Do Chili Peppers Really Work To Keep Those Pesky Pigeons Away For Good?

While many people may not think twice when out and about within proximity to pigeons, it can be a different story when they begin to accumulate near your home. Although many communities online hold the belief that chili peppers can help solve the issue due to their pungent odor, there may not be much validity to it. Even though chili peppers may seem like a helpful ingredient to throw into the mix when these pesky birds are around, it's not a great long-term solution. So, rather than reaching for chili peppers when you find pigeons strutting their stuff around your living space, you may think twice about using them to keep pigeons out of your yard.

Of course, if all this means that this method is a waste of time (and food), then you may want to try another alternative if you have a pigeon problem. Further, let's look into why chili peppers are ineffective, despite popular opinion — you may be surprised to learn that the reason is pretty simple and straightforward.

The reason chili peppers don't work as a permanent solution for pigeons is that you would need a massive amount of them for it to even make the slightest difference. If you wanted it to work, you would have to be consistently dispersing chili to large areas in your yard. For the average person, such a scenario isn't very realistic. Instead, these birds will just move to a different part of your home, away from the chili peppers, relocating to what they find to be a more suitable location. Even if the pigeons can smell it, you'll likely still have a problem on your hands.

Instead, there are alternative methods that you could try. "One of the most effective ways to humanely get rid of pigeons is to deny them a place to land and perch, which can be done with a variety of products, such as a bird slope," biologist Thomas Ward explained to Homes & Gardens. Of course, you may always want to inquire with an expert if you're unable to solve the problem yourself. Just remember, if you want to get rid of pigeons for good, chili peppers are not the way to go.