Birds are beautiful creatures and having them around your yard is one of the ways of keeping in touch with nature. But, sometimes, they become a nuisance, especially when they soil the patio or deck with droppings. So how do you prevent them from pooping on your deck?
Use shiny objects or moving things to keep birds off your deck. Hang shiny objects like mirrors and old CDs around your deck or patio. I had this problem on my patio too and what I did was hang metallic wind chimes to ward off the birds. You can also effectively make your yard unattractive to birds by eliminating food and water.
Cleaning bird droppings from your deck all the time is a tiresome thing. You can avoid this ordeal by applying the tips I have elaborated on below.
What Is The Best Bird Deterrent?
There is no specific best bird deterrent. It all depends on the scenario in question, your budget, and the level of bird infestation. Here are some of the common bird deterrents that you can use to keep birds away from your deck or patio:
1. Plant Plastic Predator Birds
The most common birds that will frequent your yard include morning doves, sparrows, starlings, crows, and robins. Most of these birds are attracted to grains and fruits in your yard. They are, in turn, predated by other birds.
Hence, the birds will not get close to predator birds. You can use this to your advantage. Place plastic predator birds such as owls and eagles in a strategic point within the yard. You can purchase one from the local stores or online platforms.
Ensure that the plastic predator bird is easily visible to the birds when they visit your yard. You will have effectively scared off the birds. Also, shift the positioning of the plastic predator bird regularly. The birds will think it is a natural predator hunting for them.
Also, it’ll create the impression that your yard is unsafe for them. They’ll therefore avoid it.
2. Install An Electronic Sound System
You can also scare birds off your patio or deck by creating an uncomfortable, scary sound. Install a sound system that produces a high pitch noise. The noise will be uncomfortable for the birds, and they will avoid entering your yard.
One such system is the BirdXPeller Pro Electronic Bird Repeller. It is affordable and also highly effective in scaring away nuisance birds. It is also easy to set up; hence you can do it yourself without requiring a technician’s help. Additionally, you can improve its effectiveness by setting it to scare a particular type of bird.
The sound systems are mainly sensitive to motion. Thus, they will detect when a bird flies close and emit a scary sound. You don’t have to worry about the sound being a nuisance to you. It is only audible to the birds.
3. Hang Mirrors
A simple technique to prevent birds from pooping on your patio or deck is to use mirrors. Hang mirrors on the trees or objects where the birds like perching on. It will scare birds off in two primary ways:
First, the birds will avoid the mirrors as they are scary to them. They are fearful of anything shiny and in motion. Therefore, they will feel uncomfortable around the mirrors and avoid the area.
Also, upon seeing their reflection in the mirror, the birds will be tricked into thinking there is another bird. Thus, they will interpret this as the presence of a competitor. It will, therefore, compel them to move to other places where there is no competition.
You do not have to break the bank to install the mirrors. For a few bucks, you can purchase several low-priced mirrors at the local store. Use a rope or string to suspend them around the trees where the birds like to roost.
Hence you can consider this low-priced option which is also highly effective.
4. Place Spinning Pinwheels On The Yard
You probably know the spinning pinwheels that children play with. The simplistic toys are also highly effective tools for keeping birds away from your space.
When it’s windy, they spin wildly, emitting a sound and motion that is terrifying to the birds. Also, their appearance is frightening to the birds, especially when they have a shiny look. Light reflects on the shiny parts when it is sunny, which is intolerable to birds.
Installing spinning pinwheels is also easy. Attach them close to the parts of the deck or patio where the birds are fond of pooping.
When choosing the types to buy, settle for the ones with a shiny metallic appearance. Colored ones will still do the job. Nonetheless, they cannot reflect light as shiny ones. You can access the toys online or from your local children’s store.
Again like the former option, you do not have to overspend in scaring the birds with spinning pinwheels. Also, the cheapness does not mean that you have compromised on their success. Therefore, it’s a super-duper option that will cost you only a few dollars.
