Living in an urban area has its charms, but pigeon infestations are not one of them. Pigeons can carry up to 60 transmissible diseases and parasites that you don’t want to be passed on to your household, not to mention the unsightly mess they leave behind. So how can you get rid of pest pigeons humanely and make sure they don’t come back? Here are a few recommendations to get rid of pigeons on your balcony.

Keep It Clean

One of the fundamental ways to keep pigeons off your balcony is to remove access to their basic needs on your property: food, water and shelter. By keeping your balcony free of food scraps, sitting water, garbage and hiding places, you’re already halfway there to maintaining a pigeon-free balcony. If pigeons have previously made themselves at home on your balcony, make sure you thoroughly clean the area of all droppings, feathers and nesting materials. Pigeons are creatures of habit and are more likely to come back to an area where they have left their mark. However, if pigeons are currently nesting or rearing young, please contact a bird control professional to remove them as it may be illegal to disturb a nesting site.

Pigeon-Proofing Your Balcony

After your balcony is cleaned and access to food and water has been removed, the next step would be to implement a bird control system. Here are a few products that are tried and true to keep pigeons from landing on your balcony.

Spikes

There are several products that can keep pigeons from landing on your balcony without causing harm to the birds. Perhaps the most well-known of those products are bird spikes. When properly installed, bird spikes create a barrier that prevents pigeons from landing. Plastic bird spikes are best for a low-profile option; however, there are several other low-profile options to choose from if bird spikes are not the solution for you.

Gels

Bird Proof Gel is a simple, effective, and economic solution to deter pigeons from landing on your balcony. The gel is a tacky substance that can be thinly applied to any railings or flat surfaces. Pigeons dislike the tacky feeling on their feet and will seek alternate areas to land.

Optical Deterrent Gel Cups are another low-profile way to stop pigeons from landing on your balcony. The cups contain a gel-like substance that creates the illusion of fire that only birds can see. Birds recognize UV light and have a much higher visual acuity than mammals. This anatomical characteristic of birds allows Bird Free Optical Deterrents to be a low-profile and proven deterrent of pest birds from areas where they are applied.

Electronic Pest Control Devices

Another simple way to keep pigeons off your balcony is to use the Balcony Gard. The Balcony Gard creates an ultrasonic sound wave that repels birds. Ultrasonic sounds are irritating to birds but silent to most humans. The Balcony Gard has a built-in motion sensor so the device can be activated if a pigeon moves within range of it. It can also be set to a continuous mode.

Visual Deterrents

Make your balcony feel uncomfortable to pest pigeons by using visual deterrents, such as a predator decoy or reflective tape. Reflective tape is off-putting to pest birds because it creates a multisensory attack. The flashing of the tape and the noise it makes as it flaps in the wind irritates birds and discourages them from hanging around.

For more information, contact your local pest control professional, or call our hotline at 312-226-2473. Remember, birds are our friends, we just don’t want them to move in.