Some birds are beautiful and fun to watch while others can be downright annoying and destructive. While birds aren’t typically considered a nuisance pest, they can become a problem when their nests obstruct important areas in your house, their droppings carry transmittable diseases, or they get into your attic or chimney.
Understanding what nuisance birds are attracted to is the first step in helping to prevent them. Pest birds such as crows, pigeons, sparrows, robins, and starlings are attracted to food sources they can find around your home (insects, earthworms, corn, seeds, and rotten fruits and vegetables). Woodpeckers are also a common nuisance bird and will drill into your trees in search of carpenter ants, beetles, and other wood-boring insects.
Birds can be attracted to pet food which is often left outside all day for them to feast on. Birds also require water to survive and will use your fountain, water feature, or any other standing water on your property as a birdbath.
Here are five home remedies to keep birds away:
- Fishing Wire
If birds are constantly landing in or near your pool, try running fishing wire high over the pool in a criss-cross pattern. You can hang it between 2 trees, between eaves, or from any other high locations you might have near your pool. The birds don’t like the impediment to their flying space and will find somewhere else to land. As a bonus – you won’t be able to see the clear fishing wire from the ground so it doesn’t take away from the aesthetics of your backyard space.
- Baking Soda
If pigeons and other nuisance birds are invading your patio space or window sills, try sprinkling baking soda anywhere they like to perch. Birds don’t like the feel of the baking soda under their toes and will avoid it at all costs. You can also use double-sided duct tape instead of the baking soda.
- Shiny Objects
Shiny, reflective objects make great deterrents for problematic birds. The reflection of light off of these objects discourages birds from returning to these areas. These shiny objects, such as old CDs, aluminum cans, tin foil, small mirrors, or even metallic wrapping paper, can be hung near nesting or landing areas frequented by the problematic birds.
- Predators
Birds have many natural predators including cats, owls, and larger birds of prey. Placing objects in the shape of these predators around areas frequented by nuisance birds can deter them from nesting or landing near them. These objects can be made of wood, metal, or any other material that can withstand the outdoor environment. Make sure to move these objects around every few days or the birds will get acclimated to them and begin to ignore them.
- Bird Repellent
Pestman Bird Repellent uses a bio-sourced repellent active ingredient, the main active ingredient of which is methyl aminocarbonate (MA), a food grade flavouring. It is non-toxic, non-corrosive and very safe for birds, animals, humans and the environment. Combined with other natural flavours, Bismarck bird repellent uses smell, taste and sight to repel birds, making nuisance birds so uncomfortable that they will not fly back to the treatment area during the memory period, and is an effective repellent that does not harm birds. It can also repel bats and hares from the airport.
The dose is determined by the size of the infested area. 1 litre of bird repellent needs to be diluted with 250 litres of water and it can be used on a hectare of infested area, as long as it is sprayed on areas where nuisance birds are staying or roosting.
Bismarck Bird Repellent can be used in residential yards to repel urban pigeons, or in airports, warehouses, docks, boats, electrical installations, temples, scenic spots and other building facilities.
