Get rid of birds

by Alex A. Kecskes

If your home has been besieged by gulls, you know what a nuisance they can be. These scavengers will eat just about anything that’s on your patio, boat dock or backyard. That includes fish, insects, mollusks, worms, mice, young birds, bird eggs, and berries. When gulls feast and gather, they'll leave an awful mess. They can cover your backyard and patio area with smelly, disease carrying droppings and rotting fish. If they use your rooftop to tear apart their prey, they can dislodge and damage roofing tiles and other rooftop structures.

Like most birds, it’s not just one type of gull you have to worry about. There are over 45 species of gulls. Your typical gull is a medium to large bird with a mostly white body and grey or black markings on the wings and tail. Their stout, orange bills and webbed feet make them easily recognizable. While gulls are often found near large bodies of water like bays, inlets and lakes (as well as the ocean), they have been known to venture inland for food. So don’t be surprised to see them on the roof of your home or patio if your home is miles inland. 
 
To keep gulls away from your home, you should first remove any open food source such as open trashcans or pet food. After that, you’ll need some effective bird control measures to keep them away. Here are three bird deterrents the pros use:

Bird Spikes for Gulls

Gulls regularly choose the roof of a home or structure to roost on. The peak of a roof is an especially desired area as it provides a nice look out point for food and predators. Bird Spikes are a humane product used to keep gulls off roof lines, parapet walls, pilings and other areas. Bird Spikes simply create an uneven surface that gulls know they cant land on. Spikes that are pre-assembled, such as the Stainless or Plastic versions are easiest to install.

Bird Spiders

Bird Spiders have spindly arms that whip about in the wind. Gulls see these and will simply move on to a friendlier landing perch. Bird Spiders are easy to set up on decks, posts, atop light fixtures, rooftops, fixed umbrellas and awnings. These bird deterrents are available in 2-, 4-, 6- and 8-foot arm lengths to create larger and larger areas of bird deterrence. Look for bird spiders that feature a glue-on base, which can be attached to most surfaces.

Sonic Gull Control

No gull likes to hear his fellow gulls being attacked. Or the sound of Peregrine falcons screeching in for the kill. Bird Sonic Deterrents exploit these fears and drive gulls away. These devices broadcast prerecorded distress and predator calls that resemble normal bird sounds to humans. One popular device features a built-in speaker that covers up to one acre. The unit can be programmed to turn on or off at night, and you can even adjust the volume.

by Alex A. Kecskes

Birds like to perch on patio covers to get the “lay of the land” of your patio. They’ll loiter there and wait to see what you’re BBQing or serving for your outdoor breakfast, lunch or dinner. And the minute the opportunity presents itself, they’ll dive bomb your patio table for any uncovered, unguarded food. The worst part is, they’ll also leave bird droppings on your table and (heaven forbid) on any uncovered food.  So needless to say, you want to keep pest birds away from your patio covers and patio area. One way to do that is with effective bird deterrents. Here are just a few of the most popular bird control measures:

Creating a Visual Distraction Zone

Birds, in general, are easily shooed away—either by noise or a moving object that makes them too nervous to stay. Bird scare deterrents do just that. They include Flash Tape and Reflective Banners, which reflect sunlight and crackle in the breeze. Equally effective are Scare Eye Diverters, which are large teardrop shaped plastic panels with a large “mock” predator eye and shiny reflective surface.  Many homeowners also like to use Bird Scare Balloons, which are beach-ball size deterrents covered with large predator eyes. These visual deterrents are all fairly economical and easy to attach to various areas of your balcony, patio, or gazebo. The one thing to keep in mind is that birds are not dummies, so you’ll need to move these deterrents around from time to time to prevent birds from getting used to them.

A Sound Investment in Bird Control

They’re called Sonic Bird Deterrents and they’re easily set up on your patio cover or under the roof of your gazebo. They emit bird distress and predator calls that sound just like normal bird sounds to the average human. But the sounds are threatening to birds, and they would much rather leave than stick around. One popular bird sonic system can emit distress and predator calls for 22 different species of birds. It comes with a built-in speaker and covers up to one acre. With a system like this, your patio will be protected from pigeons, crows, starlings, swallows, gulls, woodpeckers, sparrows, grackles, cormorants and many other types of birds. The system can be programmed to turn on or off at night and your can adjust the volume of sounds emitted.

Hawk Decoys, the Decorative Deterrent

Red tailed hawks are the natural predators of most pest birds. And unlike owls that hunt at night (when most birds are sleeping), Hawks hunt during the day. The key thing to remember about hawk decoys is they have to be realistic and of high quality. They should be fabricated of heavy-duty plastic to maintain their appearance after several seasons of harsh weather. A couple of hawk decoys, strategically placed around your patio can be an effective pest bird deterrent. Just remember to move them around and reposition them from time to time for best effect.

by Alex A. Kecskes

For most people, their home is their biggest investment. And the part of the home that takes the biggest beating is the roof. It has to fend off attacks from sleet, snow, rain, wind and pest birds. How can pest birds damage your roof?  Without adequate bird deterrents, it’s surprising just how much trouble birds can cause.

For starters, birds will often take insects and other small prey to the safety of your roof to peck and claw their catch apart. This can damage roof tiles (especially, crown tiles made of wood or asphalt shingle). Replacing roofing tiles can run into big money. Birds have even been known to build their nests under roofing tiles. This kind of activity can dislodge the tiles, which can cause leaks.

Birds will also build their nests in your rain gutters. When their eggs hatch, the birds will simply leave the empty nests to clog up your gutters. Repeated rains will cause water to back up and seep under roofing tiles to eventually cause leaks. Once again, you’re stuck with expensive roof repairs. If you have attic ventilation turbines, skylights, solar panels, or solar water heaters, pest birds can damage them. If your chimney lacks a screen, pest birds can get trapped inside, block airflow, and create a potentially dangerous situation where deadly carbon monoxide gas enters your home. Bird proofing can save you from these and other problems.

Finally, it’s worth noting that bird droppings are highly acidic. Over time, accumulated droppings can degrade a roof, causing it to leak and possibly even collapse. Proper bird proofing can deter pest birds and save your roof. Here are two proven bird control measures that will keep your home pest bird free:

Sonic Deterrents—the Sound Solution

Birds like the safety and security of your roof—unless they sense danger. Sonic Bird deterrents generate distress and predator calls that make birds way too jumpy to hang around your home. One commercially available system can generate these calls for 22 different types of birds. The calls, repeated every 10 minutes, sound just like natural birdcalls to the human ear. Even pets can’t tell the difference, but birds sure can. The best sonic deterrents can be programmed to turn on or off at night and include a built-in speaker that covers up to an acre.

Bird Spikes Won’t Let ‘Em Land

You’ve seen these just about everywhere. Some are made of marine-grade stainless steel and feature a U.V.-protected polycarbonate base. You can also get durable polycarbonate bird spikes that come in a variety of colors--like white, tan, gray, black, brown, brick red and crystal clear--so they’re less noticeable and blend in with your home’s exterior colors. To keep pest birds from building nests in your rain gutters, Gutter Bird Spikes will do the trick.