Birds are easily frightened but they learn quickly.
Thankfully, modern science is constantly improving the innovative technologies and designs available to us for driving birds away and keeping them away from our homes and offices.
The key ingredient for success is how you use these new deterrents.
We’re going to help you find the best way to deter birds from roosting on your house, patio furniture, fences, trees, and rafters. We're not talking about killing them, or even trapping them, we’re talking about keeping them away altogether.
In this Pest Strategies product review you can expect to learn:
- What are bird deterrents?
- Do bird deterrents work?
- Are bird deterrents safe?
- And our overall #1 pick for best bird deterrent.
If you're eager to get going, you can click here to to jump straight to our top choice for best bird deterrent on the market today.
| Image | Product | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Our Top Pick  | Our Top Pick | Dalen BN4 Bird-X Net
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| View on Amazon |
 | Bird-X Stainless Steel Bird Spikes Kit
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| View on Amazon | |
 | Reflective Scare Tape
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| View on Amazon | |
 | Dalen Gardeneer Natural Enemy Scarecrow Horned Owl
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| View on Amazon | |
 | HOMESCAPE CREATIONS Bird Repellent Reflective Scare Rods
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| View on Amazon | |
 | Bird-X Scare-Eye Bird Repellent Predator Eyes Balloons
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| View on Amazon | |
 | Bird B Gone MMRTH1 Hawk Decoy
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| View on Amazon | |
 | Bird Blinder Repellent PinWheels
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| View on Amazon |
Our Overall #1 Rated Pick
(updated as of 04/15/2020)
- Only 100% foolproof way to deter birds
- Doesn’t harm birds or animals
- 5/8″ mesh lets in air and sunshine
Physical exclusion is the most effective way to keep birds out of your garden, trees, flower beds, and other areas where they are causing problems. It keeps them out without harming them in the process.
The polypropylene net has a 5/8″ mesh that lets in plenty of air and sunshine and has been treated with UV inhibitors to keep it from breaking down or becoming fragile in the sun. You’ll have to build a framework for it though.
If you don’t, small birds will be able to stick their heads or beaks through the mesh and get to it. Building the frame requires extra work and expense but the results will be worth it.
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Top 8 Best Bird Deterrents
- Dalen BN4 Bird-X Net
- Bird-X Stainless Steel Bird Spikes Kit
- Reflective Scare Tape
- Dalen Gardeneer Natural Enemy Scarecrow Horned Owl
- HOMESCAPE CREATIONS Bird Repellent Reflective Scare Rods
- Bird-X Scare-Eye Bird Repellent Predator Eyes Balloons
- Bird B Gone MMRTH1 Hawk Decoy
- Bird Blinder Repellent PinWheelsBird-X Bird-Proof Gel Bird Repellent
What Are Bird Deterrents?
A deterrent is anything that serves to discourage, prevent, or inhibit birds from approaching or roosting on your house, trees, porches, rafters, fences, and patio furniture.
Read More: Best Ultrasonic Bird Repellents
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How Do Bird Deterrents Work?
Deterrents work in one of three ways: they frighten birds, create a sense of distaste, or physically prevent them from approaching the protected area or item.
Fear
Birds are frightened of many things but mainly predators. Owls catch and eat them, as will hawks and eagles. Foxes, coyotes, bobcats, and the occasional crocodile will happily feast on them too.
Sudden movements trigger a fight or flight response in birds because most sudden movements in the wild are the result of a predator attacking. Birds are also afraid of unexpected bright lights blinding them when they’re trying to fly.
Distaste
All birds and animals will find some particular odor or taste offensive. When they encounter something they don’t like, they’ll pull away from it. Sticky or caustic substances like glues or gels will deter birds from landing on areas covered in them.
Physical Prevention
Also known as exclusion, physically preventing birds from reaching their destination with nets or windows, will deter them. The windows in your house or on your car are a form of deterrence.
For more information on bird deterrents and how they work, check out the video below!
Are Bird Deterrents Effective?
The only honest answer is sometimes.
Except for a fine mesh screen, or a solid glass window, there is no such thing as a deterrent that is 100% effective. All of them will work a certain percentage of the time. But that means they won’t work the rest of the time.
Deterrence normally works by creating emotions of fear or distaste but if the birds are hungry enough, they’ll be willing to take a chance and bypass the deterrent, so there is always a chance it won’t work.
Birds also learn incredibly fast. Once they discover that a deterrent won’t actually hurt them, they lose all fear of it and it loses all value.
How To Use A Bird Deterrent
To correctly use most bird deterrents, you’ll need to take an active role every day in moving them and repositioning them around your house and yard.
The exception is bird spikes. Once in position, they can’t be moved but at $10-$24 per 10-foot section, they become very expensive, very quickly.
Other than that, you need to move your bird deterrents from one place to another on a daily basis. We can’t emphasize this enough. Move them every single day. We’ll explain why.
The key to getting the best results with deterrents such as decoys, reflectors, and moving objects, is randomness. If birds see a decoy sitting in the same place every day and it never attacks them, they’ll soon realize it’s a fake.
But, if that same decoy shows up in a different position every day, they’re not smart enough to figure out you’re the one moving it. All they know is that it’s constantly moving, which in their minds means it’s a constant threat and they’re going to avoid it.
