Blueberries are pretty easy to grow for a backyard novice gardener. That is, until the pest birds find out about the smorgasbord you have started growing for them. Protecting the bounty from the birds is easy in itself. Also, it is safe for the fruit consumption and safe and humane for the bird as well.
Using a combination of a few bird control products will increase the success of your garden berries, and the rest of your plants by preventing the birds from eating everything.
Garden bird netting is a physical barrier between the plant and the birds. Garden bird netting is lightweight, easy to maneuver and set up. Its U.V. protected polypropylene material helps with the durability of the netting. There are various mesh sizes to choose from depending on what type of bird is around your property.
It is recommended that the garden bird netting be suspended over the bushes and vines, high enough, usually above 6 inches works well. The suspension of this height keeps the birds from perching on the netting itself and peaking through the mesh to eat the berries and fruits. They are quite resourceful when it comes to finding food.
Suspending the netting is as simple as placing a series of poles around the perimeter of the area needing protecting. The netting can then be secured to the poles using twine, hooks, and even a staple gun.
Using another product in tandem with the netting will elevate your success level.
There are visual bird scares that will initially startle them away. There are diverters that are reflective and move in the breeze. The shiny reflective surface and the movement confuse the birds. There are also decals on the diverters that appear to the bird to be a predator’s eye. This confuses the birds even more and adds to the scare value of the diverter.
Novice gardeners can quickly become intermediate bird control whizzes in one season. The knowledge gained can be used year after year to ensure a bountiful garden for the family.
Pigeons have been around dating back as early as 3000 BC. At one time the pigeon was widely worshipped and considered to be sacred. Throughout human history, pigeons have adopted different roles ranging from messengers, war heroes, pets, and pests! A definition of “pest” is something resembling a pest in destructiveness, detrimental to humans or human concerns, one that annoys.
Some people may revere the bird, but not everyone has to. Pigeon poop can be very annoying when the pigeon has made it’s home your home. Not only annoying and unsightly but it creates a hazard that many do not know about. According to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) there are three human diseases associated with pigeon poop: histoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, and psittacosis.
Histoplasmosis and cryptococcosis are both fungal diseases and can be detrimental to those whom are immune compromised. Psittacosis is rare, but can still be transmitted like the other to fungal diseases by inhaling the dust from the droppings when they are airborne.
Bird control products around the home will ward off this hazard and keep the property protected and sanitary. Pigeons love to perch on the patio tops and roofs. Bird spikes will safely and humanely dissuade this behavior. Bird spikes simply create an uneven surface for the bird to land. It is uncomfortable for them, and they will fly on by to another backyard that might have a bird feeder.
Installing bird spikes is easy. Bird spikes have pre-drilled holes along the base and can be screwed down. The spikes can also be glued down or even tied into place. The plastic bird spikes are virtually invisible when installed correctly. What helps the inconspicuousness is that they come in a variety of colors to match the paint on the house or the color of the patio and rooftop. The spikes are also U.V. protected, and sun and weather proof to ensure long usage.
Let those who love the birds, build their birdbaths and buy birdseed, and you can, without guilt, create a bird deterrent system that will keep your home bird free.
There are many ways to create a safe haven at home. It is also a crucial time to make the home a safe and peaceful environment. If there were rodents, ants, and other bugs, you would surely get rid of them. The same thing is true about pest birds. The only difference is pest birds just need to be encouraged to move along to find another place to nest and roost.
Humane action against pest birds such as pigeons, woodpeckers and swallows is as easy as blocking them away and/or scaring them away. Physical bird deterrents such as bird netting would bar them from unwanted areas. Sound sound deterrents would scare them away and keep them away.
Bird netting is ideal in places that the pigeons and swallows like to nest. Eave areas, rooftops, balconies and garages are a few places that they commonly nest and roost. Placing bird netting would block birds out of these areas. This is something you want to look into at the beginning of the New Year, before springtime brings about the active nesting and breeding. Bird netting is installed using net clips, hooks or the handy staple gun. The bird netting is lightweight and is virtually invisible from the ground. Bird netting is durable, long lasting, and U.V. protected to ensure its strength.
A sound or sonic unit is a way to scare the birds away by creating an environment with their own distress calls and predator calls. The sonic unit has over 22 different types of species programmed into them. You can set the sound deterrent to play a specific bird species or there is a general setting that covers a multitude or bird types. The sound bird deterrent covers the whole property and maybe even beyond. It covers at least an acre, or more if you add additional speakers.
