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A problem of pigeons
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ShortcutToMoncton
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Feb 9, 2008, 01:24 PM
 
Alright. So, I live in a fifth-floor condo, and our balcony has been overrun by pigeons. Apparently the place was empty for 8 months before my roommate bought it in August, so I guess they took a liking to an empty balcony. In any case, it's bad enough that there's birdshit all over the balcony and our patio furniture and our barbeque, they're making their little cooing pigeon sounds at all hours of the day, and they've really pissing me off. In fact, a couple days ago I discovered that they had made a nest behind the propane tank underneath our barbeque, and had laid two eggs. I am not ashamed to say that those eggs were "disposed of" rather quickly.

But, how do I get rid of the pigeons? I've been considering just killing them outright, but I don't know how well that would go over with other people/municipal regulations (I haven't checked to see if it's outlawed, but who knows?). I don't have a gun (or an airgun). I thought about rat poison, but that's actually kind of hard to find nowadays (I checked some local stores with no success...I know our city has banned pesticides and whatnot, so I don't know if it's outlawed as well?). Rat traps might be a little ugly/awkward... you know, visions of pigeons with rat traps attached to their mangled legs hopelessly fluttering on the sidewalks outside as little old ladies gasp and faint.

Our balconies are all cement, so putting up a net wouldn't be easy, and we didn't want to be doing that anyway. I've seen some people put fake owls or other birds of prey on their balconies, ostensibly to keep pigeons away I suppose... but I don't know how well that works in practice.

Anyone have any good ideas? Creativity is encouraged....

greg
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Ghoser777
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Feb 9, 2008, 01:31 PM
 
     
Doofy
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Feb 9, 2008, 01:34 PM
 
I don't know about over there, but here in the UK we have things called "cats". Try one of those if you can get hold of one. Import one if you can't get them in your country.
Been inclined to wander... off the beaten track.
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BlueSky
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Feb 9, 2008, 01:49 PM
 
Originally Posted by Doofy View Post
I don't know about over there, but here in the UK we have things called "cats". Try one of those if you can get hold of one. Import one if you can't get them in your country.
Then why do you have so many ugly birds over there?
     
ShortcutToMoncton  (op)
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Feb 9, 2008, 02:35 PM
 
Pets aren't an option in our building. Besides, it's a balcony thing; a cat probably wouldn't be hanging around out there anyway.

greg
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Laminar
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Feb 9, 2008, 02:43 PM
 
Originally Posted by BlueSky View Post
Then why do you have so many ugly birds over there?
hahahaha

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Feb 9, 2008, 02:54 PM
 
Learn to enjoy eating squab?
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mduell
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Feb 9, 2008, 08:11 PM
 
A shotgun.
     
SpaceMonkey
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Feb 9, 2008, 09:17 PM
 
An attractive urban scarecrow.

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design219
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Feb 9, 2008, 09:24 PM
 
Originally Posted by SpaceMonkey View Post
An attractive urban scarecrow.
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ShortcutToMoncton  (op)
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Feb 9, 2008, 09:36 PM
 
Whoa, Helena Bonham Carter? That is one unattractive picture, dayum.

greg
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SpaceMonkey
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Feb 9, 2008, 09:45 PM
 
Originally Posted by ShortcutToMoncton View Post
Whoa, Helena Bonham Carter? That is one unattractive picture, dayum.

greg
Or maybe he was referring to the dude she is with? He has a pretty scarecrow-ish blank stare.

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KeriVit
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Feb 9, 2008, 10:07 PM
 
Can you take a picture of the balcony so we can see what might be possible?
     
Eriamjh
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Feb 11, 2008, 07:24 PM
 
Fake owl? Real owl?
Fake snakes? Real snakes?
Pee on the balcony? Poisoned bread?

I got nuttin'.

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ShortcutToMoncton  (op)
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Feb 11, 2008, 08:15 PM
 
I should look into importing real owls, yeah...that would be total rock.
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KeriVit
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Feb 11, 2008, 11:03 PM
 
Where's olePigeon?
     
besson3c
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Feb 11, 2008, 11:49 PM
 
What you could do is put a bear out there, that bear would kill all of the pigeons for you!
     
- - e r i k - -
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Feb 12, 2008, 12:59 AM
 

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SpaceMonkey
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Feb 12, 2008, 01:10 AM
 
Originally Posted by - - e r i k - - View Post
Do you have the "after" picture?

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Buckaroo
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Feb 12, 2008, 03:15 AM
 
Do those dummy owls work?
     
CharlesS
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Feb 12, 2008, 04:29 AM
 
Originally Posted by KeriVit View Post
Where's olePigeon?
Maybe OwlBoy got him.

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ShortcutToMoncton  (op)
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Feb 12, 2008, 08:56 AM
 
Well the pigeon spikes seem like a good idea in theory, but the problem is, you know, we kinda want to be able to enjoy our balcony without worrying about impaling ourselves on the railing.

greg
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Paco500
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Feb 12, 2008, 11:34 AM
 
Put bird seed on all of your neighbors' balconies?
     
design219
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Feb 12, 2008, 11:39 AM
 
__________________________________________________

My stupid iPhone game: Nesen Probe, it's rather old, annoying and pointless, but it's free.
Was free. Now it's gone. Never to be seen again.
Off to join its brother and sister apps that could not
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Big-C
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Feb 12, 2008, 02:04 PM
 
We had a pigeon problem in some flower pots on our patio. They kept coming in and nesting in them...

Someone told us to put moth balls in the flower pots, and sure enough, the birds wouldn't land there any more. Maybe you can place them around the balcony (or fricken throw them up there) and see if that helps...

Otherwise, I like the orange owl basketball looking thing above...
     
ShortcutToMoncton  (op)
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Feb 12, 2008, 03:53 PM
 
Man, mothballs? That's a killer idea if it works!

greg
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G Barnett
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Feb 12, 2008, 04:15 PM
 
Originally Posted by Eriamjh View Post
Poisoned bread?
All the world seems in tune on a Spring afternoon when you're....

POISONING pigeons in the park....
Life is like a clay pigeon -- sooner or later, someone is going to shoot you down and even if they miss you'll still wind up shattered and broken in the end.
     
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Feb 12, 2008, 04:28 PM
 
What would happen if a human ate a mothball? I've always been compelled to become the first man on Earth to eat one.
     
design219
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Feb 12, 2008, 04:39 PM
 
We're behind you 100%.
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My stupid iPhone game: Nesen Probe, it's rather old, annoying and pointless, but it's free.
Was free. Now it's gone. Never to be seen again.
Off to join its brother and sister apps that could not
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BlueSky
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Feb 12, 2008, 04:50 PM
 
First you'll have to pry those tiny legs apart and pluck one out.
     
besson3c
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Feb 12, 2008, 04:56 PM
 
I think BlueSky is talking about MOTH TESTICLES!
     
design219
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Feb 12, 2008, 05:02 PM
 
Well, yes, what were you talking about?
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My stupid iPhone game: Nesen Probe, it's rather old, annoying and pointless, but it's free.
Was free. Now it's gone. Never to be seen again.
Off to join its brother and sister apps that could not
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Jawbone54
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Feb 12, 2008, 05:03 PM
 
     
besson3c
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Feb 12, 2008, 05:04 PM
 
I don't know what I'm talking about.
     
   
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