Pigeon Damage Brussel Sprouts – October 2022

Typical damage to brassicas in our back garden. The nice tender centre leaves all pecked out. We just hope there will be some brussel sprouts for Christmas.

This damage may well have been done by only a couple of pigeons. Down near our farm land, a local farmer had seeded a field with oil seed rape (same brassica family). The seeds had grown to about 15 cms tall, and the field was covered with thousands of pigeons. When frightened they took off in a black/grey cloud. The next day they all came back. The field ended up with big circle areas just showing the soil, and only the boundaries being green. It might well shoot out again, but the farmer has got to get out and control them, with bird scarer or shotgun.