Installing these two types of bird control products is a weekend project for a homeowner. Rest assured, this one weekend project will give you respite and peace for the weekends to come. Making your home safe will bring harmony and relaxation to your doorstep.
Bird control is widely used at hospitals, schools, airports, commercial and industrial buildings and the like. Wouldn’t it seem logical to have the same concerns for the home?
Every year there is millions of dollars worth of damage to businesses and homes caused by the feathered adversary. You can enjoy the beauty of the bird like most people. They are part of nature and that is a beautiful thing. When nature interferes in a hurtful way, however, it is not so wonderful anymore.
The financial damage alone is alarming. The reason birds can be destructive is because of their droppings. Droppings are very acidic. Over time the droppings can eat away at many substrates, especially tar-based roofing materials.
Pigeons, sparrows and starlings are known to build their nests in the corners of the roofs, as well as in the rain gutters and eaves. This is not the only reason that hospitals and the like are concerned about bird control on their properties. Bird droppings are also associated with some series health risks, especially those who have immune disorders. Diseases can be transported from place to place, so deterring them is series business.
Home is where you return at the end of the day for safety and relaxation. Having bird control measures in place at the home is not difficult. You do not need a maintenance engineer or a management staff to take care of it. It can be a quick and easy weekend project.
Bird spikes placed at the peak of the roof will block and prevent the birds from roosting. The plastic bird spikes come in a variety of colors such as black, brown, tan and brick red, which will blend in with just about any rooftop color. The bird spikes will be virtually invisible to those on the ground. The bird spikes have blunted ends and will not be a problem when installing. They can be glued down, screwed down easily because of the pre-drilled holes along the base, or tied into place.
Make it your business to protect your home so that your home stays your sanctuary.
Do you find yourself cleaning bird droppings off the bar-b-que or the patio furniture almost every time you go outside? This is evidence that pest birds are perching, roosting and possibly nesting on your property. The idea of watching little baby birds developing from the nest is enticing, but think again about the bird poop.
Springtime is when we all tend to flock outside. The weather is getting nicer. The days start to feel longer. As we are enjoying it ourselves, so are the birds. They are naturally starting to find their mates and nest. Catching this behavior early is important.
There is the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 that makes it unlawful to disturb or remove any nesting materials while the birds are present. Once they have flown the nest, they can be removed. The trick is to scare the birds away before they even build them.
There are a variety of safe and humane bird control products on the market. There are visual bird scarers such as hawk decoys, predator eye vinyl balloons and reflective diverters. All designed to scare the birds away by working against the bird’s natural instinct of fear.
The predator eye balloons can be a lot of fun. They can be filled slightly with water and they will float in the pool. They are approximately the size of an average beach ball. The decals are pretty bright colors to humans, but to the pest birds, the design looks like a predator’s eye. They will be frightened and want to fly away immediately. The balloons can also be hung around the gazebo, balcony or the side of the home.
The flat reflective diverters work the same way as the balloon with a similar design that creates a “mock” predator eye. These too can be hung from the trees and patio covers, to only name a couple.
The Red Tailed Hawk Decoy is a predator to many. Mounting this life like hawk decoy on the rooftop, patio cover or any flat surface will have the birds flying away from the area. It can also be quite a conversation piece for the backyard gatherings.
Is the peak of your roof where the birds perch and make an unsightly mess with their droppings? This can be a terribly ugly scene for you and for your neighbors. Bird proofing the roof can be a planned community event. This way, when bird proofing your roof, the birds have to go further than just next-door. Your neighbors will thank you.
Usually the birds that perch in large flocks are the sparrows and starlings. There probably have been many times you have heard a noise and hundreds of birds flee from one tree. Many times this exact scene is in a movie. It really is an amazing site to see.
What is not amazing, though, is the many birds hiding in the trees and on the roofs that you don’t see. That is when they are damaging the property. The acidic poop from the birds is mounting up day by day. There are stories in the news about roofs caving in due to the heavy build up of bird feces. Not a pretty site, nor a healthy one.
