About a month ago I began starving the birds in an attempt to be rid of the squirrels and pigeons (which do not count as birds). This was successful. I had to deal with grumpy sparrows for only a couple of days before they gave up in disgust, and I live with a louder and more persistent bird in my very house so their complaints were easy to ignore. I wonder if I taper off feeding in the spring (breeding time, but that's their look-out) and make them eat on their own throughout summer whether the squirrels would also vamoose and leave me some fruit. I doubt it: though the squirrels can find enough dropped seeds to make the birdfeeder a draw (they really cannot get into the feeder itself after a year's worth of attempts, hurrah!), fetal nectarines and pears might be even more appealing to them without those seeds. I think keeping the litter raked up might reduce the pigeon infestation. My one regret about killing the piñon is that it deprived chickadees of their shelter and therefore me of my chickadees. And I wonder if pigeons (or squirrels, ick) will be able to eat from the suet feeder my mother gave me for Christmas last year that I never bought suet for. That will attract starlings, which I don't care for, but also flickers and woodpeckers and maybe Denver's new bluejays.