How do I stop pigeons on my balcony without hurting them?

You can make a balcony unappealing to pigeons without harming a single bird. They stay for two things: food and a safe ledge to land and nest on. Take those away and they move on to somewhere easier. The one thing to be careful with is a nest that has eggs or chicks in it: in many places that is protected, so check the rules before you touch it.

Caring about the birds and wanting your balcony back are not in conflict. A crowded balcony thick with droppings is not a healthy place for the birds either.

Start with the food

Nothing else works while pigeons are being fed. If someone in the home enjoys feeding them, talk it through with them rather than working around them. Explain the droppings, the health risk and the dead birds, and agree a plan together. Some cities have rules against feeding pigeons, which can help that conversation.

• No bread, seed or scraps put out, on the balcony or the ground below.
• Feeders for small birds hung where pigeons cannot land, with a tray for spill, or taken down for now.
• Pet food indoors, bins closed, balcony tables wiped.

Clean up safely

Droppings and health: wear gloves, and a mask for large, dry build-ups. Wet droppings with water or disinfectant before you scrape them, and never sweep them dry, as the dust can carry disease. Bag everything. If anyone in the home has breathing problems or a weak immune system, let someone else do it. Use gloves for dead birds too, and ask the council how to dispose of them.

Block the landing and nesting spots

1. Check for nests first. Eggs or chicks mean wait, and check local rules. See below.
2. Bird netting across the balcony opening is the most complete fix. It must be fitted taut, with no loose edges, so birds cannot get tangled. Check it every few days for trapped birds. In a flat, ask the building manager first, as some buildings have rules on what you can fit.
3. Ledge spikes on railings, sills and the tops of air conditioning units. Choose blunt-tipped ones designed to stop landing, not to injure.
4. Close the corners they nest in: gaps behind AC units, between planters and walls, under shelving.
5. Visual deterrents as support only. Reflective tape or moving objects can help, but only if you move them every few days.

The birds guide has more on netting, spikes and where each one fits.

Plastic owls do not last

A plastic owl, a rubber snake or a scarecrow might clear the balcony for a day or two. Then the pigeons notice it never moves, and they go back to landing next to it, sometimes on it. They work only as a short-term extra, moved often, alongside netting or spikes. Ultrasonic gadgets are no fix either.

If there is a nest

An empty nest, with no eggs and no birds coming back to it, can usually be removed and the spot blocked. A nest with eggs or chicks is different. In many countries, wild birds’ nests in use are protected by law, and the rules for pigeons in towns vary from place to place. Wait until the young have left, then clear and block the spot. If you are unsure, ask your council, your national wildlife body or a bird charity. Our answer on removing a bird’s nest explains how to tell if a nest is active.

Pigeons in a bush by the patio

The same rules apply. Take away the food, clean the patio as above, and keep pets off droppings. Once there is no active nest, prune the bush so it is more open, which makes it a less safe nesting spot. Fine netting over the bush, fitted tightly and checked often, is another option outside the nesting season.

If birds are many, nests keep coming back, or the work needs ladders on a high balcony, a bird control company can fit netting properly. Ask them to use humane methods only, and to check for active nests before they start.