Pigeons can really get under your skin. You can fix a net to prevent them from getting on the balcony, but it doesn’t look aesthetically pleasing. How to deal with them?
Pigeons are a real nuisance for many people. They destroy the balcony, get dirty with their droppings, which are hard to clean. On top of that, they spread diseases. Pigeon droppings can contain bacteria, which in extreme cases can cause cryptococcosis, a fungal disease that contributes to headaches, weakness, vision problems and even lung lesions. Another threat is also posed by a fungus found in dried pigeon droppings called Histoplasma capsulatum. It can be contracted by inhalation. The disease it causes manifests itself with coughing, elevated temperature and weakness. If left untreated, it can even lead to death.
Pigeons also spread ornithosis, which causes nausea, fatigue, muscle aches, fever, hemoptysis and a painful cough.
However, the gray, seemingly quite inconspicuous birds are difficult to get rid of from the balcony, and chasing them away with a hand or broom will certainly not have the desired effect. They will fly away, only to return after a while.
The most popular pigeon deterrent is a net placed over the balcony. Nowadays there are such nets available, which are difficult to see from a distance, but many people find it nevertheless not an aesthetically pleasing solution and are looking for an alternative.
One simple and very inexpensive way is to place some rustling plastic bags on the balcony railing. When they move in the wind, the birds will certainly not come to the balcony. After some time, however, this method may no longer be effective. As it turns out, pigeons are smarter than it may seem, and they will get used to the sound of the commercials, at which point they will appear on the balcony again.
Instead of plastic bags, you can use plastic fans, which certainly look better. Most are made of shiny plastic, which can be an additional deterrent to birds.
Homemade pigeon-fighting devices are also plastic soda bottles with sticks inside, which, hung on the railing, will make a sound unpleasant to pigeons.
Currently, a very fashionable pigeon deterrent are dummy birds. Large artificial birds will make pigeons dare not fly to the balcony, because they will be afraid. Artificial crow is available online or in garden stores for about $5.
Bird dummies are attached using special hooks or hooks. They are usually made of plastic, so they are durable and are not harmed even by changing weather conditions.
main photo: unsplash.com/Guille Argentina
