[oneeyedpigeon]

> [Spikes] work IFF you buy the right ones AND put them absolutely everywhere AND are careful to actually mount them correctly AND you don’t plan to use the area covered yourself at all AND you don’t even want to look at its disgraced looks. So it is completely pointless for a balcony.

They can also be horrifically cruel. I've seen a pigeon die after getting impaled on those kinds of spikes and it was a traumatic experience for me, let alone the poor bird. I really appreciate your attempts to solve this problem without resorting to inflicting pain, or worse.

[maccard]

I don't often comment on usernames but I feel like you're just trying to make sure you don't lose your other eye.

[oneeyedpigeon]

Would you believe, I actually forgot my username while making that comment?!

[nickkell]

Sounds like you’re still working through the trauma unconsciously.

[goldenkey]

I use these plastic spikes. [1] Not even sure if you can call them spikes, moreso just protrusions. They aren't sharp at all so they don't impale the pigeon, only stop it from roosting. They work really well because the pigeons just aren't comfortable sitting on them.

I agree with you about sharp metal spikes. Those are really terrible and I feel bad for any bird that gets injured by those.

[1] https://www.amazon.com/Bird-X-Plastic-Polycarbonate-Spikes-A...

[honopu]

These spikes are in a nook above the office at work. They help hold the bird nest there perfectly, and actually seem to make nesting easier. I could see them keeping away large birds, but for their intended use case, they just made it easier for nests to be put where they otherwise might not stay.

That said, I don't mind it, watching the birds is fun.

[goldenkey]

That's pretty funny. For me, they work pretty good against the pigeons. Honestly, if it were sparrows or some other type of bird making a nest in them, I don't know if I would care too much. Pigeons are pretty large and make big poops.