How to Get rid of Pigeons on Balconies

Many who live in homes with balconies understand how their valuable outdoor spaces can be blighted by nuisance pigeons perching, roosting, nesting and creating a mess. In this post we highlight a new, convenient and cost-effective Insight Security anti-pigeon solution using our HSE approved bird-free gel.

The value of accessible outdoor space has been highlighted by the recent pandemic and the lockdowns that kept us all in our homes. While those who live in the countryside often have nearby fields and open spaces and suburban residents may have gardens, for apartment dwellers, their balconies provide essential, private outdoor space.

Balcony Benefits

During the pandemic we saw many people using their balconies to hold impromptu concerts, communicate with neighbours and support their local communities. City centre apartment buildings are often situated in densely populated areas where outdoor space is limited so a balcony usefully provides extra space and access to fresh air and sunshine.

The health and wellbeing benefits associated with spending time outdoors are well known. And when a home doesn’t have a garden, a balcony is the next best thing. The growing appeal of balcony gardens has been recently demonstrated at this year’s (2023) Chelsea Flower Show where the Balcony Gardens category returned for a third year. The variety of impressive Balcony Garden designs offer an abundance of inspiration and ideas for those with limited outdoor space.

Balconies are ideal spaces for enjoying outdoor dining and since they are directly accessible from the home they effectively become outdoor dining rooms. During the warmer months many people like to make the most of their balconies both as entertainment spaces and private areas in which they can unwind while enjoying their supper and watching the sun go down.

Children benefit enormously from having access to outdoor space and a safe, secure balcony can be a great space in which to play games, indulge in some messy art projects and soak up a little sunshine. They are also great spaces to learn about growing potted plants.

Why do Pigeons Like Your Balcony?

If you are reading this then you will probably already know how pigeons love balconies. Pigeons are descended from wild Rock Doves who like to establish their nests in cliff-faces. Tall buildings, balconies, bridges and other structures provide pigeons with an urban alternative.

Pigeons are very intelligent birds with a valuable ability to remember where they have been, what they have seen and recognise areas that are good for nesting and raising their young. One of the primary reasons pigeons can be attracted to balconies is their need for food. If they have ever discovered something to eat on your balcony they are likely to return. They are also always on the lookout for safe and secure areas that provides shelter from the wind and rain. Balconies also offer elevated vantage points from which pigeons can spot dangerous predators.

Pest Pigeon Dangers

Birds, including pigeons, carry a variety of diseases that can affect humans such as Ornithosis, Listeria and E-coli. These can be transmitted both via pigeon droppings and from contact with the birds. And it`s important to be aware that dust from dried pigeon droppings can become airborne and the fine particles can result in respiratory complaints such as psittacosis.

Pigeon nests will also attract a variety of parasites including mites, ticks, fleas and beetles. And accumulated pigeon mess, detritus and possibly dead birds, can result in a very bad smell, as well as looking dreadful.

Pigeon droppings are also well known for their acidic, corrosive properties that can damage metalwork, stonework and brickwork. And accumulated nesting materials can block drains causing rainwater to accumulate, introducing dampness and mould inside the property. 

The bottom line is that pest pigeons present significant health and safety risks.

Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

The primary legislation protecting animals, plants and habitats in the UK is the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. Under this legislation all wild birds, their nests and eggs are protected by law which makes it an offence to intentionally kill, injure or take any wild bird or to damage or destroy their nests, while in use or being built.

There are some important exceptions to this legislation but anyone who has one or more pigeon nests on their balcony must be aware that its against the law to damage or destroy an active nest. The young birds must be allowed to leave the nest before taking any action. If a nest or multiple nests need to be removed for the purposes of public health this must be carried out by someone with an appropriate licence, issued by the UK government, that allows ‘authorised persons’ to deal with feral pigeons in Britain.

Effective Pigeon Deterrents

By far the most effective way to prevent pigeons from becoming a balcony pest is take steps to deter them as early as possible, before they recognise the balcony as a valuable nesting or roosting site. As noted, food is one of the main reasons pigeons are attracted to balconies which is why its vitally important to always keep balconies clean and clear away all potential food sources.

If you research pest pigeon deterrents for balconies you will see both anti-bird netting and anti bird wire recommendations. While these methods can be effective they tend to be expensive with notable deployment challenges, often requiring specialist installation services. And anti-bird netting around a balcony effectively turns the balcony area into a cage which keeps the birds at bay but creates a less appealing environment for people. Another important aspect, when considering wrapping a balcony in anti bird netting, is if the net barrier is poorly installed or badly maintained birds can become trapped inside.

People with pest pigeons coming to their balconies need a safe, effective, low-cost pigeon deterrent that’s easy to deploy, totally harmless to the birds (and humans) and doesn’t turn their valuable balcony space into an unpleasant cage-like area.

