My Current Situation

[LondonPigeon]

As you know, I want to leave food on the balcony for the pigeons (so I can attract them), the only food I know I can put is unsalted peanuts, im not sure where to find birdseed, so if I can't find that, any other foods?

I live quite high up in a flat, and i haven't seen any pigeons visit the balcony for months I dont know why, maybe becuase of a local bird of prey population that i know lives in the area. but i remember some years ago, the pigeons used to visit more often,

I actually get seagulls now circling above quite often (I see them much more than i used to, sometimes there's a flock of them) they go quite near, but haven';t landed on the balcony for years, is the only food they can eat is fish? becuase i wouldnt put smelly fish on the balcony but if they eat peanuts or something else id put something for them,, even though they're very noisy (and can bite?) The reason i see them is becuase i live quite near to the River Thames, so the birds probably live there and eat most of their fish there.

i remember i used to look forward whenthe pigeons would visit, they'd make me chuckle, those cute fat birds

[TAWhatley]

Hi LondonPigeon,

I would think just about any pet store would carry wild bird seed mix or dove/pigeon mix. Either would be great for the pigeons. The peanuts would be a wonderful treat, but I wouldn't feed that to them as a steady diet .. the seeds would be better.

Terry

[Garye]

Gulls, I'm finding, will eat just about anything. Garbage, bread, meat, and they'll even try seed (though they're not crazy about it). They can sense food miles away, more so than pigeons I think. As a matter of fact, if it weren't for the gulls here flapping their beaks so much when they find food, the pigeons wouldn't be able to find it so fast sometimes. The gulls give it all away once they talk to each other about finding some. They are noisy. And the pigeons come running right over after hearing them talk! They know what the gulls are saying!

[pdpbison]

Hi LondonPigeon,

I agree with Terry here, or, moreso, to skip the Peanuts entirely unless you can pbtain ONLY 'small' size ones, 'shelled' of course, such as the so called 'Spanish Peanuts', raw ONLY and with nothing on them in any way, and of the eminently hi-grade kind for people to eat ( one small bag of which usually cost more then twenty times that amount of mixed Bird Seed)...and obtain wholesome regular type 'Pigeon Mix' or other 'Bird Seed' of one kind or another.

A few 'phone calls to Feed or Farm and Feed or Pet Suplly stores should reveal sources in your area.

Sea Gulls do not eat Seeds per-se, although they are voraciously omniverous...

Too, there must be any number of Pigeon fanciers and Pigeon Keepers of various kinds in London, and I bet you could have some fun locating them, their Clubs, and or attending occasions of their club Activities, Races, Shows or get-togethers.


Best wishes for the New Year...!

Phil
Las Vegas

[LondonPigeon]

thanks

i'll need to get birdseed,

if anything, is breadcrumbs not good for them?

i forgot that seagulls can eat almost anything,

and if they have a better sense of smell and sometimes fly nearby me, i hope they'll come and eat some food, maybe this will attract the pigeons to come and eat a meal.

i'll have to do it when my mother isnt here, or where she can't see them, becuase whenever pigeons visit, she bangs on the window to make them go away. she doesnt like them at all

and i hope by leaving food outside, the birds will remember to come, and that way i can have some casual pets

[Trees Gray]

Originally Posted by LondonPigeon

if anything, is breadcrumbs not good for them?

Thank you for your interest in feeding the pigeons, just be sure that you attract them to eat to a safe feeding location for them. I know you mean well, but I would hate for someone else to come along and chase them away..or worse.

Bread crumbs are okay in a pinch, but their main diet should be bird seed. Have you tried your local grocery store? They carry it too, in the pet section.

and i hope by leaving food outside, the birds will remember to come, and that way i can have some casual pets

When they feel safe and are hungry they will come by again.

[LondonPigeon]

thanks Tressa

i'll check if my local supermarket has birdfeed, becuase i only want the best for the birds.

[kittypaws]

Hi London Pigeon,

You can get bird seed mixes from any large supermarket and of course the petshops sell them. Also the raw peanuts for ( usually deignated for feeders) can be bought loose in bags - that is what I buy. The pigeons will eat the peanuts first, look a bit disgruntled when they are gone (because peanuts are their favourites) and then they tuck into the seeds.

As for seagulls, well they may not come onto your balcony especially if they can see you. Although they tend to be brash and loud birds I find the type on the Thames, black headed gulls ( I too live near the Thames) are a little shy about swooping down for food if people are around, not all gulls but most of them.

Gulls eat anywhere and everything - favourite dinner spots are rubbish dumps or fields being ploughed. They chase the plough for invertebrates being churned up to the surface.They will be fine. Just encourage the pigeons they are so much smaller and friendlier.

Tania

[LondonPigeon]

Originally Posted by kittypaws

Hi London Pigeon,

You can get bird seed mixes from any large supermarket and of course the petshops sell them. Also the raw peanuts for ( usually deignated for feeders) can be bought loose in bags - that is what I buy. The pigeons will eat the peanuts first, look a bit disgruntled when they are gone (because peanuts are their favourites) and then they tuck into the seeds.

As for seagulls, well they may not come onto your balcony especially if they can see you. Although they tend to be brash and loud birds I find the type on the Thames, black headed gulls ( I too live near the Thames) are a little shy about swooping down for food if people are around, not all gulls but most of them.

Gulls eat anywhere and everything - favourite dinner spots are rubbish dumps or fields being ploughed. They chase the plough for invertebrates being churned up to the surface.They will be fine. Just encourage the pigeons they are so much smaller and friendlier.

Tania

thanks Tania

net time i go to sommerfield i'll check if they have bird seed and raw peanuts

[Pidgey]

If you live REAL high, you might have difficulty attracting pigeons simply because they're not usually looking that high for food and don't get up there that often. The kind of stuff pigeons eat doesn't have much by way of scent so it's not going to attract them that way.

Pidgey

[Garye]

Phil, would you mind telling the gulls here that they don't eat bird seed because they sure as heck are trying to eat it every time I feed the pigeons (LOL). They probably figure it's better than nothing so they nibble on a few but then pass the rest up to the pigeons when they realize they don't like it.

[Pidgey]

Garye,

You should see how they react to fish sandwich bits from your local BK, Long John Silver's or the like. They really seem to like that but I always get into trouble feeding the gulls when I do that--it seems their droppings are rather less well received than pigeons'.

Pidgey

[Garye]

It's funny how people complain so much about pigeon droppings but they rarely complain about gull droppings and gulls will fly over you and let loose. Their droppings are also much larger.

But they probably do love the fish sandwiches simply because it's fish! I'm not going to try and start feeding them that here - it'll attract more of them and those things have a tendency to let the whole world know when they've found food. There's nothing like having a gull sound off in the middle of a parking lot and having all these people stare at you because of it. I pretty much like to keep low key. Pigeons don't announce out loud when they find food. They just fly back to the flock or start eating.

[LondonPigeon]

yewah i live up high so thats why they dont visit much, but the seagulls are more often, the seagull droppings are bigger though

[LondonPigeon]

the most convenient animal by far for me would be a kitten / cat

they are warm and cuddly, and you can hug them without the fear of hurting a pigeons wings

they know where the litter is, actually how do they know this? its very clever of them, dogs dont do that

you dont need to take them outside? or do you

becuase the cat would have no where to go, i couldnt take it to the balcony becuase if it jumps it might go over the edge and die

they're not loud

but does anybody have cats? how often do you take them to the vet? how much does it cost?

I cant have a cat in my flat anyway, my mother is alergic to them