Bird deterrent products such as bird spikes, bird slopes and even sound bird deterrents can be advantageous for the community. Bird spikes can be placed on the high peaks of the roof to prevent the birds from landing. Bird slopes can be placed in the eaves where birds like to hide and nest. Another common area where birds go is the ledges, I-beams and windowsills. A bird slope can also be used in these areas. The bird slop works by creating a 90-degree “slippery slope” making it nearly impossible for the birds to land comfortably. A sound deterrent can cover up to 5 acres in space. The sound bird deterrents work by playing predator calls and distress calls through a speaker. The birds are scared away.
Protecting the home and the small community takes very little planning, a little elbow grease, and time outdoors on the weekend.
The swallows are coming back. In San Juan Capistrano, California, it is a major event. They leave town every year in October, but arrive back in time for spring festivities. People come from all over the world to welcome them back from their long journey traveling from Argentina. The old churches in San Juan Capistrano ring their bells in welcoming. There is a parade celebrating their miraculous return.
The legend is that the swallows took refuge on the Mission San Juan Capistrano from an angry innkeeper who destroyed their muddy nests. They return each spring to the old ruined church and it’s walls of protection. The city has even passed ordinances against destroying their nests.
Swallows who attempt to build their mud nests on homes, is a different story. You do not want this to happen. The homes become a muddy mess and will stain the surface permanently. They are as much of an eye sore as they are a hazard. And unlike the City’s Mission, you do not have a maintenance team going out every day cleaning up. The swallow nests are hosts for fungus, parasites and disease.
Bird deterrents can be put into place to ensure your safety and well being at home. Under the eaves is a perfect location for the pest bird to hide from its predator’s and take refuge from the elements. This is an area that needs protection. Bird netting is the perfect physical barrier to block the birds out of this area. It is a very low profile bird deterrent. When installed properly it is virtually invisible. Bird netting is very strong, yet lightweight. It is durable and long lasting because it is made of U.V. protected polypropylene. You simply secure the netting around the perimeter using net clips, hooks, or even a staple gun.
Unlike your home, the mission where the swallows are welcomed is near two rivers making it an ideal location because of the abundance of insects on which they feed. Let the swallows fly on by your home and find themselves another ideal location like the mission.
What attracts pigeons to urban areas? The availability of food and water and there is also plenty of free housing, window ledges and rooftops. Pigeons are originally cliff-face dwellers, and in the city there are plenty of artificial cliffs and ledges that make wonderful nesting sites.
Pigeons like flat surfaces for roosting and nesting and they are not very particular about what they eat. They try all foods even though they prefer seeds and grains. Open garbage cans and even dog and cat food are among their available foods in the city.
The conflict with the pigeon is not the nuisance of them eating and sleeping, it is that the pigeon droppings are unsightly and hazardous. Coming into contact poses a health risk. There is a disease caused by a fungus, histoplasmosis, which lives in the pigeon droppings. When the droppings harden and become dust like, the fungus will be airborne and breathed in causing a terrible respiratory illness.
Pigeon control becomes necessary when the pigeon starts to move onto your rooftops and window ledges. Pigeon deterrents are needed to dissuade the pest bird from roosting and nesting. If you notice the pigeon starting to move in, this is the perfect time for you to go out and evict them at once.
Before installing pigeon deterrents, do a good cleaning job in the area where their nesting materials were. Also, cover all garbage cans and any other food sources and pockets of water. This will begin their need to move to another area to find their next meal.
Transparent bird gel is a sticky bird pest control product that can be placed on the horizontal surfaces such as the windowsill. The birds hate the stick substance and will fly away to find another area to land on.
Protecting the rooftop will ensure they move out instead of up from the windowsill. Bird spikes placed on the rooftop will make it impossible for the pigeon to land. Placing plastic bird spikes along the ledge of the roof will stop the birds from perching.
Pigeon deterrents work well. Use them.
Whether you are starting your peach tree from seeds or you have a mature tree in bloom, they need to be protected by many different pests, one being the pest bird.
The peach was first cultivated in China. Peaches were often mentioned in Chinese writings as far back as the 10th century BC. Peaches were the favorite of kings and emperors. Alexander the Great first introduced the peach into Europe after he conquered the Persians. Then it was brought to America by Spanish explorers in the 16th century and made it to England and France in the 17th century where it was a prized and rare treat.
The weather in Georgia is ideal for growing peaches. The states nickname is the “Peach State” because of its production of peaches. A peach tree is a pretty tree to have in the yard. The peach blossoms are a gorgeous color when in bloom.
Protecting the peach tree from pest birds is pretty straightforward. Bird control products put in place can save the delicious grown peach for the family. Birds adapt easily to their surroundings. Placing a couple different types of bird control products is necessary.
