Gardiner, Washington

Marc & Christie Lassen

We’re passionate about birds and nature. That’s why we opened a Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop in our community.

Gardiner, Washington

275953 Highway 101
Gardiner, WA 98382

Phone: (360) 797-7100
Email: Send Message

Store Hours:
Mon - Fri: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sat - Sun: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Comments:
Did you know we are much more than a birdseed store? Stop by and visit our beautiful public garden with a breath-taking view of Discovery Bay, enjoy a Lavendar Mocha at the Espresso Garden, pic-nic tables available for your use. We look forward to seeing you in Gardiner!

Black Bird And Pigeon Problems

Pigeons and blackbirds can present a challenge to people who want to feed the birds. The challenge is feeding the desired birds while limiting the number of large or flocking birds that appear to make messes, eat more than their share of the bird food and chase the other birds away.

While the problem seems to be particularly true of blackbirds and other flocking birds during the fall and spring, pigeons can present problems throughout the year in many locations.
There are several solutions to try and keep larger birds from monopolizing the feeders and be a little neater about feeding the birds.

1. Make sure the seed blend used is the best blend for the situation. Reducing the mess that accumulates

below the feeder can be very helpful in eliminating pigeons and other birds that hang around the feeder area.

2. Is there more of a mess because the blend is too high in millet? Many birds will sweep through the seed

blends to find the seed they want to eat, and the uneaten seed gets tossed to the ground. Is a poor quality

blend being used? Blends high in oil sunflower make the seed less likely to be swept to the ground.

If safflower is used, it can still be swept to the ground where pigeons can take advantage of the seeds.

Make sure blends do not contain wheat, milo or other grain fillers. In some areas, specific birds will eat milo.

Eliminate cracked corn from the feeding menu. Be sure to choose a blend that is right for the birds feeding in the area.

3. If "junk" birds are a problem at wooden feeders, the feeders can be replaced with tube feeders during the problem times. This can be especially effective at keeping larger birds like pigeons and blackbirds from monopolizing the feeders. Adding trays to the tube feeders can help keep the mess down, but will not keep larger birds from reaching the food.

4. Wood feeders can be moved farther away from the main feeding area. By adding selective feeders like the Cling a Wing, finch feeders and hummingbird feeders, smaller or more desired birds can be attracted. These feeders limit the size of the bird that can access the feeder.

5. Adding suet feeders and feeders that feed specific birds can help attract the desired birds while making it harder for other birds to feed. The WBU tube feeders can be covered with a cage that keeps larger birds out while allowing the smaller birds easy access. Squirrel resistant feeders can sometimes be adjusted to keep the pigeons off the feeder.

6. Sometimes putting only enough food in the feeder for evening and early morning feeding can help keep the birds from hanging around the feeder throughout the day. This is sometimes one of the most effective ways to keep problem birds at a minimum. Birdfeeding does not have to attract only pigeons or be a messy proposition; there are ways to keep feeding enjoyable.