Doves can quickly become a dominating presence at a bird feeder, often crowding out smaller birds and consuming large amounts of feed. To keep doves away from your bird feeder, you may need to employ several strategies, which will make the feeding environment less attractive or accessible to them while still inviting to smaller birds. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you achieve this:
1. Choose the Right Type of Feeder
The feeder you select can have a significant impact on which birds are able to feed from it. Some feeders are designed to discourage larger birds like doves:
- Tube Feeders: Select a tube feeder with small perches that do not support larger birds.
- Weight-Activated Feeders: These feeders close the feeding ports when a bird over a certain weight lands on the perch, preventing larger birds like doves from feeding.
- Caged Feeders: These feeders have a wire cage around them that only allows small birds to enter and feed.
2. Adjust Seed Selection
Doves are typically ground feeders and prefer seeds like millet and cracked corn. If these are part of your bird seed mix, consider switching to seeds less appealing to doves:
- Use thistle or nyjer seed, which is preferred by finches and other small birds but not doves.
- Pick safflower seeds, which are less attractive to many larger bird species.
- Provide whole kernel corn, which is too large for doves to eat comfortably.
3. Modify Feeding Locations
By wisely placing your feeders, you can help deter doves:
- Place feeders higher off the ground, as doves prefer to feed closer to the ground.
- Hang feeders from thin wires that are difficult for larger birds to balance on.
- Position feeders near dense shrubbery or in areas where doves have less room to navigate.
4. Limit Ground Feeding
Make it less appealing for doves to feed on the ground beneath feeders:
- Regularly clean up spilled seed.
- Place a seed catcher tray underneath the feeder, but select a design that isn’t dove-friendly.
- Use a ground feeder with an adjustable roof to limit the size of birds that can feed.
5. Scare Tactics
Using harmless scare tactics can help keep doves at bay:
- Hang reflective objects, such as old CDs, near the feeder to create moving reflections that can scare away birds.
- Install a decoy predator, like a plastic owl or hawk, near the feeder.
- Use bird-safe deterrents that emit sound or ultrasonic noises to disturb doves without affecting smaller birds.
6. Timing of Feeding
Adjust when you put out bird feed:
- Feed in the morning or late afternoon when doves are less active and other birds are more likely to feed.
- Remove feeders for a short period to disrupt the doves’ feeding routine. Smaller birds will likely find the feeder again quickly once you put it back out.
7. Maintain the Feeding Area
A clean and orderly feeding area is less attractive to large flocks of doves:
- Regularly clean the feeder and surrounding area to reduce spillage that attracts doves.
- Rearrange the setup periodically to confuse doves and discourage them from returning.
Remember, it’s important to be patient as it may take some time for the doves to change their habits. Additionally, be sure that any methods used do not harm the doves or any other wildlife. By following this guide, you are more likely to attract a wider variety of smaller birds and create a more balanced backyard ecosystem.