5. Use Wind Chimes
Do wind chimes keep birds away? Remember, we have said that birds avoid coming close to objects that emit unpleasant sounds. Wind chimes use this principle in keeping these creatures at bay. Like the techniques mentioned above, their effectiveness is also top-notch.
When you use wind chimes, they will keep birds off primarily via two means. First, they are shiny. Thus, the objects are a deterrent to birds as they do not like anything that is lustrous. Additionally, the gadgets will produce a sound that makes the birds uncomfortable.
Place wind chimes on a tree or tall object close to the deck or patio that birds are fond of coming to. They have hooks that will prove helpful during installation.
Also, having wind chimes in your garden is not just limited to warding off birds. They will be a part of your exterior decor as they are beautiful. Also, their sound is not annoying. They will produce soothing sensations that will create both an exuberant and exciting mood around your homestead.
You can also find cheap wind chimes from online platforms or local decor stores.
6. Install Reflective Bird Reflectors
You might not enjoy looking at reflective bird reflectors. Nonetheless, you cannot underestimate their effectiveness in scaring off birds. They are also a cheap option to get the job done as effectively as any other sophisticated tool.
So how do you use them? It’s also pretty easy. Install the bird reflectors on the trees or perches in your homestead where birds are likely to roost.
They feature an image of a predator bird’s eyes. Therefore, when a bird looks at the reflectors, it will be scared off. The trick is further enhanced by their swaying nature when the wind blows. They will move from side to side, and this resembles the movement of the predator bird.
Remember, they are also cheap, and with a low budget, you can get a set of Bird B Gone Reflective Scare Bird Diverter. Hence, don’t let the birds keep nagging you when you can easily scare them off. You will spend only a little cash. Reflective bird reflectors are accessible at your local store or online.
7. Use Metallic Streamers
Metallic streamers operate in the same fashion as reflective bird deflectors. The streamers have a lustrous appearance. As we said earlier, birds are afraid of coming close to shiny objects. Therefore, metallic streamers will ward birds away quickly, especially when it’s windy.
When wind strikes the streamer’s surface, it will move. Resultantly, birds will be scared of coming close.
The use of metallic streamers is one of the DIY techniques that you can use to chase birds away. It is also a low-cost technique that you can apply on a low budget.
8. Install Garden Balls
You can prevent birds from pooping on your deck or patio by installing garden balls in the yard. There are many types of garden balls but settle for the shiny kind like Zosenda Stainless Steel Gazing Ball. They will reflect light that falls on the surface, which is frightening to birds.
And that is not all. Installing garden balls in your yard is also a way of improving its look. It will reflect the objects around your yard to give them a color that represents the look of the surroundings. It is thus a unique home decor piece that will undoubtedly improve the appeal of your yard.
9. Use A Motion Activated Sprinkler
Birds are easily scared by an unexpected motion as it shows that there is danger. They are, however, not intelligent enough to differentiate a real threat from an innocuous scare. Hence, motion activated sprinklers use this principle.
Position this sprinkler in the zone where you want to scare the birds. It will suddenly sprinkle a jet of water to the birds when they come close. They won’t, of course, get hurt. However, it is enough intimation to frighten them away.
One of the best tools in the market for this task is the Orbit 62100 Yard Enforcer. It works automatically by detecting motion in the surrounding, which prompts the spray of a jet of water.
The tool further offers several upsides, such as setting it to work only on selected light settings. Thus, you can decide to put it in light mode, darkness mode, or both conditions. Also, it will facilitate scaring other pests such as rodents.
10. Use the Fishing Line Trick
The birds that poop on your patio or deck will undoubtedly find a way to the pool. When this happens, they will soil the pool, forcing you to keep replacing the water. If you intend to completely ward them off your yard, the fishing line trick is the real deal.
The technique will work if your pool is above the ground. It aims to prevent the birds from pooping on the pool’s edge or the area close to the pool. Birds will only perch on elevated platforms.
Attach plastic clips to hold the fishing lines in strategic points around your pool’s perimeter. Make sure you space the hooks evenly. Next, attach fishing lines to the pins. Ensure that the fishing line is a few inches above the top edge of the pool.
