Jack Daw monopolizing my bird table

[redragon]

I have about 10 Jack daws that monopolize my bird table every morning. Anyone got any tips on hoe to even the playing field for the smaller birds?

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by redragon

I have about 10 Jack daws that monopolize my bird table every morning. Anyone got any tips on hoe to even the playing field for the smaller birds?

Enclose the feeding place with a wide gauge mesh to keep large birds out. This will, of course, mean that you keep out blackbirds, thrushes &c but ... you win some and you lose some.

I've no experience of feeding jackdaws (voluntarily or not) but I have noticed in gardens and other places where they turn up that if they're disturbed they fly off immediately and are not likely to return until much later (hours - compare with blackbirds, for instance, which will fly away but be back again in ten minutes). So have you tried being a scarecrow?

[yellowhammer]

You could try something like this;

CJ WildBird Foods - Feeder Guardians

Expensive, but it could pay for itself in the long run if it stops the jackdaws eating all the food. Works for squirrels too.

[Blackdog]

Shotgun?

(only joking )

[goosey]

We have 6 jackdaws hanging around, at the moment they are no probblem and just the odd one comes in now and again and Like Paul Mabbott said, fly off as soon as I'm in sight. But as soon as they have young, they come in and take everything even clinging on to the peanut feeders and are alot braver.
To help combat this I put the ground food a bit out of sight where the ground feeders go naturally under some shrubs.
As for your table and the feeder problem, apart from one of the cages to surround them I don't know.
It costs a fortune over this period but I dont like to let the blackbirds down as thet are constant visitors throughout the year and have young too.
Good luck with your problem Jackdaws.

[nightshade]

I feed my Corvids away from the other feeders and as
far as possible at a different time with food more specific
to them and not too much so they move on to find more

[Lance Morgan]

Originally Posted by Blackdog

Shotgun?

(only joking )

good idea then hang it nearby as a warning to the other jackdaws. They'll get the message (Kidding)

[Bad bird watcher]

I had a similar problem with pigeons but sorted it by tying an old piece of washing line round the table to halve the gap (assuming yours has a roof) The starlings - my only other table visitors- can still get in but it stopped the pigeons

[werdnal]

We divided our bird table in half and put chicken wire around one half, allowing the smaller birds in, but keeping the larger ones out. The magpies and jackdaws here used to come and pinch a whole fat ball and fly off with it. We now hang them in the enclosed side and the robins, tits etc, have free access to them.

If you don't want to used wire, get some thin wooden batons and make a "cage" with them.

[redragon]

Thank you all for the advice