How to get birds off of railing but NOT off balcony

[ritz]

My lovebug Ritz (female feline, roughly 20 months old) loves to watch the birds from my balcony window; that is her source of joy and entertainment while I'm away for 8 to 10 hours a day. Unfortunately, the neighbor below me does not like the bird poop or seeds. She's adamant that I stop feeding the birds unless and until I can solve the problem of sh*t dropping onto her railing and the seeds onto her balcony.
Any ideas how to keep birds off the balcony railing but *not* off the balcony itself. The railing is encassed with chicken wire as a precaution against Ritz ever escaping onto the balcony and falling 100 feet.
I can move the bird seed and suet cake close to the balcony window. But I'm on the top floor of a three story building and there are no trees close to any window.
Alternatively, any ideas what to put on the balcony which would keep Ritz entertained and happy? Do the DVDs for cats work? (continuous loop DVD that has lots of birds on it)?

Thanks.

 

[natalie_ca]

can you attach something like an eaves trough along the top outter edge of your balcony? The bird poop and seeds would hopefully fall into the trough, and you could clean it out periodically?

 

[ducman69]

Adhesive foam tape to hold on spikes for the rail, and move the feeder.

The birds will still poop though, so be sure to clean that regularly, as it can bring disease and when dried it can become airborne.

BTW, does the balcony overhang just like grass and bushes below? If so, perhaps you could devise a pole you could hook the feeder onto to hang off the balcony but still be in sight. That way they'd just perch on that and be pooping over open space below, which if long enough I'd think would prevent any poop getting onto either of your balconies.

My bird feeder is also designed so that large birds (which make a lot of poop and are expensive to feed) cannot get seed as it is spring loaded. I'd recommend something similar, and then use a seed to attract the smaller wildbirds specifically as well.

http://www.youtube.com/user/WesleyBu.../2/PFc0FqyVjD8
*that's mine, see the ring around the base, if a big bird puts its weight on it, it closes off the feeding holes.

 

[ritz]

The balcony overhangs grass, but there is a fairly long overhang which is why bird poop and seeds fall onto her balcony railing and furniture first before reaching the ground. And I imagine the bird seed on her balcony attracts birds.
I too have thought about a casement along the bottom of the railing. I live in a condo and am somewhat restricted by what I can do. I'll give it more thought; I need to "rent a husband" to do this !
Ritz really misses the birds; I may put down a limited amount of bird seed instead of unlimited, which would curtail some of the poop. And of course move the bird seed as close to my balcony window as possible.
PS: the air conditioning unit is on the balcony,which had an inordinant amount of feathers in it. Just something to keep in mind, too.
Thanks.

 

[ducman69]

Or perhaps just get a hummingbird feeder.

I'm pretty sure they just poop glitter and rainbows.

 

[natalie_ca]

Originally Posted by Ducman69

Or perhaps just get a hummingbird feeder.

I'm pretty sure they just poop glitter and rainbows.

Brilliant!!!!

 

[yosemite]

I live on the third floor of a condo and also wanted birds to come. I compromised by getting a hummingbird feeder which doesn't bother anyone below me. Luckily one of the centre parts of one of the flowers got lost which made the hole larger so now I have a Baltimore Oriole also feeding about every 20 minutes. He is beautiful.

 

[ritz]

People keep on mentioning Hummingbirds: assuming there are such magical creatures where I live (Washington, DC area), don't Hummingbirds poop too? That is the real problem with the neighbor below me. I can solve the seed problem. Thanks.