Now the fishing lines will cover the area where the birds would perch on. Thus, you will have prevented them from landing on the pool’s edge.
Again this is a DIY process that is also cheap. It is also effective in preventing birds from pooping on your pool’s edge.
11. Use Floating Pool Predators
You can also control birds from pooping on your underground or above the ground pool. Floating pool predators are handy in achieving this. They are of many kinds, and they look like common bird predators such as plastic alligators or sharks.
The floating pool predators are available in the typical pool ware stores. Also, you can check them out at your local hardware store.
When a bird flying above sees these toys, it will confuse them for the natural predators. Thus, it will avoid perching around the pool area. Also, if you have kids, they can use the floating pool predators as play objects. Installing them, therefore, will come with the added advantage of introducing more fun to your pool.
Consider purchasing a blend of floating pool predators. It will give birds the impression that your pool is infested with all sorts of predators. Nonetheless, don’t forget to inform your visitors that they are plastic toys so that they do not get scared.
The tactic will be easy to execute as the toys are cheaply priced. Also, they are readily available from pool toy stores, and you should also find them in the local hardware.
12. Place Inflatable Beach Balls On Your Pool
If having floating predators in your pool sounds like a daunting ordeal, consider using inflatable beach balls instead. They will add color and beauty to your swimming pool, creating the impression of a beach-like environment.
The inflatable beach balls will also be handy in warding birds off your pool area. When the wind blows, the balls will sway from one end to the other. The motion and their color will scare birds off.
Hence, here’s a chance to kill two birds with one stone. Scare birds and also make your pool a beautiful area by putting inflatable beach balls on the surface. The option is cheap, and your kids and other family members will play with the beach balls as they swim.
Nonetheless, regarding warding birds off, the floating pool predators are more effective than inflatable beach balls. Still, this option will serve the purpose. It also offers color and glamour to the pool, which is equally important.
13. Remove Fountains And Bird Baths
You do not have to scare birds away when you can, in the first place, prevent them from invading your yard. You will achieve this by eliminating all fountains and potential blood baths such as pools.
Birds like swimming. Thus, in addition to being drawn to the pool for a sip, the allure of taking a dip is irresistible. Hence, they will keep frequenting your homestead often, especially during hot weather.
Consider removing fountains and birdbaths to discourage birds from pooping on your deck. Alternatively, you can move the water pool to an area in the homestead far from the patio or deck.
By doing this, you’ll move the birds to where they are less of a menace.
14. Give The Birds An Electrical Shock
You can also use electricity, albeit moderately, to scare birds away from the compound. For this, you will need an electronic shock system.
It operates via the simple electric current principle. The system will have two conductors. One will have an electric current, and the other one will ground the circuit. Hence, when a bird perches on the system, it will complete the circuit. Consequently, it will receive a light electric shock.
This system aims to scare the birds and not to hurt them. Hence, they will not like the experience and will avoid perching on the point.
You might need to involve a technician in the installation process. The primary upside of this method is that it is long-term. Therefore, you may incur a high initial cost during installation. Nonetheless, it will pay off in the long run as the system will work as long as the current passes through the circuit.
15. Starve The Birds
Where there is food, birds cannot resist making it their favorite place. If you have bird feeders in the homestead yard, you have probably noted that birds frequent where they are placed. Thus, this is where you are most likely to encounter a bird pooping problem.
You can imagine how it would look if the bird feeders were located close to the deck or patio area. Thus to avoid messing them with bird poop, shift the location of your bird feeders. Preferably, put them in the extreme regions of your yard where they will not be a menace to anyone.
You could also be dealing with a severe problem of birds being drawn to the seed or fruit-producing trees in your yard. If you want to control them in this case, cutting down the trees could be inevitable.
However, before thinking of that, consider installing the bird-scaring objects discussed above on these trees. They should be efficient in pushing the birds away. Nonetheless, if the birds’ poop problem persists, you will have no alternative but to cut down the trees.
