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Pigeon deterrent for a balcony

Updated: 23 October 2026

The rail outside the flat is white by Thursday, and a plastic owl on the table has become something the birds stand beside. A pigeon deterrent for a balcony has to match that perch, or the recess they fly into, and it has to wait if a nest is already in use. This page uses the listings in the [pigeon deterrent comparison](/hub/pest-control/pigeon-deterrent), prices from 19 October 2026, and advice from the RSPCA, the RSPB and the British Pest Control Association. It is not a lab test. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Allotments and field kites stay off this page.

The rail outside the flat is white by Thursday, and a plastic owl on the table has become something the birds stand beside.

Our top picks

Remiawy Remiawy stainless pigeon spikes

Best overall

Remiawy Remiawy stainless pigeon spikes
9.1/10about £7.78
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Apluskis Apluskis plastic bird spikes

Best value

Apluskis Apluskis plastic bird spikes
8.6/10about £17.85
View offer
GWHOLE GWHOLE reflective discs

Alternative

GWHOLE GWHOLE reflective discs
5.8/10about £7.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Rail, sill or a space they fly into
  2. 2.The nest and the building rules
  3. 3.What from this comparison belongs on a balcony
  4. 4.Netting without trapping

Rail, sill or a space they fly into

If the birds land on the handrail, the coping or the outer sill, a spike row can deny that perch. If they settle in a corner or a light well, you have a void, and a strip on the outer rail never touches it. Remiawy is about 1.2 m of stainless at £7.78. Apluskis claims about 6 m of plastic at £17.85. Use screws or ties. Tape has already failed on a butyl roof. Netting is not in this basket. GWHOLE’s discs at £7.99 helped one reviewer only together with railing spikes.

The nest and the building rules

The RSPCA says you cannot destroy or move a nest in use, and pigeons can have young outside spring and summer. The RSPB says the same for netting: do not cover an active nest. In England and Wales the RSPCA number is 0300 1234 999. The rail is often the freeholder’s, so ask before you drill. Scraps and a neighbour’s feeder will repopulate a perfect rail. If the corner means leaning over the rail, hire a fitter. The sequence for a sill you can reach is how to fit pigeon spikes.
Remiawy Remiawy stainless pigeon spikes

Testsieger

Remiawy Remiawy stainless pigeon spikes
9.1/10about £7.78
View offer

What from this comparison belongs on a balcony

Buy Remiawy for about a metre of stainless, and Apluskis for the claimed 6 m, with screws or ties because the plastic is PP. Leave the owl, the falcon and the hawk off the table as the main plan. The owl is £12.99 with 3.5 from 3,903 reviews, and on a small balcony the shape becomes a landmark. Skip ISOTRONIC even though the title mentions balconies: £41.01, rated 2.6 from 6,144 reviews, with pigeons on the unit. Do not glue spikes in front of a casement you still open. If the owl still feels kinder, read pigeon spikes vs a fake owl.

Netting without trapping

Use netting only for the void. WML-GU01 says mesh for pigeons should not exceed 50 mm. The net has to be taut, fixed on all sides, and looked at the same day. These twelve listings do not include a net. If you cannot see the whole net from the flat, hire a fitter. Spikes on the rail and a fixed net on the recess can both be right. Discs do not substitute for either. The same places for a house are on the pigeon deterrent buying guide.

Common questions

What stops pigeons sitting on a balcony rail?
A continuous spike row on the rail, after a nest check and permission to fix it. Remiawy covers about 1.2 m at £7.78. Apluskis claims about 6 m at £17.85. Buy fixings that suit the rail, and do not crack uPVC with ordinary screws. Gaps at the corners are where they will stand. A decoy on the table does not cover the rail.
What if they fly into a corner and nest?
That corner is a void. Spikes on the outer rail leave it open. You need a taut net with mesh that does not exceed 50 mm, checked so birds are not trapped. Netting is not in this basket. If the corner is beyond a safe reach, use a fitter rather than a loose garden net.
Can I knock the nest off?
If the nest is being built or is in use, no. The RSPCA says you cannot move it, and pigeons may have young outside spring and summer. Look for squabs before you decide the balcony is empty. Proof the perch after they have gone. Clearing eggs because of the mess is the offence.
Will a fake owl on the table work?
Treat it as a short experiment at best. The Big Cheese owl has 3.5 from 3,903 reviews, with heads that often fail to turn and birds that ignore it within minutes. On a small balcony the bird learns the shape. It will not stop a rail roost the way a spike row does.
Is an ultrasonic balcony unit worth trying?
The ISOTRONIC pair is rated 2.6 from 6,144 reviews, at £41.01, and the title mentions balconies. Reviews describe a flashing light and pigeons on the unit. SLAJMNZH’s two five-star reviews do not overturn that sample. Spend the money on length of spike, or on a proper net for the void.
What mesh should I use if I net the opening?
Follow the 50 mm maximum in WML-GU01 for pigeons. Keep the net taut, close every edge, and look often enough to free a bird the same day. Do not install it over a live nest. If you cannot inspect it from the flat, do not hang it yourself.
Who decides if I am a tenant?
Wildlife law binds you either way. The lease and the freeholder decide the rail, the sill and the facade. Ask before you drill. A managing agent may refuse screws and still allow a tie-on strip, or send their own contractor. Written permission is the record if the block later complains about holes.

Related pages

Pigeon deterrent

Best pigeon spikes: top pick and best-value length

Pigeon deterrent buying guide: which method fits you

How to fit pigeon spikes without a gap along the run

Pigeon spikes vs a fake owl: the week birds return

Sources

Public UK sources used for this comparison. Shelf prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures captured for these twelve listings. Last checked 19 October 2026.

  1. WML-GL41 (England, 2026) (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  2. WML-GL42 (England, 2026) (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  3. GOV.UK non-lethal methods (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  4. WML-GU01 legal methods (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  5. RSPCA pigeons in the garden (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  6. Historic England bird deterrents (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  7. NatureScot GL03/2026 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  8. Natural Resources Wales deterring birds (retrieved 19 October 2026)