Visual bird deterrents are a good way to initially scare the bird away. Birds dislike shiny objects that move. Bird diverters are made of a shiny, rugged plastic material. There is a design on the side that is a foil design. To the bird it appears to be a predator’s eye. Hanging the diverters in the peach trees will keep the pest birds away from the fruit, and the movement of the shiny object will scare them and they will fly away.
Garden bird netting is a physical deterrent that will block the bird’s access to the tree. The durable, virtually invisible netting protects the fruit well. Using the physical deterrents with the visual deterrents makes sure the pest bird does not get use to any one type of deterrent and find a way to get around it
Peach trees are very delicate. But to produce the finer things in life takes extra special care. It is worth it.
Large backyards are wonderful in so many ways. There is plenty of room for a garden, swimming pool, and grass area for game playing during get-togethers. Large backyards attract other family members and friends. It is a great asset when re-selling a home.
What is not so great about a large backyard is that it attracts a larger amount of pest birds. More and more birds are flocking to urban areas and the problem of how to keep birds away from the home is a question that is increasingly asked.
The reason you want to come up with a bird control strategy for not having birds on your property is the spread of disease and the structural damage to any buildings; your home, barn, garage, patio and pool house. The disease is from the bird droppings. They harbor many fungal agents, parasites and insects such as bed bugs. The droppings are also very acidic and can eat through and corrode just about any materials, including metals.
Bird deterrents are the only way to get rid of woodpeckers and other birds wreaking havoc on your property. There are a variety of bird deterrents to choose from. Bird spikes are a very popular bird deterrent that encourage the bird to fly on over your property.
Bird spikes are one of the most effective bird deterrents at preventing a bird from perching on a ledge. If the bird cannot perch, they cannot have that viewpoint to the rest of your yard. Since most birds like to perch high above, look at the tallest structure in the backyard. Usually it is a patio cover, which is the height of the home or the garage. Placing bird spikes on the ledges of the garage and rooftops will take away that vantage point.
Forcing them to fly by is also a way of not dealing with the bird droppings. They will not be around long enough for them to accumulate. Bird spikes are easy for homeowners to install. They can be either screwed down, or glued down.
Your backyard will be more available for you with less pest birds around.
Most homeowners take pride in their homes. There are projects that are constantly in action like painting, repairing a fence, re-planting bushes and flowers. All of these projects help with the aesthetics and condition of the home.
If there is any threat to harm the home, isn’t it logical to do what it takes to protect it? Woodpeckers are an interesting group of the birds. Woodpeckers are known for pecking holes in wood structures and trees looking for insects to eat. They also drill holes in sound dry wood of buildings, fence posts and other structures around the home. A woodpecker calls to other woodpeckers using a rhythmic pecking sequence that makes their presence known. This “drumming” establishes their territories and signals and attracts their mates. Woodpecker house damage can be caused by only one or two birds, but could involve up to six or eight during a season.
Bird netting is a widely used woodpecker deterrent. It is easy to install. Plastic bird netting is very lightweight. This method works by excluding the bird from the area they want to drum. Netting to get rid of the woodpecker needs to have a ¾” mesh size., small enough so the woodpecker can not get through it. Woodpecker netting comes in 14’ by 100’ pieces making it easy to install and just as easy to take down and store away for next year’s use. When installed properly, it is virtually invisible. The netting is a very lightweight, durable, U.V. protected polypropylene.
Installation is easy. You can either let the netting drape down the side of the building using weights or attached the netting to the building using adhering hooks. The thing to remember is that the netting must be installed away from the wall of the building.
Woodpecker netting is also easy to use for the eaves and with canopies.
It is essential to take the time and look ahead and plan for the needs of the home. Home improvement projects can be just a quick easy project, or month long.
It is vitally important that you be proactive and install woodpecker control before the birds arrive and definitely before they start nesting.
Why use humane bird deterrents?
One of the key reasons to use humane bird deterrents is because there is the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 (MBTA). It is a federal law to pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill or sell migratory birds. The statue also grants complete protection to any bird parts including feathers, eggs and nests. There are over 800 species of birds that are on the list. Some of the birds that are on the list are Canada Goose, crow, sparrow, swallow and woodpecker.
