How to identify and manage pigeons and other birds

UK seasonality and monitoring

Pigeons can be a year-round issue, often worse when natural food is scarce.

During this period inspect Brassicas, peas, strawberries and soft fruit, concentrating on the crop stage and plant parts described above. Note when and where fresh injury appears; old feeding marks can remain after the pest has moved on.

Crops and plants affected

The recorded hosts are Brassicas, peas, strawberries and soft fruit. This list identifies plants worth checking; it does not mean every crop is equally vulnerable. Start with the listed plants and inspect the tissue where this pest feeds.

Check affected crops for these signs: Stripped brassicas, damaged peas and pecked fruit. Match the symptom to a live pest, larva, egg or characteristic feeding sign before deciding that treatment is needed.

Damage and likely consequences

Stripped brassicas, damaged peas and pecked fruit. A small amount of old damage on a vigorous plant may be cosmetic. Continued feeding on roots, seedlings, growing points or edible parts can reduce establishment or yield.

On Brassicas, peas, strawberries and soft fruit, judge severity by checking whether injury is fresh and spreading, whether the plant is still growing, and whether the edible part is affected. Avoid removing a crop based on one ambiguous mark.

Prevention

Use taut crop netting or a cage with secure edges and mesh that excludes birds; check it regularly for trapped wildlife.

Control and integrated management

Inspect joins, gates and the base for entry gaps, and secure loose loops that could entangle birds.

Natural predators and wildlife-conscious choices

Design netting safely and leave some food and habitat away from vulnerable beds.

For pigeons and other birds on Brassicas, peas, strawberries and soft fruit, use a barrier or hand removal only where it fits the crop and life stage. Keep any cover taut, inspect it for trapped wildlife, and remove it when protection is no longer needed.

Long-term management

Protect brassicas from planting until established and repair covers after weeding or harvesting.

For pigeons and other birds on Brassicas, peas, strawberries and soft fruit, record the bed, crop stage and date when fresh damage first appears. Those notes help time protection and monitoring before the same crop stage is vulnerable next season.

Common mistakes

A symptom alone is not a diagnosis. Look for fresh pecking, clipped seedlings and droppings, but check for rabbits and caterpillars before blaming birds. Pigeons can strip exposed brassicas rapidly, while other birds may cause more localised fruit damage. Look for a matching live pest or fresh feeding sign before intervening.

Loose netting can injure birds while still leaving a gap large enough for them to reach the crop.

If damage continues

Recheck Brassicas, peas, strawberries and soft fruit where new injury is appearing, including the hidden feeding site: roots, folded leaves, leaf undersides, flowers or fruit as appropriate. If identification remains uncertain, photograph a live specimen alongside the damage and ask an allotment association or horticultural adviser.

If the recommended control (Physical netting and crop covers are the reliable options; check regularly for trapped wildlife.) has not helped, confirm that it was fitted or applied at the right crop stage and that fresh damage is still occurring. Old marks do not heal when the pest has gone.

Frequently asked questions