A pigeon settled on my balcony. What should I do?

In my home I let the pigeons be there year after year. I can’t remember ever killing an insect in my house in the past 12 years. It’s live and let live, as we are all here for a short time. But if you want to get rid of the nest just wait for a while. You could let the birds build the nest and live with them until their babies have fledged. Then when the winter comes get rid of it. It can be fascinating to watch the birds sitting on the nest, the eggs hatch and then the young grow up and fledge. It doesn’t take that long for the baby birds grow. They will only stay in the nest and around your home for only a short time. They will then fly away to find their own mates. The parents too will move on and then you can get rid of the nest.

If I’m to quote from “Milinda Panha”… there is a lesson that we can learn from this little bird. (44. THE HOUSE-PIGEON.)

'Venerable Nâgasena, that one quality of the house-pigeon you say he ought to take, which is it?'

'Just, O king, as the house-pigeon, while dwelling in the abode of others, of men, does not become enamoured of anything that belongs to them, but remains neutral, taking notice only of things pertaining to birds; just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, while resorting to other people's houses, never become enamoured of women or of men, of beds, or chairs, or garments, or jewelry, or things for use or enjoyment, or various forms of food that are there, but remain neutral always, addicted only to such ideas as become a recluse. This, O king, is the quality of the house-pigeon he ought to have. For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the Kulla Nânada Gâtaka:

"Frequenting people's homes for food or drink, In food and drink alike be temperate, And let not beauty's form attract thy thoughts."'

A pigeon settled on my balcony. What should I do?

Right View (Samma Ditthi) would be the overall frame of reference when choosing how to act in such situation.

It's important and necessary to understand the ethical distinction of kamma into wholesome (kusala) and unwholesome (akusala) and the roots from which these actions spring.

Unwholesome kamma is action that is morally blameworthy, harmful to spiritual development and contributive to suffering for oneself and others. Wholesome kamma is action that is morally praisable, conducieve to spiritual development and beneficial for oneself and others.

Kamma is wholesome or unwholesome if its roots (mulas) are wholesome or unwholesome. These roots are three-fold.

The unwholesome roots, also called the root defilements or kilesas are greed (lobha), aversion (dosa) and delusion (moha).

The wholesome roots are their opposites, expressed in negation as non-greed (alobha), non-aversion (amoha) and non-delusion (amoha). Within the negation lies their corresponding virtues, ie. renunciation, detachment, generosity, loving-kindness, sympathy, gentleness and wisdom.

A distinctive feature of kamma is its capacity to produce resultants corresponding to the ethical quality of the action, ie. the root cause. Actions originating from the wholesome roots will always produce wholesome resultants which in turn will prepare and make the mind conducieve to the practice of meditation by calming and tranquilizing it, making it steady and less wavering. Also wholesome, meritorious actions can be/is recommended to rejoice in. Afterwards the impermance of the meritorious action should be contemplated in order to achieve insights.

In MN 9¹, the Buddha explains;

"When, friends, a noble disciple understands the unwholesome, the root of the unwholesome, the wholesome, and the root of the wholesome, in that way he is one of right view, whose view is straight, who has perfect confidence in the Dhamma, and has arrived at this true Dhamma".

To sum up, only you can decide how to act or if it's appropriate and ethical to act at all. If you do choose to act and want to base your action in the Noble Eightfold Path, then the action should be motivated by the wholesome roots, thereby producing a wholesome result for you and other beings.

¹ MN 9: Sammaditthi Sutta: The Discourse on Right View.

You cannot predict the future of the bird or take responsibility for it. Also, the bird may nest on your balcony temporary (for breeding) rather than permanently. If the bird does not harm you, then you should let it nest.

If the hostess (landlord) disapproves of the bird, they should remove it. It is not your responsibility to make modifications to the property of the landlord or hinder the landlord in the maintenance of their property. Instead, if you think the bird will damage the property, it is your duty (as a tenant) to report this to the landlord.

In summary, the bird is not your responsibility (karma) and the external structural problems of the apartment is not your responsibility (karma).

The problem is the bird's karma & you should not interfere with the bird's karma.

I am new to this website, and have little training, but wish to be helpful. I have been in a position, several times, in my life, where I wished to help an animal, but didn't know what action would be most helpful. My advice would be to let the pigeon do what it thinks best. It surely knows more about pigeon life than you do. If you drive it away, it may try to nest in a place even less suitable than your balcony. IF you do end up living there until it has offspring, AND you know what food would be healthy for them, and you can give them food, without giving your "hostess" cause for complaint,do so. That may allow the young pigeons to mature faster, and leave in time to avoid problems.Otherwise, I think it best not to interfere.