Although these birds are protected under law, it is wise and necessary to humanely dissuade them from your home or business. There can be a huge negative impact when migratory birds seek reprieve within the trees and structures on your property. Millions of dollars are spent each year on clean up and repair from the destruction of the pest bird.
The bird droppings are what cause the destruction. The acidity in the droppings can eat through all kinds of materials including wood, canvas and even metals. Birds have a very high metabolism rate that makes them drop their unwanted “bombs” anywhere from 20 to 50 times a day. If allowed to accumulate for any length of time it is not hard to imagine the damage that can be done.
There are, thankfully, safe and humane ways to get rid of woodpeckers and get rid of geese, and bird control for just about any nuisance bird that is protected by the MBTA. Bird netting can easily be applied to the eaves of the home, or the siding of the home to prevent birds from nesting in the eaves and to prevent the woodpecker from pecking on the exterior of the walls. Bird spikes can be placed on rooftops to make it uncomfortable for the bird to land on the roof. Shiny reflective flash tape and bird diverters can be hung in trees to scare them away.
Blocking the bird and scaring the bird is not harming them at all. It is just using bird control products that work against their natural instincts.
Homeowners can take rest in the fact that they do not have to re-create how to keep birds away from home. It has already been done. Nor do you need to sit outside with a b-b-gun and shoot at the birds in the trees. In the past, desperate people have used the b-b-guns. They have also used shiny household items to distract the birds and try and scare them away, and beat on pots and pans to get them moving away.
There are devices now specifically used for bird control in the home. Reputable bird control companies will help you guide your way through what is needed for your specific issues.
It is not a matter of how to keep birds away from the home; it is the matter of why. Pest birds only do what comes instinctual to them, which is finding a safe area away from their predators to roost and nest, and also the natural need to eat and poop. Birds do not care if their eating disrupts and disturbs the home in any way such as making a mess of the trash in open trashcans. They are also known to eat dog and cat food. Bird poop is another story. Not only is it unsightly and messy, but it can be dangerous. The fresh poop whether it is on the grass or patio cement floor can be very slippery. There are many incidents each year of slip and fall accidents from fresh bird poop. If it is allowed to accumulate and dry up, it can also harbor many different types of fungus that can be transmitted to humans causing upper respiratory diseases. Nesting is the natural action before breeding.
Bird deterrents on the market consist of bird garden netting, goose repellents, woodpecker repellents, bird spikes, and many more bird control products. Whatever difficulty you encounter with the pest bird, there is absolute bird control for the problem.
Do not re-create the wheel. Take time to research the best bird control company that will work with you to determine your needs.
Springtime is coming soon and homeowners will once again be dealing with flocks of birds looking for the perfect place to build their nests and raise their chicks. Now is the best time to start thinking about how to keep birds away from home and garden. Setting physical bird deterrents in place before the pest birds return can aide in encouraging the flocks to fly right by.
Damage to House & Paint
Woodpeckers get their name from their feeding and nesting habits. The male woodpecker’s springtime marking and mating ritual is to blame for the constant drumming that can be heard seemingly right outside the bedroom window. Woodpeckers have a pecking sequence that marks their territory and in the process attracts female woodpeckers. This is more of a springtime ritual and decreases dramatically after the mating season is over. Major harm to bird or tree is unlikely.
However, woodpecker house damage is a serious concern. If a woodpecker decides that it wants to peck a hole in the side of a house for its new home, this can lead to physical damage and decrease the value of the property. Installing exclusion methods like bird netting can stop woodpecker house damage before it even gets started.
Bird Netting
Woodpecker control can be accomplished by installing a lightweight polypropylene bird net in areas where protection is required. The mesh comes in a variety of sizes, length and widths, so it can be cut to fit any space. It is virtually invisible when installed, and discourages woodpeckers from pecking on the side of the house by creating an unstable landing surface.
Woodpeckers prefer to excavate under the protection of house eaves, so apply the woodpecker netting at the edge of the overhang with staples or plastic clips. Let it hang down away from the surface using weights to prevent movement. The bottom of the netting can also be attached to the side of the house with peel and stick hooks found at many hardware or lawn/garden care stores.
Countless home and structures are plagued by bird problems in the United States. Every season there is the battle of the berries. Will the birds get them first or will the family. Birds are known to strip a bush or tree clean just when berries are at their peak.
Garden bird netting is a very economical method of bird control for tomatoes, berries and other fruit and vegetable plants. Garden netting does not harm the plants in any way and also allows the pollinators in. It allows the rain and sunlight to get to the plants. It does not interrupt the growth of the plant.
