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Keeping Pigeons Off Your Balcony

July 1, 2008

Looking out of a window at a pigeon on a balconyPlease help me get rid of pigeons on a my balcony. I have tied foil pie plates, wind chimes, and colored plastic bags to try to deter them and nothing is working. I live in an apartment building so am not allowed to put up any kind of netting or permanent structures.

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abbycat1950

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By Debs Essex U.K. (Guest Post)
February 24, 20093 found this helpful
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I also got suckered into the egg-laying and watching and hatching rubbish but was disgusted by the mess that the pigeons left. Was horrified when they returned the following year but still could not being myself to ditch the eggs. I was absolutely determined not to repeat the whole nasty business this year so when they started their regular gatherings on the balcony i strung up about a dozen cd's and I can't believe it! I haven't seen a pigeon since! Don't know how it works, maybe when they fly towards the cd's the holographic effect disrupts their homing radar or something - but whatever, I am absolutely delighted!

 
August 10, 20091 found this helpful
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You don't really need to hang up a lot of CD's in order for it to work. All I did was stick 2 CD's on the railing of my balcony and I haven't seen a single pigeon on my balcony since!

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I could have just gotten lucky though.

 
July 16, 20111 found this helpful
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I too came home from vacation to find two pigeon eggs on my balcony and didn't have the heart to get rid of them. I have to say that was the biggest mistake i have ever made because now they just won't leave! So finally they are old enough to fly, so I invested in a plastic Owl and let me tell you it was a waste of money. They now just hang out with the owl. The amount of pigeone poop on my belcony is overwhelming! I have cleaned it with beach and water. I am going to try the CD's and see if they work, but I have also heard the moth balls also work. Apparently they don't like the smell of it. Thank you for all of your suggestions!

 
September 30, 20131 found this helpful
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I live on the 3rd floor of an apartment complex and have a balcony garden. The balcony has wide grills. The pigeon menace was crazy, with them dirtying my balcony and most of all destroying my plants!

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Considering I live in a rented place, I did not want to spend too much money on netting, so tried the scarecrow, hung CDs, stuck aluminium foil flags in the pots and none of them worked for more than a week. I finally decided to mimic the netted mesh balconies using a ball of twine and a cut up mosquito net and it has worked wonders! Its been a month and my balcony has been pigeon free.

Here is how I did it:
The top 3 quarters of the balcony grill has horizontal metal bars running parallel to each other at a distance of about 1ft with parallel vertical bars at a distance of 1ft. The lower part of the balcony grill has only horizontal bars parallel to each other. So this would allow the pigeons to freely move in and out and pretty much destroy all my plants.

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So I started with my ball of twine at one end of the balcony and criss-crossed the twine across the grills. For the lower part I bought a cheap light coloured mosquito net (so that light would not be blocked) and cut it up to open into one long piece which I then tied across the lower part of the balcony.

 
 
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7 More Questions

Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.

May 10, 2012

I live in a apartment with my 2 year old boy. We have two pigeons who are trying to build a nest in the corner of my balcony. Now for the last 2 weeks it has been a battle, they bring twigs and branches every two minutes and I sweep it all away every two hours. I can't very well be using chemicals with my kid around so I am at my wits end. I need help! Please how do I stop them from building a nest in the corner of my balcony?


By Heather

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May 10, 20120 found this helpful
Best Answer

Pigeons can really be a nuisance. Many of the apartments around here have netting rigged up over their balconies to keep them away. If you rent talk to your landlord and see if he'd be willing to help set some up. A plastic owl figure set up out there might scare them away.

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You could also try the old gardening trick of setting up some aluminum pans or CD's on strings so they will blow about in the wind and scare the birds. Your little boy might find them very interesting though!

 
May 12, 20120 found this helpful
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Get a plastic realistic looking owl and place it on the balcony. We use to use one on the boom on our cranes to keep the ospry from building nests on the booms,works like a charm. We bought ours at Ace Hardware but have seen them other home stores like Lowes or Home Depot.

 
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April 16, 2018

I have pigeon netting around my balcony, but due to recent high winds, the netting has come away from the balcony base and needs to be repaired. Can you help?


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Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 170 Feedbacks
April 17, 20180 found this helpful
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What do you think about using strong string to re-attach the netting to the rails (presupposing your deck has rails)? Is the netting itself torn? A photo of the problem would help us help you?

 
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March 12, 2015

They love my balcony. They nest there and are there constantly. No fences can be built because of the structure of the balcony. I've tried everything! Where do I get the spikes? Maybe I can line the balcony ledge.

