The presence of doves in a residential yard can quickly transition from a pleasant sight to a nuisance due to constant cooing, large amounts of droppings, and potential property damage. Dove droppings are unsightly and corrosive, damaging building materials, while nesting under eaves or in gutters can lead to blockages. Addressing a dove problem requires a combination of humane strategies focused on making the habitat unappealing for perching, nesting, and feeding. This approach ensures long-term deterrence without causing harm to the birds, which is important given the legal protections afforded to many dove species.
Eliminating Essential Attractants
The first and most foundational step in humane dove control is the removal of the resources that initially draw them to a property: food, water, and shelter. Doves are seed-eaters and are often drawn to backyards with accessible bird feeders. These birds prefer to feed on open ground, making platform feeders or spilled seed beneath hanging feeders a major attractant. Securing or entirely removing bird feeders, especially those dispensing seeds like millet, sunflower, or corn, is a necessary action to disrupt their food source.
Homeowners must also diligently clean up any seed that has fallen onto the ground, as doves forage best on bare or sparsely vegetated surfaces. Water sources are important, as doves must drink frequently to aid in their seed digestion. This means regularly draining standing water from bird baths, shallow pools, or clogged gutters, ensuring they cannot access an easy drink.
Finally, eliminating readily available nesting materials and sites makes the yard less hospitable for breeding. Doves build flimsy nests and seek out sheltered, flat areas like window ledges, eaves, and the tops of air conditioning units. Removing loose debris, trimming dense brush piles, and obstructing narrow sheltered spaces can discourage them from establishing a home.
Implementing Physical Barriers and Exclusion Methods
Physical exclusion methods prevent doves from accessing or perching on undesirable surfaces, forcing the birds to seek alternative locations. A common solution for narrow ledges, window sills, and roof peaks is the installation of bird spikes.
These spikes are designed with blunt tips and do not harm the bird; instead, they simply eliminate the flat landing area essential for a dove to perch or roost. Bird spikes are available in different widths and should be applied to any horizontal surface where doves are frequently seen resting. Another approach for ledges and eaves is the use of specialized angled products, often called “bird slides” or “slopes,” which are installed at a 45-degree angle or greater. This modification makes it impossible for the birds to grip the surface, causing them to slide off.
For larger, enclosed, or semi-enclosed areas like the underside of eaves or garden spaces, bird netting provides a comprehensive barrier. Netting creates an impenetrable wall that denies doves physical access to the space, preventing both landing and nesting. Additionally, thin, spring-tensioned post and wire systems can be installed along the edges of wide ledges. This wire creates an unstable landing spot for the dove, discouraging them from roosting while maintaining minimal visual impact on the structure.
Utilizing Sensory and Scare Tactics
Sensory deterrents work by creating a perceived threat or an uncomfortable environment that encourages doves to leave the area. Visual deterrents include reflective materials like metallic tape or small mirrors. The unpredictable flashes of light created by these objects as they move in the wind disorient and startle the doves, making the area feel unsafe. Predator decoys, such as plastic owls or rubber snakes, can also be used to trigger the doves’ natural avoidance instinct.
To prevent doves from becoming accustomed to these stationary objects, it is important to move the decoys frequently, ideally every few days, to maintain the illusion of a live threat. Auditory devices are another sensory tool, often employing distress calls or predator sounds that are audible to the birds. While ultrasonic devices are available, they are generally ineffective for bird control because doves cannot hear sounds in the ultrasonic range. The most effective auditory deterrents use bioacoustics, but their success diminishes as doves can quickly become habituated if the sounds are constant or not paired with a perceived physical threat.
The Mourning Dove, a common species in residential settings, is protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). This federal law makes it illegal to pursue, hunt, capture, or kill the birds, or to destroy their active nests or eggs without a specific permit. Consequently, all deterrence efforts should focus solely on making the habitat unappealing without ever causing injury or death.