How To Keep Birds Off Your Patio And Balcony

by Alex A. Kecskes

Summer’s finally here and you’re ready to invite friends, family and neighbors to your patio for a fun-filled BBQ. The last thing you need is bird poop all over your BBQ, patio cover, balcony and walkways. Or to have annoying birds dive bomb your gests and kids as they try to enjoy their outdoor summer treats.

Yes, there are bird poisons and you could whip out your trusty BB gun. But do you really want to subject kids and pets to such extreme, potentially hazardous measures? Also keep in mind that in many states and municipalities, it’s against the law to kill or harm certain birds. Banging pots and pans and shooting off firecrackers will scare birds away—but only for a little while. Unless you use permanent and effective bird control measures, they’ll come back in droves when they get a whiff of your outdoor cooking.

Fortunately, there are a number of effective bird proofing devices that will keep pest birds away from your patio and balcony. Measures you can employ without risking injury to kids, birds or pets. They include:

Visual Scare Deterrents. These are fairly economical and easy to attach to various areas of your balcony, patio, or gazebo. They include a variety of flash tape and reflective banners that reflect sunlight and crackle in the breeze. The audio/visual elements combine to create a distraction that makes pest birds feel uneasy. You can also get Bird Scare Balloons—beach ball sized bird deterrents emblazoned with large predator eyes. Birds really feel uncomfortable with these. Likewise for Bird Scare Diverters, which are bladder shaped deterrents that have a large eye on them.  Remember that birds are not dummies, so you’ll need to move them around occasionally to prevent the little critters from getting used to them.

Bird Sonics. These time-proven bird deterrents can be discretely installed on patio covers, under eaves or and inside gazebos. They can keep pest birds away from large outdoor areas by emitting predator and distress calls that birds instinctively hate. They capitalize on a bird's innate fear of predators, as well as their acutely sensitive hearing (birds can process sounds in 1/200th of a second; humans process sounds in 1/20th of a second).

Sonic devices will guard your patio and balcony against pigeons, crows, starlings, swallows, gulls, woodpeckers, sparrows, grackles, cormorants and many other types of birds. One of the most effective sonic systems broadcasts the sound of Peregrine falcons (a pigeon's dreaded enemy) defending their territory. Other systems will deter starlings and seagulls with the sounds of predator hawks screeching and gulls under attack. Try to get sonic bird control systems that alter the pitch, frequency, timing and intensity of the sounds they emit. You don’t want pest birds to get used to hearing the same sound over and over. One highly regarded system emits distress and predator calls for as many as 22 types of birds. The calls are cycled through every fifteen minutes. One thing to keep in mind is that sonic bird deterrents will not harm birds, pets or humans. The sounds they emit are normal bird sounds.

Scarecrows. These ingenious devices are basically motion-activated sprinklers that give pest birds a hefty blast of water the second they enter the preset radius of protection. The sudden blast of water, alarming sprinkler sound and realistic looking bird head is enough to convince most birds that this is not a hospitable area. Scarecrows connect to almost any garden hose, yet they consume just 2 to 3 cups of water per blast. They cover about 1,200 square feet with a stream that reaches out 35 feet and 45 feet wide. They stand guard 24/7 for up to 6 months and deliver over 1,000 "firings" on a single 9-volt battery. You can even fine-tune their sensitivity and coverage distance. By the way, kids and dogs love to play with these devices.

Hawk Decoys. Get one or two of these decoys, strategically place them around your patio or balcony and pest birds will stay away. You’ll need to move them around and reposition them from time to time for best effect. Hawks are the natural predators of most pest birds and they hunt during the day. Be sure to get the most realistic looking bird available.  And make sure they are quality fabricated of heavy-duty plastic so they stand up to the elements. Some decoys have a hollow bottom that allows them to be filled with sand for greater stability on windy days.

How to Keep Pest Birds Away from Your Front Porch

Many homes in the South and mid west are graced with beautiful wraparound front porches. They serve to draw friends and neighbors for long hours of conversation and relaxation. They’re also ideal for parties and other informal get-togethers. 

Trouble is, these attractive gathering places also draw pest birds. Now, most people enjoy the sounds of birds in trees, but without proper bird control, birds can take over a veranda or front porch. These architectural features often have seemingly endless nooks and crannies where birds can roost and build nests. Nothing is more irritating than discovering bird droppings on a table, chairs or glider you’ve set out on the porch or veranda. Attract enough birds and you’ll face a daily cleaning chore getting rid of bird droppings.

If you’re like most nature loving people, you won’t want to harm these birds. You just want to keep them out of your front porch and off your tables and chairs. That means you naturally object to using bird poisons and other harmful bird deterrents. The good news is, there are a number of humane and highly effective bird deterrents you can use to keep birds away from specific areas of your home.  These include:

No Nasty Nest

These hanging "twine" deterrents are ideal for keeping swallows away from common nesting areas. Birds of any kind will be reluctant to work their way past the twine strips and simply move on. If you've encountered swallow mud nests under the eaves and sides of your porch or veranda, this deterrent will keep them out. Every strip of No Nasty Nest features a self-adhesive back for quick installation on eaves, gables, entryways and other areas.