By Teri

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March 13, 20150 found this helpful
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Try tying brightly coloured, long plastic strips to the roof of your balcony, so they flap and make noise. The noise and the motion should scare them away...if not, get one of those big fake owls from the gardening store and hang it out there...

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that usually scares them off. Good luck.

 
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May 10, 2017

I have problems with pigeons. They can steal and on my balcony they poop on my chair and my lamp fixture. I would like to know what I can do to keep them off my balcony.

My kids play out here and there is poop everywhere.

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Diamond Post Medal for All Time! 1,246 Posts
May 10, 20170 found this helpful

Try using water mixed with cayenne pepper, cinnamon or curry powder and spraying it on the balcony. They also don't like shiny pinwheels. You can get those at the dollar store. If all fails, try bird netting around the perimeter of your balcony.

 

Gold Post Medal for All Time! 677 Posts
May 11, 20170 found this helpful

You can hang up old cds. The shiny surface and movement will scare them away

 

Gold Post Medal for All Time! 969 Posts
May 11, 20170 found this helpful

I have people who swear by keeping dollar tree fake snakes on the grass. Change them out every other day or so so the birds are convinced they are real.

Also fake owls help, and you can even get them solar powered so they turn every few minutes.

www.google.com/search?q=fake+snakes+to+keep+birds...

 

Bronze Answer Medal for All Time! 220 Answers
May 12, 20170 found this helpful

A repelling method will work well, however, may not be very decorative. You can purchase nylon and plastic netting at home stores to hang around the entire balcony area. By attaching the netting at the top and on the balcony ledge, pigeons will not be able to land on your balcony.

 

Gold Feedback Medal for All Time! 949 Feedbacks
May 12, 20170 found this helpful

You could probably spend an entire day reading all the problems and suggestions on how to get rid of pigeons that appear if you ask that question. The funny thing is that what seems to work for one person does nothing to help another. Maybe pigeons are different in different locals?
Suggestions vary greatly: hang CD's on a wire or hook from the balcony, hang aluminum foil strips, buy an over sized fake owl or snake, spray various combinations of things on the balcony (how do you reach it to spray?), etc.
It seems most praises come from hanging CD's but that may not work for you either.
I am not affiliated with this site but, if all else fails, maybe you might want to look at electronic methods.
www.bird-x.com/

 
Anonymous
June 15, 20180 found this helpful

Did not work for me..the cd'd

 
July 18, 20190 found this helpful

The reflective tape, which is really a 2 sided silver ribbon works and is available for aproximately $10 on Amazon. Also, birds don't like the smell of WD-40.

 
Anonymous
April 23, 20200 found this helpful

Cd's dont work, plastic owls dont work!

 
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March 3, 2019

How can I get rid of pigeons? I am trying everything. I put up many CDs, fake owls, and mouse traps. Nothing works.

Please help.


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Gold Post Medal for All Time! 677 Posts
March 3, 20190 found this helpful

Try an ultrasonic repeller.

 

Diamond Post Medal for All Time! 1,246 Posts
March 5, 20190 found this helpful

Perhaps a gel-based repellent?

www.amazon.com/.../ref=as_li_ss_tl?tag=alde4yo-20&s... (Affiliate Link)

 

Silver Feedback Medal for All Time! 451 Feedbacks
March 5, 20190 found this helpful

I don't know if this works, it seems like it really might. I know pigeons are seriously afraid of cats though.

You might even be able to make one of these after looking closely at what they've got and how they made the head detached with a spring.

You could buy a stuffed animal (cat) or make one from dark colored fabric, and (cut off the head) to re-attach it with a very long springy "spring" just as they have done. It seems every time the wind blows, or if you use a "long spring" even the slightest breeze will then make it's head bob around.

www.birdfighter.com/.../gull-cat-decoy-scare-birds.html#.XH7RZXdFyUk

 

Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 196 Feedbacks
March 5, 20190 found this helpful

Do you have a bird feeder? If so, getting rid of it ASAP!

If you are just getting them willy-nilly (no feeders around), and you have tried all of the usual things....the only other thing I can think of is to try a large spray of Mylar balloons on the terrace--various heights (use helium if it is still used in your town). Use heavy rocks to hold them down...they will move in the wind and should deter the birds.

Best wishes!

 
Anonymous
June 19, 20210 found this helpful

The gel I've read has killed smaller birds - inhumane and horrible death for them. Trying myself to get them to leave.

 
Anonymous
July 19, 20210 found this helpful

Ive had a problem with pigeons trying to nest on my balcony also. Buy a metallic hanging owl from Amazon. Tape it on the outside railing of balcony. Pigeons will spot it while in flight, and find another place to nest. Unfortunately for me, the new place was the next balcony over.

 
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