Keeping Pigeons Away From Fountains

Remove any sources of food or shelter from around the fountain. Birds are after a constant source of water, food and shelter. If you eliminate two of those elements by removing bird feeders or birdhouses from near the fountain and cutting back trees and removing brush, you’ll make the fountain less hospitable.

Play loud music or install an ultrasonic bird repellent near the fountain. According to Iowa State University Extension, set the ultrasonic scaring unit to run for 10- to 15-second intervals every one minute approximately one hour before dark. This schedule is enough to keep the birds away without them becoming accustomed to the noise, which renders it useless. Play loud music approximately one hour before dark and one hour in the morning to keep the unwanted pigeons away.

Install bird-scaring balloons around the perimeter of the fountain. The balloons, available at hardware and home improvement stores, are painted with a large eye that frightens the pigeons, and other birds, away from the area.

Spread ground chili pepper on the ground around and on the ledges of the fountain. Pigeons find the odor and texture of the pepper unpleasant and will stay away. Reapply the chili powder every two to three days or after a rainfall.

Spray the pigeons with a garden hose or shoo them away with a broom. This is a low-tech, effective way to scare the pigeons away from your fountain when you are outdoors.

Locate any nests around the fountain and eliminate them and the eggs inside. Using a broom handle or any long stick, search for the nests in neighboring trees and knock them over. This is a labor-intensive way to eliminate the pigeons by making your home seem inhospitable.