How to Keep Birds Out Of a Garden

Just like deer, birds enjoy feasting on the delicacy growing in your garden as much as you do. Getting rid of these birds is critical! You want them to stop stealing your garden goodies. 

There are 3 effective ways to keep birds out of a garden which includes scare tactics, barriers, and chemical deterrents. 

The chatters of the birds are music to the ears of nature lovers. Besides, it feels nice watching birds swoop into a garden to get rid of the insects and caterpillars. Unfortunately, the same birds can turn into your worst nightmare once they start picking up your seedlings and having their way with the berries. When this is the trend in your summer garden, you have to step in and reclaim your garden by keeping the birds out. 

Keep in mind that some of the bird control methods will not be effective. For example, hot pepper spray is still commonly used despite the fact that studies have shown that birds are not equipped with sensory receptors for capsaicin, which is the active component in hot pepper. Hot pepper works with rabbits, dogs, and squirrels but never birds. 

The use of ultrasonic devices does not work as a bird control despite its being widely used. This is due to the fact that birds are unable to perceive the ultrasonic sound just like humans. According to a New York study, birds fed with seeds scented with garlic oil lowered their food consumption and even turned to less aromatic food. While this seems to work, the last thing anyone wants to eat is a strawberry smelling like garlic. 

Bird Netting and other barriers

This is without a doubt the most effective way to keep birds out of a garden and feeding on your raspberries, blueberries, and other produce. The technique involves covering your produce with a net barrier. While these netting products are effective in keeping out the birds, there are two problems associated with this technique. To begin with, the netting is likely to snare on thorny plants. Secondly, hummingbirds easily get entangled in the net. 

You can avoid these issues by attaching the netting to a firmly placed frame forming an enclosure around the product that is tightly secured on all sides. However, building a walk-in berry carry that can hold up in strong winds and weather is a daunting project. Alternatively, try the wedding net fabric and drape it over the plants and secure it in place with clothespins. For a short-term protection of the ripening fruits, these fabrics work magic in keeping birds out of a garden. 

If you have different fruits in your garden, you will notice that not all of them are at risk of being devoured by birds. Birds can easily spot strawberries and cherries while avoiding the US non-native red raspberries. In the UK, blueberries and the red currants are a delicacy for birds while the golden raspberries are hardly touched. 

Scaring away bird from the garden

If the crops growing in your garden are moderately attractive to birds, you can protect them by using different scare techniques. Keep in mind that you will have to deploy several scare methods. According to a study by Dutch researchers on bird control methods used in 6 of the largest airports in the world, the best methods were to monitor the birds keenly and deploying new scare tactics when they are no longer effective. 

In large farm fields, birds such as blackbirds and starling will flee once they spot a hawk flying over the field. Invest in the Terror Hawk or Terror Kite, which flies 7m from the pole to scare the birds away. The Heli kite, which is a helium-filled balloon, is also an effective alternative.

If your garden is small, go for the cheap and easy yet effective bird control methods such as trimming fruit trees with reflective tape, wind chimes that generate noise and feature metallic surface to reflect light, or using CDs or mirrors. For some reason, birds are wary of bright yellow objects such as plastic streamers. 

However, most of these simple repellents work for a few days and they are changed to something else. Try mounting small stuffed animals on posts, especially close to the ripening berries. A scarecrow can keep birds out of a garden for months, especially if you reposition its hat and clothes and shift it from one point to another regularly. The scarecrow can start by sitting in the lawn chair, picked up after sometimes and then moved. 

Use mean-looking eyes using balloons or making or beach balls. If the scarecrow is strange enough, quivers, and is bright yellow and looks like a predator, then it will keep birds out of a garden. If you do not want hostile looking scare objects in your garden, then you should probably stick with the netting, shiny objects and occasional use of scarecrows for a peaceful coexistence with the birds. 

Other commonly used scare tactics include:

• Aluminum screening
• Hardware screening
• Paper bags
• Stake and flags
• Stakes and strings

Chemicals

The use of chemicals is not the best way to keep birds out of a garden, especially if the chemical used can harm the birds. This technique involves the use of seed treatment and pre-treated seeds to protect seeds until they are seedlings.



Also read our other bird tip: Pigeons Roosting On My Business