Bird Deterrents

Spring is the season that is referred to as a time of rebirth, regrowth and renewal.  Spring starts on different dates in different regions, but mostly spring is thought of as March, April and May.  Spring events include the significant warming that causes new plant growth to “spring forth.”  Flowering plants may start blooming this time of year.  With spring being the time for growth and renewal, this time is for plants as well as animals, including birds.  The chirping and fluttering sounds that can be heard outside your window are definite signs of spring, and a signal that major bird control measures need to be put into place. 

Birds chirp, cackle and honk to send out messages.  The noises mean they are setting up their territory.  They are letting other birds know this is where they are building their home with wife and children.  Canada geese are among the birds that use their springtime tune to mark their territory as well as attract a mate.  Woodpeckers springtime activity is the “drumming.”  The drumming of the male woodpecker is the way they attract the female and a way to establish their territory.

These wonderful creatures of nature, however, can become a pest.  A pest bird is defined as a bird that is in some way detrimental to people.  One bird sitting in the tree singing away is harmless.  But when a flock of birds such as the feral pigeon or starling invades the tree, this constitutes a concern.  This flock of birds will have large bird dropping messes under their roosts and can also plumage any vegetation you may have in your yard, whether it is seeds or a full blooming garden.  A woodpecker might be fun to watch drumming but if they begin drumming on a wood-sided home or a precious fruit bearing tree, it is a problem.  Grackles will be disposing of their waste in swimming pools.  Devising a strategy to discourage and prevent these pest birds from staying around and building their nests is simple and very affordable.  It is important to implement bird control measures before the nesting begins.  The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 makes it illegal to remove a nest once it is inhabited. 

3 Types of Bird Control Measures

Physical Bird Deterrents prevent pest birds from reaching areas they normally perch, roost or nest.  A physical bird deterrent can also protect vegetation and fruit trees.  Bird exclusion netting is a physical barrier that protects fruit trees, gardens, bushes and areas such as under the eaves of the home.  Bird exclusion netting is very versatile.  There are different mesh sizes to choose from depending on the bird species you will need to deter.  There is netting that is especially made for the garden.  It comes in rolls with mesh sizes of ¾”, ¼” and ½.”  It is durable, long lasting and very light weight making it easy to install.  Suspending the garden netting above the bushes and plants by around six inches ensures that the pest bird will not land on the netting and poke through the mesh to eat its harvest.  The garden netting can be suspended and attached to poles that are placed around the perimeter of the garden area using twine, zip ties or hog rings.  There is also woodpecker netting that can be installed on the sides of buildings to physically block the pest bird from drumming on the wood or stucco.  The woodpecker netting’s mesh is ¾” and small enough so the woodpecker cannot get through.  

Visual Bird Deterrents work by creating a visual distraction which confuses the pest bird and frightens them away. Reflective eye diverters do just that.  The bird diverter has a design on them that pest birds believe to be a predator’s eye.  It also has a shiny reflective surface.  Both the predator’s eye and the shiny surface work together to scare the bird away, and they will avoid the areas where the diverters are hung.  They would work well in trees, patios, overhangs, eaves.  They even work on boats.  Another similar type of visual bird deterrent is the scare balloon.  It is a vinyl balloon that is the size of an average beach ball that can be hung in just about all the same places.  If filled partially with water, it can float around the pool area and keeps birds away from the pool. The scare balloon also has the “mock” predator eye with a shiny surface.

Sound Bird Deterrents are programmable units that broadcast distress and predator calls that scare the birds in flight.  Their natural instincts when they hear their predator is to fight or flight, and since they are being tricked by the sound, the only option is for flight.  The sound deterrent is a way to deter pest birds from large open spaces.  The unit can be programmed to play over 22 different types of bird species.  It also has a general setting to play multiple bird species.  Adding speakers to the original unit can give bird control coverage up to 5-acres.  There are even units that specifically deter geese.  Geese can be very problematic in large open spaces, especially if there is a water source within the space. 

Look for the signs and be prepared for spring. Implement bird control before it is too late.  The early bird catches the worm, but early bird control deters the pest bird.