What the garden bird netting does keep out is the pest bird. It blocks the bird from getting to the plants. The black polypropylene strands are practically invisible making garden netting a very discreet way to protect the garden plants.
The netting comes in various mesh sizes such as ¾” mesh, 1/4” mesh and ½” mesh. There are two different roll sizes: 14’ x 100’ and 14’ x 200’. The mesh is a durable, U.V. protected polypropylene. It is light weight and easy to install.
For bushes or vines, it is recommended that the netting be suspended over the plants by at least 6 inches. The 6-inch space will prevent the pest birds from sitting directly on the mesh and eating the fruit through the netting. Place poles around the perimeter of the garden area and attach the netting to the poles.
Plants can also be individually wrapped.
Fruit trees can be wrapped with the netting too. You simply measure the circumference of the tree and cut the netting an extra 1-foot, and then the netting is attached to the tree using twine, hog rings or zip ties.
Eaves and open spaces is also an area where netting can be installed. The netting should be taut without any slacking spaces for the birds to slip though. It can even be attached using a staple gun.
Solving the pest bird problem with bird netting as you can see is fairly simple. If there are questions, a reputable bird control company will give you advice.
Birds have a very keen sense of survival. They look for spots to nest and roost that are out of the way of their predators. This is why they often roost and nest in the eaves or rafters of the home. Their objective is to hide their existence from their enemy.
Using the bird’s vulnerability by deterring them with this same sense of fear is how to keep birds away from youf home. Scaring birds away has been in action for centuries. But with new technologies and new tested bird control products, it has become more prevalent and a whole lot easier.
Along with the fear factor, creating a barrier between the pest birds and roosting and nesting sites is another way to keep your home pest bird free. Bird netting is ideal for blocking the bird out of unwanted places. You do not have to worry about your home looking like a prison when the netting is installed. It is practically invisible when put up correctly. Bird netting is made of polypropylene and is U.V. protected. It is lightweight and very durable which makes it easier to use.
Scaring the bird away is even easier than blocking them out. There are reflective type bird diverters that appear to have a predator’s eye on the sides of them. They are reflective because they have a shiny surface. When the sun bounces off the shine and it moves in the breeze, the birds will do an about face and fly away in fear. It will not harm the bird in any way. It actually only motivates the bird to get to safety. There is also very simple tape that can be hung in the trees or along the home or patio. This flash tape is shimmering red. It too, moves and ripples in the breeze. It also makes a noise that the birds do not like.
The scare bird deterrent devices along with the netting will ensure total management of the bird. It does not take strenuous work, just a few great products to put in the birds way.
Birds have no boundaries. They can fly and perch and nest wherever they find an available location that suits them. Birds are instinctual creatures. All behavior is explained by the need to survive. Migration is undertaken to winter in gentler climates. It is not difficult to understand the terms of survival. The terms are need for water, food, shelter and reproduction.
It is okay to get rid of birds on your property. By creating uncomfortable situations where they might naturally perch, roost and nest is all it takes. It is both safe and humane for all involved. There are products that are safe and humane that work against the bird’s natural instinctual behaviors. There are types of control that block the bird out and that works against the bird’s visual instincts.
Physical Bird Deterrents
These types of the deterrents physically block the bird from an area. For example, garden bird netting can be used on fruit trees and blueberry bushes to keep the bird from eating the fruit. The netting is suspended over the plants with a series of poles. Trees can be wrapped with the netting. Bird spikes are another type of physical bird deterrent. Bird spikes are ideal for rooftops, ledges and fences. It stops the birds from landing on the surfaces. The spikes have blunted ends, so even if the bird attempts to perch, they will not be harmed, just very uncomfortable, which will force them to fly away.
Visual Bird Deterrents
Visual bird deterrents work by scaring the bird away. There is flash tape that is an iridescent red foil Mylar tape that can hang in trees or around the patio. The shiny surface moving in the breeze is what irritates the bird and scares them away. Diverters and scare balloons also are shiny and they have a printed design that resembles a predator’s eye to the bird, again, scaring them away.
Bird control in place at home is setting boundaries for the birds. It is your right to protect your property, using humane bird control products.
Los Angeles is full of iconic eateries. It is a city full of visitors each year and also a city where people live outside of their homes. They stroll along Hollywood or Sunset Boulevard, or take a drive over to Culver City to eat at the iconic Mexican food stand, Tito’s. So many options are available to the locals.
