Bird repellents

Say bye-bye birdie

By Alex A. Kecskes

As much as we love to hear them sing and coo, wild birds can be quite a nuisance. The damage they cause can be very expensive and time-consuming to repair. Their poop can discolor paint, stain wood and eventually erode metal. Even worse, if you own a restaurant or café with outdoor seating, bird deposits can carry and transmit any of 60 known diseases. All the more reason to consider keeping them away from your property. Fortunately, there are many bird repellants on the market that will do just that. Most are humane, inexpensive and easy to install.

For pigeons and large birds, there are a variety of bird spikes that will do the trick. These bird repellents have spikes made of rigid unbreakable polycarbonate, or in some cases, stainless steel. For awnings and patio covers, bird spiders are an ideal option—the spider arms flagellate with the breeze, so birds will think twice about trying to navigate a landing. Spiders are available in a wide range of diameters to cover different size areas. They require little or no maintenance and, as intimidating as they look, they won’t harm birds.
A simple, but surprisingly effective bird repellent is the Bird Slope. These angled, slippery panels keep birds from landing—their feet just slip right off. Bird slopes are ideal for ledges, eaves, beams and other 90-degree areas where pest birds tend to nest and roost. They’re easy to install and work for various bird types and sizes. Another simple and quite effective bird repellent, known as bird gel, is easily applied like caulk. When it dries, the gel skins over but never sets hard, creating a sticky membrane that birds don’t like to land on, yet it’s safe for birds and people. Gels are ideal for flat or curved surfaces, including conduit, pipes, ledges, I-beams, and parapet walls.

Bird netting is another good bird repellant. Ideal for warehouses, airplane hangars, courtyards, canopies, and rooftops, bird netting can discourage a wide range of birds—mesh sizes vary to deter sparrow, starlings, pigeons, seagulls and even larger birds. Some brands of heavy-duty bird netting are even prescribed by architects. Look for netting that’s U.V. stabilized, flame resistant, and rot and waterproof. For most applications, try to get netting that’s non-conductive.

A popular and economical category of bird repellents, Bird Scare products “psyche out” birds with flashy, moving objects and banners. The most basic scare products use iridescent reflective foil and shiny tape. These bright strips flailing in the wind discourage birds from landing by creating an “Optical Distraction Zone.” You can also opt for inflatable balloons with lifelike reflective predator eyes and other threatening symbols. These repellers or scare-eye diverters can be easily mounted in high, bird-traffic areas. Some bird repellers have iridescent foil eyes to scare pests by day and glow-in-the-dark backsides to repel birds at night. Bird scare products are ideal for patios, vineyards, house eaves, pool areas, trees, overhangs, gazebos, boats and other areas.

Made famous by keeping pigeons off statues are the electric shock bird repellers. Fortunately, this category of bird deterrents now comes in a wide range of electric-track products. These can be easily mounted on signs, ledges, rooftops, and flat or curved surfaces. Ideal for all pest birds, the tracks produce a mild electric shock that’s harmless to birds. Pest birds won’t land and will choose to permanently move once shocked. If you’re a property owner, you’ll like the low profile and virtually invisible electric tracks that are currently on the market. One thing to consider: choose a flow-through design to prevent water from damming up on rooftops and other surfaces.

Imagine listening to a screeching mother-in-law for hours at a time. Well, that’s what our next category of bird repellants sounds like to a pest bird—really annoying and sometimes, outright scary. They’re called audio bird deterrents and they produce sonic sounds that birds can hear and are scared away. These devices are prefect for areas that are typically surrounded by walls or ceilings—sheds, parking garages, and overhangs— wherever pigeons, sparrow, starlings, or seagulls and larger birds tend to gather and nest. These audio devices can be used in combination with bird scare repellants for orchards, vineyards and other open areas.

Also useful for dispersing pest birds from open areas are foggers and misters. These bird repellents use an aerosol delivery system and are ideal for use in garages, factories, warehouses, airline hangars, airports, courtyards, golf courses and parks. Many such systems offer multiple, directional nozzles for pinpoint application and zone coverage.

Finally, there are the “repellers with propellers.” These motorized whirly-gigs have arms that rotate at a bird-scare speed to whisk pest birds away. Ideal for parapet walls, roofs, signs, billboards, or any flat surface, they do the job nicely. Some have batteries, others you plug in, and some are even solar powered.