How to Keep Birds Off Balcony

Hearing birds chirping from time to time is pleasant, but not so much if they land in large numbers on your balcony to set up their nest. Their chirping awakens you above your head from dawn, and their droppings become unbearable, not to mention the damage at the aesthetic level.

Do you want to know how to keep birds off your balcony? Here’s our explanation of the different methods you can use.

grayscale photo of bird on bird bath

Quick Answer

Some of the most effective tricks that can scare birds off the balcony include: Hanging visual scares on your balcony (a plastic owl, a cat’s head or a sound repellent available in the market), installing anti-bird spikes, and placing objects that reflect light, such as CDs, aluminum foil or mesh bags on the railings of your balcony.

Indeed the damage birds can cause if your balcony has become a haven for them is worth noting. But following the tricks below, you can make them pack their bags quickly!

The Most Effective Ways to Keep Birds off Your Balcony

Visual Scarers to Deter Birds from Approaching

For many years, to scare away the birds, we had no other solution than to put scarecrows, but they cannot be placed on balconies, and they’re not aesthetic even if you have a huge balcony with enough space. You can find visual scarers in the market, such as a cat’s head, to scare the birds away. Simply placing a plastic owl as an ornament on cornices and balconies is more effective as owls are one of the most feared predators by birds, especially pigeons. And, it will look aesthetic too.

Sound Scarers

Other bird scarers rely on sound to scare birds away. These sound scarers emit sounds that bother birds, deterring them from approaching the area to be protected. There are two sound scarers: the bird spike and the ultrasonic repellent.

The Ultrasonic Repeller

The ultrasonic repeller is a device that emits a sound that is inaudible to humans but which bothers birds, especially pigeons. The birds do not get used to this unbearable frequency and end up coming to your balcony, which becomes hostile for them.

The ultrasonic repeller has the huge advantage of being inexpensive and easy to install. On the other hand, its field of action is limited. It is also necessary to always check the device’s power supply as they work with batteries or electricity.

The Anti-Bird Spike

The anti-bird spikes can be effective too. They are inexpensive and simple to install, but they are unsightly. Over time, they can also become deformed and need to be replaced. They are also not practical to clean.

Aluminum foil strips, CDs or Mesh Bags

Hanging some strips cut from aluminum foil, which move with the wind, or getting the anti-pigeon “ribbons” available in the market, usually gives very good results. There are many types and qualities, so you have to keep in mind that they are resistant to water for those rainy days. Also, the number of strips to be laid essentially depends on the size of the area to be protected.

Mesh bags are the ones in which potatoes or oranges come from the supermarket. You just have to cut a strip and stick it on the railing or fence where the birds stand the most. You will see how they will stop coming to that site.

You must have seen CDs on balconies. People hang used CDs on the balcony railings as it is one of the most effective ways to scare them off. Birds don’t like that reflection, and with the movement thanks to the wind, they feel as if something is happening that makes them uneasy, and they quickly pack their bags.

Other Ways to Keep Birds Off the Balcony

The tricks mentioned above are the most effective in deterring the birds from approaching. However, if the problem has become unbearable and there are millions of pigeons around, perhaps due to their permanent flow, and you find the above remedies insufficient, then there are some ways too:

  • A colorful , alternative, cheap method is the pinwheel. Simply place a few on the railing, about half a meter apart from each other, and the pigeons will be deterred from movement and bright colors.
  • Installing sharp metallic or plastic bollards, one next to the other, do not allow the birds to stand on window sills or balconies—one of the most practical and quick solutions to fix.
  • Birds are bothered by the strong and pungent odors of some spices. In particular, they do not tolerate spices, like pepper, chili, etc. To keep them away from your balcony, you can also place bags of hot spices. Although it is not a very functional method, it can support one of the above methods.

Why Do Birds Land on Your Balcony?

Birds love balconies because they see them as large, comfortable perches from which they can safely survey the world around them. If they feel comfortable on your balcony, they will come there all the time. You might have made the mistake of giving them food, and now they come back every morning. Make sure not to make food available to birds, either directly or indirectly.

Instead, invest in birdseed and feeder and place food elsewhere to divert their attention. Most birds will turn away from your balcony or terrace. This is important since birds can still keep sitting on the roof or gutters and pooping on your balcony even if you use the above methods.

What are the Dangers of Bird Poop?

Now you know how to stop birds from landing on your balcony,  but they can still poop sitting on the roof or the gutters near your balcony. Their droppings carry high health risks:

  • We are exposed to infections, such as salmonellosis, avian flu, fungi, or psittacosis, through any contact with birds droppings
  • In addition, bird droppings are corrosive to different types of materials. Feces are composed of an acidic and phosphoric element, which wears down any surface on which it is deposited, especially cement, stone and metal structures.

How to Remove Birds Dropping from the Balcony?

Birds droppings have corrosive properties that can wear down the stones, paint and bricks of your balcony. In addition, it can transmit diseases to humans, so it is essential to take protective measures when you are going to eliminate them. While cleaning birds’ droppings, safety should be your priority. It is advisable to:

  • equip yourself with clothing that covers you well, especially gloves that protect your hands and comfortable shoes
  • Use plastic boots to avoid contact with the remains
  • wear a mask when cleaning
  • not to use a brush that drops the droppings in a scattered way
  • always moisten the place where the remains are found to avoid inhalation

Once most of the solids have been removed, it is time to clean the area thoroughly. To do this, you can help yourself with a detergent and water to remove the remaining organic matter.

How to Protect Rain Gutters Above Balconies?

The gutters represent a space that the birds appreciate as they like to nest there. However, they end up clogging them, which disrupts the proper flow of rainwater. Their droppings also damage the material of gutters, chimney flues and various aerators. Therefore, it is as important to keep them away from gutters as it is from your balcony.

The installation of a simple fine mesh would be enough. You can also install pins that are fixed with clips. These solutions are simple to set up and only cost a few dollars. Thanks to them, rainwater can run off without any problems into the gutters, and birds no longer have the opportunity to land.

How to Protect Your Roof Against Pigeons?

The roof is an extremely expensive element of the house. Better to protect it against damage. Since once damaged, it no longer fulfills its role of protection. It is, therefore, necessary to fight against invading birds so that they do not deteriorate it.

All you have to do is lay tile fillers. These are simple plates that clip or screw depending on the model. Once in place, they have enough to discourage these unwanted guests.

Wrap Up!

Some of the solutions shared above to keep birds off are not the most aesthetic. But the main thing is to keep these birds away from your balcony to end their devastating droppings and cooing, which becomes unbearable in the long run.

But before thinking about scaring birds, you have to start by not attracting them. Start by stopping feeding them to get rid of them in the medium term.