I lease a wonderful office space on the 2nd story that has a balcony and looks over a pond and fountain. I have successfully attracted a few hummingbirds that feed at a couple feeders. But, there is a growing population of pigeons that drink from the fountain and have started a coup in the roof. I want to string fishing line to deter them from taking over the pond but I'm afraid that it will hurt the hummingbirds. Does anyone know if hummingbirds can be harmed by the lines?

I have often wondered the same thing. If you decide to do that I would string some colored paper or beads on the fishing line to make it more noticable.

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Hello. Glad you found your way over to the forum. Lots of really smart hummingbird lovers hang around here.

Dianne
Southeast Alabama
Heat Zone 8
Sunset Zone 31

The dilemna is that I lease the space and I can't put stuff out that is noticeable to the naked eye. I'm also counting on the fact that pigeons are not too bright and a couple of times hitting the line will deter them from visiting the pond. I need to know that the hummingbirds will not fly into themI know they can fly into windows. I also have 2 or 3 hummers that fight over the feeder and they often dip down into the area I wish to put fishing lines around. If it wasn't for that, the lines would be below their traffic pattern and no harm would be done except to keep the pigeons away.

Thank you so much for taking the time to help me.

As long as you use thick line that is easily visible you should be okay, I use 60lb test around me goldfish pond to keep out the herons and the hummers don't have any problem except its too slippery to perch on for very long but they do try.

Only birds that have trouble with the line are the Band-tailed pigeons, when forty of the them decide to come in for a drink and a bath some of them bounce off the line.






Martin
--
Vancouver Island, zone 8B
Nikon D70/D200 300 f4 af-s, 400 2.8 af-i
www.frogpondphotography.com
www.frogpondphotography.blogspot.com

I'd think twice because if you can't see it a fast flying bird won't either. Collisions could kill or injure birds.

I agree with Ward, although I have seen ponds covered the way you say, and these gardens are for Hummers and butterflys.