feeder and is a fairly recent arrival in this country, first being seen about sixty years ago. I have noticed that it's numbers do fluctuate, possibly as a result of farming practices again. That said, I don't think they are uncommon here in Worcestershire. Maybe your birds have just gone somewhere more congenial for the winter?

Sandy


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

Not so much with us rapter numbers are greatly up though. But I did notice HUGE numbers of them in central France last year

Dick


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## Jodi1 (Mar 25, 2010)

I agree about the numbers of wood pigeons, but there has always been a lot here anyway. We have a pair of collard doves coming to peck around the garden under the feeders. 

We were at the CC site at Cambridge this year and there were loads of wood pigeons there. The people in the neighbouring van hated them and spent most of the time saying things "shut up" and "go away" . That irritated me more then the pigeons cooing away!


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## nickoff (Oct 11, 2005)

We also live in a fairly rural setting surrounded by arable land. We still get plenty of collared doves and pigeons in the garden plus heaps of starlings. We have a bird feeder plus a fair amount of seed etc that I throw out for our 2 chickens that are allowed the run of the garden during the winter months.

Nick.


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

The starlings are putting on a great show here this evening.

For a drab, rather ugly bird - they sure have mastered formation flying


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Wood pigeon are numerous around me. Magpies and Jays which were common to us have disappeared. Robins do not nest in our garden anymore, we used to have four nesting at a time. and we have lost the resident Wren
Blavkbirds and thrushes are in lower numbers. I never heard a cuckoo or skylark this year.
Kestrels seem to have increased in number

So have the bloomin local cat population


Dave p


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

We are absolutely plagued with magpies and have been for quite a few years. You can see them going down hedgerows and robbing nests. A real pest.

Dick


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

I hate magpies with a passion - but one is not allowed to harm them. Grrrr!!

As for cats - where are my blood pressure tablets.


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

We can I believe trap them Pippin. Maybe we could get together and send some over to Davep :lol: 

Dick


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## Landyman (Apr 3, 2010)

pippin said:


> I hate magpies with a passion - but one is not allowed to harm them. Grrrr!!
> 
> As for cats - where are my blood pressure tablets.


A decent gun might be the answer. :lol:

Would also help with pigeon numbers. 

Landyman. (awaiting incoming from the cat lovers)


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

I solved the problem of cats in my garden by shooting them.  

All you need is a good water pistol as they hate getting wet. :lol:

Now I have 4 Whippets and the local cats have nightmares about them. :lol:


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

We have a flock of pigeons must number about 2000 fly over every morning about 8am and return 3pm we have loads of sparrows, blue tits, thrushes, starlings,15 pair collared doves plus some black crow sized birds but with grey heads, the occasional kestrel and one sparrow hawk plus some wrens

Denise spends a fortune feeding them

joe


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

Landyman said:


> pippin said:
> 
> 
> > I hate magpies with a passion - but one is not allowed to harm them. Grrrr!!
> ...


Well that's put the cat among the pidgeons mate :lol:

Dick


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

we also only have 1 Robin as it always chases any others away

joe


ps


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## rogerblack (May 1, 2005)

pippin said:


> I hate magpies with a passion - but one is not allowed to harm them. Grrrr!!
> 
> As for cats - where are my blood pressure tablets.


You'll be pleased to know that you are wrong about the magpies.

Magpies are fully protected by the European Union Birds Directive. However, the UK Government has derogated (made an exception) from the Directive in relation to control of magpies. Under annual general licence issued under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (for which it is not necessary to apply individually), magpies may be killed or taken by authorised persons, using permitted methods, for the purposes of:

preventing serious damage to agricultural crops or livestock
 preserving public health/air safety
conserving wild birds

Authorised persons are those authorised by the landowner (obviously including the landowner himself/herself) and since the magpies will no doubt be devastating the blackbird population in your garden then the allowed reason is conserving wild birds. 
The magpies must be on the authorising landowners land at the time of taking and if using an airgun for example the pellets must not be allowed to go beyond the boundary.

If you don't feel confident to despatch them yourself then I am sure your local shooting club will be happy to help, details from a local air rifle shop which you can no doubt find on G**gle (other search engines are available!)

Cats are another story, unfortunately! :evil:


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

I take it that means retrospective authorisation as well Roger? A wonderful piece of cross border negciation :lol:


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## rogerblack (May 1, 2005)

Glandwr said:


> I take it that means retrospective authorisation as well Roger? A wonderful piece of cross border negciation :lol:


I like the sound of 'retrospective authorisation', Dick. 

I also like 'pre-emptive retaliation' 8) :lol:


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## Easyriders (May 16, 2011)

We have nothing against magpies. Lovely birds, highly intelligent, and certainly far less of a menace to other birds than cats/raptors/insecticides or humans.

We had a family of collared doves, but they have gradually decreased in number as the wood pigeons have increased. Wood pigeons can be bullies, and they certainly hoover up the bird food quickly (though not as quickly as the squirrels).

Having said that, we still get a huge variety of birds in our garden, as well as buzzards, kites, merlins etc, and three species of owl. Some of them kill other birds when they can. It's all a part of nature.


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## ardgour (Mar 22, 2008)

We have a large population of wood pigeons and about a dozen collared doves that are regulars but as we have only lived here a few months can't say if the population has increased  they do make a heck of a racket though, in the autumn they would collect the cob nuts falling from trees then bang them on the conservatory roof trying to break them open
8O 
One day we thought we had been the victims of vandals throwing an egg at the front door (smashed egg dripping down the steps) till we saw a crow swoop down into next door's garden and steal a hens egg then fly over to our porch to break it open and eat it
Chris


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