Thousands of European Starlings have been invading a Johnson City, TN neighborhood for many years, and the homeowners on East Holston Avenue have had it with the noise and the mess. Bird droppings rain down incessantly on cars, homes and sidewalks, which is not only unsightly but a health concern. In the winter, these bird pests travel in flocks and invade cities to get warm.

Some residents have resorted to firearms to scare birds away, but many admit it’s only a temporary solution, as the birds always come back. Experts say, starlings prefer dark, quiet places to sleep, so harassing the birds with bright lights/noises and bird distress recordings may offer relief. These tactics must be maintained for about five days to get rid of birds in any one area. Thinning out trees also helps. Here are two effective bird control measures the experts at Bird-B-Gone recommend:

Sonic Shield™--the Sound Solution to Pest Birds

The Bird-B-Gone Sonic Shield™ employs sight and sound to scare birds away from all areas of a yard and trees. It features two operating modes: a daytime mode, which combines flashing LED lights and loud barking dog sounds to scare birds; and a nighttime mode, which uses only the bright flashing LED lights. The latter mode is ideal for most areas where barking dog sounds would wake neighbors at night. Entirely portable and self-contained, the Sonic Shield™ is simple to set up wherever birds gather and roost. The device uses just four standard AA batteries, so there’s no need to run long AC cords to power it. The Sonic Shield™ can easily be mounted to a light fixture, over a door, in a tree, or on the roof. It’s ruggedly designed for outdoor use.

Bird Chase Super Sonic Scares Birds from Yards

A highly effective sound bird deterrent, the Bird Chase Super Sonic by Bird-B-Gone fully exploits a bird’s sensitive hearing and natural fear of predators. It broadcasts pre-recorded distress and predator calls for over 22 species of birds—including starlings, pigeons, crows, gulls, and grackles. You can set it to deter a specific species of bird or switch it to a "general" setting to deter multiple bird species. The device repeats the distress and predator calls every 10 minutes to keep pest birds away. It features a volume control that lets you vary the sound output—from 65-105 decibels. The sounds resemble normal bird calls to the human ear, so they won’t bother your pets or neighbors. And unlike ultrasonic devices, which emit sounds above the hearing range of most birds, the Bird Chase Super Sonic generates sounds birds can actually hear. The device is powerful enough to protect a full acre of property, so it’s ideal for most homeowners. It’s also ruggedly designed for outdoor use.

Birds are often attracted to swimming pools, spas and other water features in a backyard. The main concern with bird pests is the diseases they carry, especially those found in their droppings. Bird droppings are also very slippery when wet, which can create dangerous slip-and-fall hazards for children and even adults. While birds can be shooed away with the blast from a water hose or by banging pots and pans together, birds will invariably return when you leave.

If you have a bird problem around your pool, there are a number of things you can do to discourage pest birds from roosting and nesting near the immediate area. The first is to remove any plants that produce edible nuts, fruits and berries. You should also remove any bird feeders. And keep trees and large shrubs tightly trimmed, removing any branches that hang close to your pool. After you’ve taken these preliminary steps, you should invest in a professional bird deterrent. Here are some bird control devices the experts recommend:

Scarecrows Blast Bird Pests Away

Using a harmless blast of water to scare birds from your pool, Bird-B-Gone’s Scarecrow acts like a reliable 24/7 sentry. Any bird that enters this device’s area of protection will be showered with a “wake-up” water blast, alarming sprinkler sound, and Scarecrow’s realistic looking bird-like head. Easy to set up and use, Scarecrows connect directly to your garden hose. And each blast consumes just 2 to 3 cups of water. Scarecrows cover about 1,200 square feet with a spray that reaches out 35 feet and 45 feet wide (enough for most pools). Scarecrows are powered by a single 9-volt battery for up to 6 months, delivering over 1,000 "firings." The device’s sensitivity and coverage distance are easily fine-tuned to fit your pool’s shape and surroundings. Incidentally, kids and dogs love to play with these devices.

Sonic Bird Deterrents Scare Birds from Pools
 
While firecrackers and noisemakers may temporarily scare birds away, the more scientific (and long-term effective) approach is to intimidate birds with the sounds they dread to hear—their natural predators (like hawks and falcons). That’s where Bird-B-Gone’s Solar Bird Chase Super Sonic comes in. It broadcasts distress and predator calls birds know all too well. And they will seek the safety of someone else’s yard rather than stick around yours. The threatening birdcalls are repeated every ten minutes. The sounds emitted by Bird Chase device resemble natural birdcalls so they won’t bother your pets or neighbors. And unlike ultrasonic devices that emit high-frequency sounds birds can’t hear, the Bird Chase system creates sounds well within the hearing range of birds. Each Bird Chase device comes with a built-in speaker that will cover up to an acre.

Without bird control measures to deter them, birds will perch and even nest on the window sills, ledges and awnings of your home. If you have a two-story home, the upper windows and ledges make especially ideal for birds on the lookout for food and predators.

Birds and their nesting materials can damage window screens and awnings. Bird droppings can jam up windows, making it hard or even impossible to open and close them properly. These droppings can also eat into vinyl windows and painted surfaces on ledges, leaving unsightly splotches. In these tough economic times, the last thing you need is to have to repaint your home or replace the windows. Bird droppings also carry any of 60 known diseases—like E. coli, Salmonella. These can easily waft into an open window, creating a health hazard, especially to children.

The only real solution for today’s homeowners is humane, effective bird deterrents.  Here's what the pros recommend to deter pigeons, sparrows, crows, gulls, starlings and many other species of birds:

Sonic Bird Deterrents

Easy to set up on the side of your home that’s most troubled by birds, Sonic Bird Deterrents deter birds from perching and nesting on windows, ledges and awnings. These ingenious devices emit a series of pre-recorded distress and predator calls that resemble a bird’s natural enemy. If your windows and ledges are attracting several bird species, get the Bird Chase Super Sonic. It emits distress and predator calls for 22 different species of birds. It can be programmed to turn on or off at night. The sounds it emits are natural bird sounds, so it won’t irritate your pets or annoy your neighbors.

Red-Tail Hawk Decoys

The natural enemy of most birds, Red Tail Hawks hunt by day, which is why Hawk Decoys can be so effective in deterring them.  If your window sill or ledge is wide enough, place one or two in high visibility areas and birds will stay away. The best hawk decoys will be realistic looking and be made of heavy duty plastic to endure many seasons of outdoor weather. All you have to do is move them around from time to time to convince birds your decoys are a live threat.

Transparent Bird Gel

Ideal for narrow ledges and windowsills, as well as awnings,  birds hate to set foot on Transparent Bird Gel. It sticks to their little toes and makes them feel trapped (although it won’t trap them—much like Post-it Notes, the adhesive is very mild).  The gel is easily applied, practically invisible and very humane. The best bird gels will provide up to 6 months of protection.

Before implementing any bird control measures, be sure to clean away nesting materials and droppings from sills, ledges and awnings. Birds are naturally attracted to the scent of nests and droppings, so they will consider your home most hospitable.

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.