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How to scare away pigeons from your balcony or roof?

Even though they are pleasant to look at, pigeons remain very invasive birds that do a lot of damage. On the one hand, their droppings degrade the roofs and favor the appearance of diseases, on the other hand, these birds also damage the plantations. Check out these tips and tricks to keep them away for good.

How to scare away pigeons from your balcony or roof?

Make perches unusable

Pigeons like to land on the edges of your windows, on a railing, a cornice, the terrace, the gutters, the balconies or even a statue in your house. You will have to hunt them before they degrade your house with their droppings. A frequently used technique is to install anti-pigeon harrows. This device is made up of spikes generally made of stainless steel and is placed on the edges of windows or cornices or even on gutters. Very easy to install, these spikes are available in garden centers or hardware stores.

Another very fashionable solution:stretched threads. Made of stainless steel, these are fixed between two springs located on either side of a building. Pigeons fail to land properly on this wire. They lose their balance and experience discomfort so that they end up leaving.

Protection solutions adapted to certain areas

If this fails, you will have to step up and resort to slightly more radical solutions, even if it means affecting the aesthetics of your home. The installation of nets has demonstrated its effectiveness in the fight against pigeons. Like a real barrier, these nets prevent access to balconies or attics. In the same spirit, you can also protect your habitat with a wire mesh. Only downside:it is more stable than the net. Birds can then continue to land there. The ideal is to combine this solution with an anti-pigeon repellent.

Pigeon repellents

In the trade, you benefit from a wide choice in the matter. These repellents are available as a gel to apply, sprays to spray or granules to scatter everywhere. Pigeons do not like their smell and will avoid areas they are scattered over, however the effectiveness is very limited. You must be regular in the application, because the effects dissipate rather quickly. If you do not want to use this type of product, which is generally chemical, opt for a longer-term solution such as devices intended to scare away pigeons.

How to scare away pigeons from your balcony or roof?

Scare the pigeons

Be aware that pigeons are terrified of birds of prey, including owls or falcons. In order to keep them away, you can therefore use "scaring" balloons which represent an owl, a hawk or the eye of a raptor, for example. Be careful, make sure to change the location of these scarers often to prevent birds from getting used to seeing them and eventually not being afraid of them.

You can also use light-reflecting objects to scare them away. A "home made" technique consists of sticking two CDs together and then hanging them on the terrace or balcony. The light reflections frighten the pigeons, which will believe that they are being chased.