No, I'm not talking about Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 thriller that made people all around the world fear birds for, really, no good reason. I'm talking about the little doves that nest up in the eaves of my house and make my life miserable.

Now, you know I love all animals and all wildlife, but when I can't cross my patio without stepping in bird droppings...that's when it comes down to a "me or them" situation. I'd never, ever hurt them, but I'm encouraging them to build their messy nests in trees. Where they belong, thank you very much.

While searching out resources on how to harmlessly remove the winged critters, I came across literally hundreds of other people with the same problem. So I thought I'd share what I learned and what works — or doesn't.

First, never remove an active nest. If you find eggs or baby birds, let the parents raise the babies there. But the minute they fly the nest, spring into action and get rid of it. You can do it yourself, but it's a nasty job that includes rubber gloves, long sleeves and even breathing protection. The clean-up afterward is even worse. I strongly recommend hiring a professional.

Next, you have to keep them from coming back 'their' home. It might take a couple of tries to figure out what works for you in your situation, but here's what I found:

• Rubber snakes: People have hit-and-miss luck with this method. It seems to work for a while, but then the birds figure out the snake isn't real and just build around it.
• Fake predator birds: Statues of owls, falcons, eagles will scare away smaller birds almost every time. This is working pretty well for me and my doves.
• Mirrors: When a bird sees its reflection, it assumes another bird has moved into its nesting place. This method works well with smaller, non-aggressive birds (especially pigeons). But birds like cardinals might attack the mirror trying to drive out the competition, which can be dangerous for the bird (and for you) if the mirror breaks. 

Before you start, don't forget to look up local and state laws that protect certain species — especially migratory birds. Often the Fish and Wildlife Service will relocate a nest for you at no charge, so that's a great place to start. You can have a bird-friendly back yard without all the hassle of letting them build their nests around your house. But it might take a couple of tries to figure it out.

Your "Love my Doves" Gift Guru,
Linda