Also, transplanting them to other parts should be among your other few options. The aim should be to get the birds away from your deck or patio area as far as possible.
16. Use Bird Spikes
Make it unbearable for the birds to perch around your deck or patio by installing bird spikes. They are easy to attach and will not harm the birds. Instead, due to the sharp points, the birds will be discouraged from roosting.
They are easy to mount. You only require to tie them on the platform where birds occasionally perch. Additionally, they are cheap and will prove helpful even in the long term as they are durable. You will be required to carry out minimal maintenance; hence once you install them, that’s all.
17. Install An Awning Or Umbrella
Are the birds pooping on your patio or deck while flying?
If this is the case, you do not need a sophisticated structure or chemical to keep them off. Instead, put an awning above the area. Also, if they are pooping on the chairs and table placed on the patio, install a patio umbrella above.
You can get an awning or umbrella at a fair price from the local hardware store. Thus, this is a cheap option, and the assembly process is also easy.
18. Trim Back The Shrubs
Shrubs and untended bushes around your homestead provide birds with the ultimate breeding ground. Such areas are secure from predators and other threats to the birds. Therefore, this is where they will lay eggs and raise their young ones.
As such, cutting back the shrubs is a sure way of discouraging the birds from nesting near your homestead.
However, it would help not kill the baby birds or squirrels that you find in nests on the shrubs. Allow them to grow to maturity then you can consider trimming back the shrubs. Once they are grown, the birds will fly off and will no longer be a menace.
Also, you can move the nests if you are in a hurry to clear the shrubs. Shift the birds to another area away from your homestead. Remember that you have a responsibility to tending after nature. Hence, it would be wrong to kill the young birds you find in the nests when you can move them.
19. Use Smells To Repel Birds
It is proven that there are smells that birds detest. They will therefore avoid your yard if it has these smells. The wild bird world reports that birds avoid pungent odors such as garlic, cayenne pepper, and vinegar.
Before looking at the smells that repel birds, let’s first highlight the benefits of using smells as deterrents. They include:
- You can apply them in areas that are hard to reach. Unlike the deterrents mentioned above that you can only place in particular places, smells are easy to use. All you need is to smear them around the area, and they will function effectively.
- They are effective alternatives to conventional bird scaring techniques such as the use of mirrors and shiny objects.
- When using smells, you do not have to worry about sound nuisance. Some of the deterrence techniques, such as using electronic sound systems, will undoubtedly be somehow noisy.
- The smells used to scare the birds are friendly to human beings. It will therefore be an effective way of improving the smell of your yard.
What Scents Do Birds Hate?
Several smells will effectively make your deck unattractive to birds. They have weak respiratory systems and thus will avoid staying for long in areas with strong scents. Here are some of the effective smell deterrents:
Bird Gel
Bird gel is one of the proven bird deterrents. It features a peppermint oil scent which irritates the birds’ eyes when they contact it. It operates by the emission of an ultraviolet wave that irritates the birds’ eyes, especially when they come close. Its texture is also an irritant. Thus, birds will avoid perching on surfaces where you have applied it.
The gel is so effective that it will still be active even four years after the initial application. Thus, despite its relatively high price, it is worth the money.
Peppermint Oil
Peppermint oil is one of the most valuable oils primarily due to its sweet aroma. Nonetheless, to birds, it is anything but attractive. Therefore, you can use peppermint oil to deter birds and, at the same time, give your deck a sweet fragrance.
Nonetheless, you do not apply it directly to the surfaces. Instead, make a concoction to facilitate application. You will need vinegar, peppermint oil, water, and lemon oil.
Create a mixture consisting of a quarter glass of water and add quarter glass of vinegar. Into this mixture, add several drops of lemon oil and peppermint oil.
Next, cut several cotton balls and soak them in the mixture. Then place the cotton balls around the patio or deck area to deter the birds.
The mixture will be an effective deterrent. Nonetheless, its concentration will decrease with time, especially with exposure to the sun. Therefore, apply the solution often to ensure that the pungency is ever-present.
