How To Keep Pigeons Off Balcony

Pigeons make some nice visitors every now and then. Everyone loves having birds around and listening to them every now and then. But then, a visitor may also become a nuisance at times, and pigeons make no exception. Hanging around your balcony every once in a while is alright, but problems arise when your balcony becomes their home. Learning how to keep pigeons off the balcony is not as difficult as it may seem though.

With time, pigeons could become an issue. Their droppings are acidic. If your car is parked under the balcony, paint issues are just round the corner. Droppings can also cause a nasty smell, not to mention corroding through materials around the balcony. Furthermore, pigeons can develop a bullying attitude towards most birds. Plus, they may carry certain affections. Luckily, there are ways to come up with a pigeon proof balcony in a humane way, just like you can keep them away from your porch.

Ultrasound pigeon repellents to keep pigeons off balconies

Birds have incredible hearing. In fact, they can hear frequencies that you cannot hear. Therefore, certain sounds and noises can annoy them, without you hearing them – no problems to you, your family, or your neighbors. After all, pigeons do need such good hearing in order to hear other birds calling. They could hear about sources of food or perhaps hear danger or a mating partner. You can use this aspect in your advantage.

An ultrasound pigeon repellent – or general bird repellent – will help you get rid of birds by emitting various noises. Some of them are high-frequency noises that pigeons hate. Some others may sound like predators. You can also record sounds to make it appear more natural, yet loud sounds can disturb your neighbors. You can go through the distance settings, yet most of these devices can be heard over a few acres. Pigeons who hear it will find your home dangerous, so they will stay away from it.

When it comes to very high frequencies, they will not disturb anyone. They are so high that human ears cannot really hear them – you might, if you focus and listen carefully. Generally speaking, the noise is not irritating to human ears, but only to pigeons. Consistency is essential because these devices may not work straight away. Instead, pigeons need to get used to these noises and hear them a few times to associate your balcony with danger.

Get a scare pigeon decoy

Pigeons are actual food for many raptors. Hawks and falcons often hunt them in the wild. Sure, they may not be too many raptors around a city. Plus, you cannot hire them either. But then, you have a pretty good alternative – get some fake predators and install them around the balcony. A scare pigeon decoy should be large enough to scare pigeons and look as natural as possible. Pigeons avoid such things – it is a natural instinct.

To take this venture even further, you can get a decoy that is life-size and occasionally makes movements. Raptor sounds may also help. Some of these decoys are powered by small solar panels and will also rotate their heads or move at regular intervals. Now, the thing with decoys is pigeons will soon realize they are fake. They are intelligent birds, so you need to take this venture further. Move the fake raptor on a daily basis or every couple of days to look more realistic.

The classic spikes

Keeping pigeons off the balcony is not that difficult if you stick to the basics. The anti-roosting spikes are classic and used all over the world. They have been used for decades, and they have always worked – while old-fashioned, they can still get the job done. Indeed, you can keep pigeons off the balcony with more advanced solutions too, but these spikes have never failed to work. They prevent pigeons from roosting and also protect your ledges.

If pigeons have less space to get a foothold, they will find your home unwelcoming and look for more reliable solutions around. Such things may look scary, but they are not. They will not hurt pigeons. Plus, they require no maintenance at all, and they are usually based on plastic polycarbonate. If you are worried about ruining the appearance of your balcony, opt for transparent spikes – they are invisible from a distance.

Make sure you measure how much space you want to cover. These spikes usually come in stripes, so you will need to determine upfront how many you will need. The spikes must be installed. You can glue them to the surface, or you can use screws or nails. Make sure they are stable or the wind may blow them away. Install spikes on horizontal surfaces only. If you install them under a roof, for example, pigeons may use them to build nests around them – great structure.

Protect your balcony from pigeons with repellent gel

Based on where pigeons usually hang around, some of the above-mentioned solutions may not really work. For example, imagine your roof. You are not going to climb up there to install some fake owls. You cannot cover the whole roof in spikes either. A bird – or pigeon – repellent gel is great to keep pigeons away from balcony. Pay attention to the roosting areas and make the roof less attractive for birds – sooner or later, they will go away.

Learning how to keep pigeons off the balcony with repellent gel is hard because there are lots of options out there – some of them stand out with their quality standards or amounts of reviews. The gel usually comes in tubes and can cover a decent surface. For some tubes, you may need to use a caulk gun. Apply in dots or in lines. As birds land, they realize the surface is extremely sticky. They will fear for their lives and avoid returning.

Most repellent gels are not toxic at all. They can stay sticky in most weather conditions. They are usually clear, so they will not alter the appearance of your home. The gel may not be a good idea for parts that people touch. For example, window sills or railings may not be a good idea. After all, the gel is sticky and quite difficult to remove, so you do not want it where you hang around. Find other solutions for these surfaces.

Weatherproof strings

This option is incredibly simple, yet often overlooked. Prevent pigeons on the balcony with nothing but a simple string. It will not hurt them, and it is a humane solution. Such strings are fine and almost invisible. They must be stretched over the perching areas, and they will ensure pigeons are less likely to return. They may seem basic, but the way they work will make your home less attractive and welcoming for annoying pigeons.

As birds approach your home and land, they are less likely to see these strings. They use their claws to grab the ledge. However, this is when the string kicks in. They end up grabbing the string, which will obviously affect their balance. It is an unexpected surprise. Birds will be confused and will fly away. They may try landing again, but they will face the same balancing issue. It is incredibly easy to install strings, and they are surprisingly effective.

You can use a bird deterrent wire based on anything. It could be tread or perhaps fine rope. It will need replacement on a regular basis though, whether because of the weather or the pigeons’ claws. Get a weatherproof string that can handle most of these elements. Plus, such things are strong and can resist the force of a pigeon landing. The string should go about an inch above the landing surface – make sure it is well tied up.

Stop pigeons nesting on the balcony – Get rid of all the food

Prevention is essential to stop pigeons on the balcony. They hang around for a reason, and that reason is usually food. Sometimes, a pigeon infestation will simply not go away, regardless of how hard you try. They will land on your grass if they have to because they have a good reason for it. If there is food around, you will need to get rid of it. In other words, this pigeon balcony solution implies targeting the cause, rather than the effect.

Even if there is no actual bird food around, pigeons will like seeds, beans, fruits, grains or berries. Snails and earthworms are also alright. Observe pigeons, find out where they hang around and get rid of those food sources.

Conclusion

Bottom line, learning how to keep pigeons off balcony is not the most complicated thing in the world. There are more options out there and you might need to use a few different solutions. One thing is for sure though – you need patience and consistency. Observe changes and find out what works in your case.