Bird Slope

These angled, slippery PVC panels deny birds a place to land. They’re easily installed under eaves and are ideal for preventing swallows from building nests. Bird slopes can be installed on almost any surface using nails, screws or glue. Bird Slope comes in a 4-foot kit that contains two 2-foot long sections of slope, two end caps and one tube of glue. Bird slope is ideal for ledges up to 6 inches wide. It also comes in several colors to blend in aesthetically with your front porch or veranda.

Hawk Decoys

Decorative and functional, Red-Tailed Hawk decoys convince birds that their natural enemy is on the premises. Place one or two in “problem areas” and birds will stay away. Perfect for use in porches and verandas, Hawk Decoys are easily placed or hung in conspicuous areas to discourage pest birds. Birds will communicate with each other and spread the word that your porch or veranda is “occupied” by a predator. Be sure to choose a high quality decoy made of heavy-duty plastic, as it will remain realistic looking after years of outdoor exposure. For best results, be sure to move the decoy around often to ensure bids don’t get used to it.

Bird Barriers for Airport Hangars

By Alex A. Kecskes

Pest birds can be a huge problem when they congregate and nest in airport hangars.
Without effective pest bird barriers to exclude them, hangar operators spend millions of dollars every year in maintenance and cleanup costs.

Once pest birds invade a hangar, they settle in, make themselves at home, and seldom leave on their own. These birds can create considerable damage to aircraft and exposed aircraft engines and assemblies with their nesting materials and droppings. The acidic chemicals in droppings can eat into metal, plastic and rubber surfaces, causing long-term damage that may cause engines and hydraulic systems to fail--even in flight.

Bird nests and droppings can also clog gutters and down pipes. Fecal matter sucked into grilles, ducts and vents can damage  expensive AC systems. Bird droppings left to gather on hangar floors, entrances and ladders could create dangerous slip-and-fall hazards and result in a costly legal liability. The right kind of bird barriers can reduce or prevent these problems.
Pest bird droppings and nesting materials also pose a considerable health hazard, carrying and transmitting any of 60 known diseases--including Salmonellosis  and Ornithosis, which is similar to viral pneumonia. In addition, bird droppings and nesting materials contain insects and mites, which can also damage aircraft and delicate assemblies.

Fortunately, there are effective and humane bird barrier products one can install to keep pest birds out of aircraft hangars.

Bird Barriers for "Big Box" and Warehouse Stores

By Alex A. Kecskes

It's no secret that many "big box" retailers and warehouses have a pest bird problem.  Lacking effective pest bird barriers, commercial businesses like these spend millions of dollars every year to deal with pest bird infestations. The problem is compounded as bird populations continue to grow in both the inner city and suburbs. Once pest birds invade a store or warehouse, they tend to eat right through packaged foods, causing  considerable spoilage. Unlike many retail establishments, most big box stores and warehouses have large open bays that invite birds to fly in. And once they make themselves at home, they rarely leave on their own.

Unless they're kept out, pest birds can create considerable damage due to the droppings they deposit on just about everything. The acidic chemicals in droppings can quickly deteriorate virtually any surface. Bird nests and droppings can also clog gutters and down pipes. Fecal matter drawn into ducts, grilles and vents can damage  expensive AC systems. Bird droppings on ledges, sills and signage can ruin the image of a business. Droppings deposited on pavements, entrances and fire escapes can create dangerous slip and fall hazards and a major legal liability. Obviously, bird barriers are a must for big box and other warehouse type stores.

Pest birds also pose a significant health hazard, carrying and transmitting any of 60 known diseases—including Salmonellosis  and Ornithosis, which is similar to viral pneumonia. To make matters worse, bird droppings and their nesting materials contain insects and mites, which can damage property, stored foods and fabrics.

Bird Barriers for Commercial Businesses

By Alex A. Kecskes

Commercial businesses have become increasingly vulnerable to pest bird infestations.  Without effective bird barriers, commercial businesses suffer millions of dollars annually due to bird damage in and around their property. Once pest birds nest and settle into a commercial business structure, they are  hard to get rid of, so the goal is to prevent them from making your business their home.

One way pest birds do a lot of damage is their bird droppings. These are so highly acidic that they have been known to eat into metal and plastic signage and crumble expensive stonework and facades. Bird nests and droppings can also clog rooftop gutters and drainage  pipes, causing extensive roof damage over time. And most commercial building managers know how damaging  bird droppings can be when left to gather on AC systems.

Aside from the physical damage, bird droppings splattered on windows, banners and signage can ruin the image of a business. Worse yet, droppings left to gather on walkways, entrances and fire escapes could create dangerous slip-and-fall hazards, which can lead to expensive litigation. Obviously, bird barriers are a must for any commercial business enterprise.

Pest birds also pose a significant health hazard, carrying and transmitting any of 60 known diseases—including Salmonellosis  and Ornithosis, which is similar to viral pneumonia. Worse yet, bird droppings and their nesting materials contain insects and mites, which can further damage property and ruin stored foods and other packaged goods.