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How Do You Stop Pigeons from Nesting on Your Balcony?
Pigeons are a common sight in towns and cities, and while they’re great birds, they can become pests if their population is left unchecked.
They are fearless, and they are drawn to areas where there are a lot of humans because they know that there will be litter full of delicious food.
At Feral Bird Management, we get a lot of people asking how to stop pigeons from building a nest in their homes.
Balconies are a common nesting spot for pigeons. If you want to know how to effectively but humanely keep pigeons away from your home, read on.
Why Are Pigeons a Problem?
Pigeons are harmless, but they can be so insistent that people think of them as ‘winged rats’.
They can carry disease, and they may damage your property if their population is not controlled.
Pigeon droppings are acidic enough to cause damage to your home or car if they are not cleaned up properly.
Furthermore, when pigeons build nests they drag in a lot of material which can clog up your eaves or gutters, and potentially lead to damp or water damage when the seasons change.
Even if the pigeons eventually move on, they will have attracted mites and insects, and these may remain in the nest for a long time after it is abandoned.
Overall, pigeons are a dirty, noisy and a destructive problem, so you don’t want to have them nesting in or around your home.
How to Keep Pigeons Away from Your Balcony
As with so many pest-related issues, the best option is to deter them from settling on your balcony in the first place. Pigeons are drawn to food sources.
They move in flocks, and when one group builds a nest, it’s likely that several other nests will crop up.
So, there are a few things you can do to make sure that your home is not appealing to them.
- Do not put food out for pigeons. That may seem obvious, but if you are feeding them, they will stick around.
- Make sure there are no sources of ‘standing water’ outside your home. This can attract all manner of pests, not just pigeons.
- Use anti-roosting spikes on ledges and window sills, and strips across the top of areas that might make good roosting sites.
- Make sure that the lids on your bins are always properly sealed and closed.
- Use ultrasonic devices to deter birds from spending too much time in your garden.
What to Do If You Already Have a Pigeon Problem
If you already have pigeons nesting on your balcony, then you will need to call in the professionals. Do not try to get rid of pigeons yourself.
Feral pigeons are a common problem in Australia, but before you try to get rid of birds, it is important that you confirm that they are indeed feral pigeons.
Killing other birds or damaging their nests may be against the law.
Chemical control techniques are an option, however, they can be dangerous to humans and to domestic pets, as well as other birds.
Some lethal pigeon control measures are effective in the short term, but if the nest remains, then the space in that nest will likely be filled by juveniles within a few weeks.
For this reason, it is important that you work with the experts to ensure that not only are the current pigeons removed from your balcony but that other birds are unable to get back in.
We can help you remove the nest, clear up the droppings, and stop your balcony from being an appealing nesting site in the future.
If you are having issues with feral birds and need some help, then look no further than Feral Bird Management. We have developed modern, sophisticated methods and approaches to eradicating most feral bird problems.
We have a wealth of experience and expertise in the area of feral bird management so please call us today on (08) 9458 8026 or contact us through our website.