The locals also know how to maneuver around the birds that are out looking for food as well. Tito’s, for example, is near an underpass. The underpass is the perfect spot for birds to roost and nest. It is also great if their food source is right next door. Birds flock over to Tito’s and harass the patrons. If you are visiting, it can be kind of fun to feed the birds bits of chips or your leftover rice. If you are there for a quick bite to eat before you get back to work, it can be annoying. It has been known for a patron to cross the street near their back patio and dump some food on the sidewalk. This gets the attention of the birds, and leaves those on the patio alone for awhile. It was a smart move because the patron was able to eat lunch in peace for a few minutes.
A smarter move would be for the business owner or property manager to install bird deterrent products for its customer’s convenience. There are many outdoor eateries in the Los Angeles area that install bird control. Some of the local coffee shops have bird spikes installed on top of the patio area lighting and the eaves and open beams. Bird spikes stop the birds from landing on the area. If there is no safe are for them to land, they will look for another location.
Bird spikes are very inexpensive to purchase. They are very easy to install. Bird spikes installed on rooftops will let the birds know that they are not welcome. There will also be less bird dropping messes to clean up at the end of the day.
Bird control is constantly evolving. We have come a long way since the old beating the pots and pans or shooting of guns to get the birds away from the trees and homes. It has also been determined that bird feces are quite a dangerous substance. It is known that they are messy and ugly, but they really can be quite hazardous.
Roosting and nesting birds will accumulate quite a build-up of bacteria, viruses and fungal agents within the feces. Their droppings not only carry diseases and such, but they can erode steel, wood and paint. There are reported incidents of bridges collapsing, in part from the damage of pigeon poop. There are three main types of bird control.
Sound
The newest ways to frighten the birds away are by using a sound or sonic device. There are sonic units that play predator calls and distress calls every 10 minutes. This sound deterrent has over 22 types of birds pre-recorded in the unit. If you are unsure of what type of bird you are dealing with, there is a general setting that will cover a multitude of species. The single unit can cover up to 1 acre, but with extra speakers, you’ll have coverage of 5 acres. It is ideal for large backyards. There is volume control and an easy to read program display. It can be programmed to turn off and on at certain times.
Physical
Physical bird deterrents are objects that get in the way of the bird. Bird netting and bird spikes are both very commonly used to keep the birds out of certain areas including the rooftops and eaves. There is even woodpecker deterrent netting for the sides of the home where they like to drum. Woodpecker house damage can be quite extensive.
Visual
Most bird control products that work on the bird’s vision are reflective and shiny, such as reflective bird diverters and flash tape. The material used is a sun reflector, but also the movement of the deterrents frightens the birds.
All are safe and humane, while being inexpensive and practical for the average homeowner.
If you are a tennis fan then you have heard about the disruption at the 2012 Australian Open. The National Post described it as a scene from Alfred Hitchcock’s horror movie “The Birds.” The swarm of seagulls was having a grand old time with the fan’s leftovers from the concession stands.
There were also serious problems at Wimbledon, too. Pigeons were taking over the stadium. The organizers will be looking for ways to prevent this occurrence in the future.
No one is immune to the pest bird. There are many planned communities that host tennis tournaments, swimming meets, and after school activities in the neighborhood parks. Birds are attracted to these events as well. The birds are going to come whenever there is food available to them, and this even means your backyards.
Planning to deter the birds should be a yearly event. Before spring is in full action, look around and see what areas around the home are vulnerable. Is their a view from the patio cover or rooftop where the birds will perch just waiting to swoop down and grab the grub?
If yes, and more times than not, the answer will be yes, bird spikes can be placed along the edge of the patio cover, or the edge of the rooftop. Another area that the birds love to roost, and where they often will nest, is the eave of the home, front or backyard areas. Bird spikes will work on any flat or curved surface. The curved surface could be a patio light up in the corner of the patio.
Another physical bird deterrent that is successful in deterring birds in the backyard is the bird spider. This deterrent is spider like because it has long spindly arms that move in the breeze. The bird spider is ideal to install on skylights, air conditioning unites and rooftops. They work well near pools and Jacuzzis. Bird spiders are often seen on boats to keep the seagulls away.
Hopefully the bigger venues that have bird control issues will develop a strategy to get rid of pest birds.
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