Bird Free Gel

Here at Insight Security we promote the use of Bird Free Fire Gel to deter and prevent unwanted pest birds. We know, from the feedback provided by our customers and extensive field trials conducted to assess the bird deterrent, it works. Here are some of our previous articles and content describing its use.

• Bird Free Gel - Introduction
  Watch the video and find all the facts about how this exceptional bird deterrent works.
• Bird Free Gel - Reliable Long Term Anti-Bird Deterrent
  Read how Bird Free Gel has been subjected to long-term evaluation resulting in formal authorisation and approval from the UK health and safety executive (HSE) who recognise how this remarkable deterrent remains effective for over 4 years.
• How to Get Rid of Pigeons
  In this post we discuss various facts related to feral pigeons and review the variety of pigeon control techniques.
• How to Protect Solar Panels from Birds
  Read how people are using Bird Free Gel to safely protect their rooftop solar panels from the effects of pest birds.

Introducing the Bird Free Fire Gel Balcony Protector Pack

Recognising the needs of those who live in apartments with balconies we have put together a cost-effective Bird Free Fire Gel Balcony Protector Pack solution that makes it quick and easy to deploy this highly effective pigeon deterrent.

Our new Bird Free Gel Balcony Protector Pack is available in two formats, the compact “Nest Area Mat Pack” is designed for deployment in areas where pigeons may favour nesting, and the larger “General Purpose Bird Free Mat Pack” is designed for deployment to cover a larger area where less intensive bird perching occurs.

Each of the packs comes complete with an all-weather rubber mat, pre-fitted with metal fixing plates to which the magnetic bird free dishes attach. Also included are a pair of disposable Nitrile gloves, a face dust mask and a spray bottle of biocide, along with clear instructions for dealing with pest pigeon problems.

A “Nest Area Mat Extension Pack” is also available which includes the Mat and the magnetic type Bird Free dishes, but does not include the Biocide, rubber gloves or dust mask as supplied in the main pack.

All packs provide an instantly effective anti-pigeon solution that doesn’t involve any complex or expensive installation requirements.

The Nesting Area pack and associated extension pack each include a compact rubber mat with 4 x dishes of Bird Free Gel, which magnetically attach to the mat so when attached to the fixed metal plates on the mat, they will always ensure that the dishes are accurately spaced for optimum effectiveness. They can also be easily removed, allowing the mat to be rolled up for storage temporarily or until the next breeding season may require its use once again.

The Bird Free Gel dish locations on these compact rubber mats are spaced at 15cm (centre to centre) which is optimal spacing to effectively deter pigeons from creating their nests. If there is need to prevent nests from being built in multiple locations on a balcony (e.g. either end), then one or more of the lower cost “Nest Area Mat Extension Pack” can be purchased as the supplied Biocide with the main pack should be adequate for application to 2 or 3 potential nesting areas.

8 Dishes of Bird Free Mounted on Rubber Mat

The second pack option is our General Purpose Balcony Protector Pack. This is a 1m x 0.5m rubber mat with 8 x dishes of Bird Free Gel, magnetically attached to the mat with centres spaced at 20cm intervals. This is optimal for areas in which problem pigeons may be congregating or roosting.

As noted, these packs include a reliable biocide spray along with the gloves, facemask and instructions necessary to safely clean the balcony or patio area before deployment. The instructions include important directions such as the need to spray the area to be cleaned with Biocide using a simple spray bottle, to damp down any dry pigeon dropping dust particles before scraping up the bird mess.

This anti-pigeon solution is not only ideal for balconies its also suitable for other outdoor areas as required such as patios or roof terraces. And importantly, when the balcony or outdoor space is in use these small rubber mats can be easily rolled up and moved out of the way. It should be noted that while Birdfree is not harmful to birds, humans or animals, it is recommended that access to the dishes by the family pet dog is prevented, as they could be tempted to scoff the gel!

The Complete Bird Free Balcony Solution

Our Bird Free Fire Gel Balcony Protector packs provide an instantly effective pigeon deterrent that’s super-easy to deploy and readily scalable to deal with those pesky pigeons.

But we know that many of today’s modern style balconies can have exposed beams, pipes and other structures that pigeons find attractive. So we offer Bird Free Gel in dishes that can be magnetically attached to ferrous metal, such as exposed beams. And we also offer our popular pipe and railing fixing pack that enables dishes of Bird Free Gel to be securely attached wherever pigeons like to perch.

Using these Bird Free Gel deployment methods in combination will ensure your balcony is no longer plagued by pigeons.

For more information on How to Get rid of Pigeons on Balconies talk to Insight Security