Garlic
Garlic has a unique smell that is unappealing to not just birds but also vampire bats. Hence, if you have an infestation of both, this is the ideal low-price option that you should settle for. It is also a natural product that will be harmless to the ecosystem.
The application of garlic is also straightforward. Position the cloves near the deck or patio where birds frequently visit. It will effectively keep them off the area. However, do not forget to remove the cloves after some time as they will rot.
Thus replacing them regularly is imperative to keep the patio or deck clean. Additionally, it will be essential to keep the smell alive to scare the birds away.
Alternatively, you can use garlic oil instead of garlic, and it will be equally effective. You will, however, need to prepare it in the same manner as peppermint oil, as explained above.
Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper is a favorite spice for many people, but it’s a different story for birds. Thus, it is an effective deterrent, and birds will choke to the smell when you apply it. They’ll, in turn, avoid staying on the deck or patio.
You can also use other types of pepper, such as chili pepper. Nonetheless, you will have to mix it with other ingredients to make the concoction effective for this pepper. Otherwise, it will have a mild effect, insufficient to scare the birds.
Make a concoction of apple cider vinegar and chili pepper in water. Next, apply this mixture onto the deck or patio. It will keep birds away, albeit for a short time, as it quickly fades off. Hence, keep reapplying after some time.
Professional Products
In case you find the natural products described above ineffective, there is an alternative. You can use professional bird deterrent products. They are highly effective primarily because they influence multiple senses of the birds.
Consider a professional product such as Repels-All Animal Repellent Concentrate. It is relatively pricey compared to the other deterrent methods described above. Nonetheless, it is biodegradable and thus poses no environmental hazard.
Also, it has an ample residual time of about two months. However, after this period, reapply it again to keep its smell active.
Birds That Cause Problems In Your Deck Or Patio
There is no limitation of the species of birds that can be a menace. Nonetheless, certain ones cause pooping on the deck problems, especially if they swarm in large numbers.
Birds such as pigeons, house sparrows, blackbirds, grackles, and starlings will undoubtedly be a challenge. The birds are unique from other species as they are suited to living in the urban setting.
Thus, they are unafraid of living close to humans. Therefore, they will frequent your deck area in large swarms, especially if there is the availability of the attractants above.
Let’s look at some of these birds in detail:
House Sparrows
They are not native to the US, but there are many house sparrows today in the country. Also, they are fully adapted to living in the urban setting. Thus, they will pose a challenge to you even if you live in an urban environment.
The birds are also unafraid of staying close to humans. They build nests in parts such as in the vent area and the air conditioning section. Being close to your house means that they will probably poop on your deck or patio.
Starlings
These birds move in large swarms, which makes them a colossal menace. When they land in a particular area, they will leave a trail of droppings. They are also very noisy, and a small group will beckon others to arrive.
Pigeons
No bird will be a challenge, especially regarding leaving a vast scatter of droppings as pigeons. They are fond of perching on elevated structures, which means your deck or patio is not safe. Their droppings also pose a health hazard as they carry transmittable bacteria and fungi.
Additionally, they might as well introduce pests such as mites and fleas to your yard. While the severity of their diseases is relatively low on humans, you have a reason to worry about their impact on the surfaces. Hence, the use of the above repellent techniques is essential.
Final Thoughts
Birds are, without a doubt, beautiful creatures that infuse an element of nature into your homestead. However, they are equally a menace, especially when they invade in large numbers.
Therefore, you cannot afford to ignore the harm that birds cause when they perch on your patio or deck. Thus, it is imperative to control them via the above-highlighted techniques.
As you have noted, most of the methods are low-price options. Therefore, even if you operate on a low budget, you can still keep birds off your decks and patios.
Choose the technique that best suits your pockets. Also, you can use more than one technique at the same time for added effectiveness.
References:
https://birdfeederhub.com/how-to-keep-birds-away-from-patios-decks-balconies/
https://wildbirdworld.com/what-smells-repel-birds/
https://plasticinehouse.com/how-to-keep-birds-from-pooping-on-my-deck/