You can add to their confusion by using several different decoys. We recommend using 3-4 decoys at a time.
Switch them around every day, sometimes taking one of the decoys out of circulation for a few days. When decoys randomly appear and disappear, it increases the illusion they’re alive and therefore dangerous.
Furthermore, predators compete with each other. If the birds see several owl and hawk decoys sitting side-by-side, they’ll instinctively know something is wrong.
Space the decoys out around your property to increase the illusion of live predators keeping each other at a distance.
Do the same thing with the reflectors and other moving deterrents. Anything that’s in the same place day after day becomes a known quantity and birds will quickly grow accustomed to it. Move them around to prevent that complacency from setting in.
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Are Bird Deterrents Safe Around My Pets And Children?
Yes. Small children can grab almost anything and hurt themselves with it, but bird deterrents aren’t intrinsically dangerous. The only deterrent that might be dangerous is the spikes, but those should only be used on fence tops and roof lines.
Best Bird Deterrents Reviewed
- Only 100% foolproof way to deter birds
- Doesn’t harm birds or animals
- 5/8″ mesh lets in air and sunshine
Physical exclusion is the only 100% foolproof way to keep birds out of your garden, trees, flower beds, and other areas where they are causing problems. It keeps out destructive birds and small animals without harming them in the process.
The polypropylene net has a 5/8″ mesh that lets in plenty of air and sunshine. The net has been treated with UV inhibitors to keep it from breaking down or becoming fragile in the sun.
You’ll have to build a frame for the net to create some distance between it and the fruit or flowers you’re trying to protect, otherwise small birds will be able to stick their heads or beaks through the mesh and get to it.
Building the frame requires extra work and expense but the results will be worth it.
Pros
Cons
- Humane bird deterrent
- Permanent solution
- Stainless steel won’t rust
These stainless steel spikes are long and thin. If birds try to land on them, they’ll be skewered, so it’s a very effective deterrent. The spikes come in 10-foot long sections that have to be nailed or glued in place.
Put these anywhere birds like to roost; on fence tops, rooflines, tree branches, or exposed beams on outdoor pergolas and patios. Once they’re installed, your work is done.
Pros
Cons
- 350-foot roll of tape
- Double-sided
- Cut to custom length
This 350-foot roll of double-sided scare tape has a reflective diamond pattern on both sides, sending bright shafts of light reflecting in every direction. The shafts of light blind birds and scare them when they’re flying.
The tape is strong enough to withstand most weather conditions, just cut it to the length you need and hang it up.
Pros
Cons
- Natural enemy
- Hand-painted
- Inexpensive
Great horned owls are natural enemies for most birds. They’re predators whose presence will alarm birds and scare them off. This decoy is 16" high and hand-painted to give it the maximum realism.
Pros
Cons
- 15" long
- Double-sided spinner
- Multiple refraction points
These 15" long rods are easy to hang. The twist in the rod from top to bottom sends multiple shafts of light in every direction to scare and blind birds. They also make decorative hangers around your patio and other outdoor spaces.
They come eight to a package and should be used in places where they are exposed to direct sunlight.
Pros
Cons
- Mimic unblinking owl stare
- Very inexpensive
- Three per package
Owls have wide staring eyes, and these balloons mimic their unblinking stare. When birds see these predator eye balloons, they think an owl is looking at them. They panic and leave the area.
They can be filled with ordinary air and suspended anywhere birds are becoming a problem. If the wind is blowing, the extra movement adds to the illusion of life.
Pros
Cons
- Natural predator
- Very life-like
- Inexpensive
Another good decoy, this time a hawk. Hawks are fierce predators with excellent vision. When small birds see these decoys they’ll think they’re in danger and leave the area.
The base can be opened so you can fill it with sand to anchor it in position. There is also a small look on top of it so you can suspend it from a branch or beam. Remember to move it every day to maintain the illusion of life.
Pros
Cons
- Rotating reflective surfaces
- Pinwheel is 7 inches wide
- Can be positioned wherever you need them
These reflective pinwheels are seven inches wide and stand 19 inches tall. Stick them in the dirt around your flowerbeds, yard, and garden to frighten birds with multiple rotating beams of reflected light.
They come eight to a package and the holographic mylar material is durable. They also double as spinning ornaments in your yard.
Pros
Cons
Our Top Pick: Dalen BN4 Bird-X Net
Physical exclusion is the only foolproof way to keep destructive birds and small animals away from your plants without harming them. The polypropylene 5/8″ mesh lets in plenty of air and sunshine, and has been UV treated.
You’ll need to build a framework to drape the net on, but in the end, it will be worth it.
- Only 100% foolproof way to deter birds
- Doesn’t harm birds or animals
- 5/8″ mesh lets in air and sunshine
You can feel confident that this safe and humane way to repel birds will protect your yard, crops, or garden. So grab your nets today!
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We’ve found the best pest control company in your area that handles this exact pest problem!
Final Thoughts On Bird Deterrents
Deterring birds from coming to your property involves either a large commitment of time or an equally large commitment of money. You’ll either be moving decoys and mobiles around or installing expensive spikes along fence tops and roof lines.
Either way will work. Which way is best for you will depend on your situation.
Other Bird Related Product Guides
Curious about other bird-related products? Check out our other detailed guides to help you deal with your pest problems.