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Last Updated on July 30, 2021 by cmoarz
Birds are beautiful creatures and really pull a garden together, However, there are people out there that need to keep them out for all sorts of various reasons. So here’s a list of 18 ways on how to keep birds out of your garden.
1. Plastic owls
Plastic owls are the highest on this list because they are the most effective bird deterrent you can buy. We had a problem with pigeons and starlings in our garden so we went shopping to find the most effective product and found that plastic barn owls are your best bet for scaring birds. You can buy them all over now from big stores like B&Q (200mm black) or even online (life-size). If you get one that is life-size then it really looks threatening compared to the small 100mm versions which have no significance, but if placed correctly they will drive any bird away from your area out of fear.
We happen to recommend this one as it’s done wonders for us! Click the link below to check it out!
2. Bells
After visiting many different garden centers were able to see a trend where these little bells do work very well at keeping birds out of your garden by frightening them as well as giving them a horrible screeching noise that can get very annoying. They do come in many sizes, so you might want to go for one of the larger ones if you have birds such as pigeons or starlings.
3. Scarecrow
A scarecrow is a very simple piece of garden equipment to use as it doesn’t involve any electrical equipment and you can put almost anything on top. A huge variety of people like to make and put their own scarecrows in the garden.
They don’t just scare crows away, but can also frighten other types of birds. You can make it as gory and scary as you like, or maybe paint a face on a normal clothes peg to keep the birds away from your plants. If you’re looking for something that is easy to make then this one is right up your street!
You should also consider moving it around every couple of days in your yard so it catches the birds off guard. Don’t forget our feathery friends are quite intelligent.
4. Bird Spikes
Bird spikes are a great deterrent to keeping birds from nesting in unwanted areas. They are spikes with either pointy or rounded ends which prevents the birds from being able to nest in that location.
Generally, they don’t harm birds, but they could be considered cruel in the sense that they can cause damage to birds’ wings and legs.
Be sure not to use these if you have owls in your area, as they are a protected species and it is illegal! This goes for all endangered birds. You could wake up with a fine!
5. Low predetory noises mp3s
These noises are designed to scare animals away from your area without hurting them. You can find these as downloadable files on various websites from simple birds chirping noises to dingoes howling. The best way to get rid of a bird infestation is shock tactics, so start blaring this bad boy out in the garden and they will immediately be startled and scared off!
You don’t need to play them very loud either so you shouldn’t bother the neighbors with these. They work a lot better when played on a loop so you can pre-program them to play for an hour then turn them off by themselves!
6. Spray Them With Water
This trick works great especially if you have a lot of pigeons or starlings that like to land near/on your plants. A hose pipe with a high-pressure nozzle attached can work wonders. Just start spraying them with water and they will be scared off. This same trick can also work on many other bird pests too.
This is a great option if you have no money to spend, but something that may take a little more time than the owls or scarecrow. If you don’t want the hassle of buying a spray bottle then just use your hose!
7. Wind Chimes
If this sounds like something out of Harry Potter then it’s not. Wind chimes are designed to scare birds away from your garden by making various different noises when they clang together in the wind. You can buy these for very cheap as well which is great considering there not expensive to make yourself either! These go down really well in summer, as you can put one next to your pool or outdoor area where birds like to hang out and it will certainly get rid of them!
The sharp noise from the tinkling chimes is enough to scare most small birds away, but if not then something a little more aggressive needs to be done.
8. Terror Eyes Baloons
These have been very popular in recent years and are a great way to scare some birds away from your garden. They work by dangling them around your plants and anything else that you don’t want the crows or pigeons getting to, so it will frighten them simply because of how they look!
They can be found in many different themes, so if you don’t like the look of these bats or owls then just search for something more fitting for your own style.
In fact, they are actually quite popular with children as well who tend to enjoy playing with them after they have served their purpose. Just make sure that nothing gets caught up on a string connecting the balloon to its anchor point as this could cause injury.
- The eyes appear to follow the bird, creating the illusion that they are going to attack. This is done with cleaver holographic materials.
- Bright colors and ornate features exaggerate the menacing stare of predators in nature.
- When the wind blows, Terror Eyes’ effectiveness increases.
- Installs easily and requires minimal maintenance
9. Get A Dog
Animals are a great way to control pests naturally. By getting a dog you can simply scare off any birds that come too close to your garden, but will otherwise leave them alone and not harm them in any way.
We have had this same problem with our own bird problem here on the property (they were even flying into our house at night and waking us up!) This is how we got rid of them…
We don’t recommend getting a dog just to scare birds away though. Dogs deserve lots of love and attention which they cant get if you are just using them to scare birds.
However, we have found that our dog has been a great natural pest control solution for other types of pests. He seems to be very good at scaring off rats and even killing them – he occasionally brings their dead bodies back to us as a gift! Even possums don’t seem brave enough to hang around when they see him coming!
If you do decide to get a dog then make sure that you train him properly from an early age. Dogs are the best way to naturally keep away any pesky little garden birds but will need training just like anything else in your life!
10. Get A Cat
Just like a dog, a cat can be used to scare away birds in your garden. However, unlike a dog, You are farm more likely to wake up with a dead bird on your doorstep. Cat’s sure love bloodshed.
Just like small dogs, cats can also be used as a natural pest control. They are seen by smaller animals like squirrels and rats as predators, so they will keep their distance when around any cat (and in the case of birds – flying away). This makes some cats quite good at keeping pests away from your property while they are out roaming around!
11. Garden Spinners
These are usually ideal for hanging from trees and are found in many different styles. Some of them carry UV lights which scare birds even more! These could really come in handy for deterring any small birds that like to nest on your property while you sleep at night.
Be warned though – some spinners can be quite noisy so pick one out with this in mind! How annoying would it be if it kept spinning all the time? Hearing a clicking noise all day long just wouldn’t cut it…
12. Anything Reflective
Old CDs, mirrors, tin foil, Christmas ornaments, glass globes… The list could go on forever. All you have to do is hang it up near your garden and watch as the birds are scared away by the random bursts of light being scattered around from the wind.
The idea is that the birds fly into these objects and are startled by them. It could have the opposite effect though – especially on larger birds. they may see it as something worth investigating, rather than just taking off..
13. Motion Sensor Noisemaker
Compact but powerful motion sensor-activated sounds frighten all birds including Blackbirds, Woodpeckers, Magpies, Sparrows, Crows & Blue Tits, etc. Motion sensitive with adjustable sensitivity settings. Will cover an area of 150ft radius.
A motion sensor noisemaker is a great way to scare the birds away. They are activated by any movement (so even just someone walking in your garden can trigger it) and will make an incredibly loud noise that should chase anything away in seconds!
The only downside with this method is that they have to be manually turned off again, or you’ll trap yourself out at night with the sound going off every time you walk past it!
14. Motion Activated Sprinklers
These are made for keeping dogs out of your garden, but do double duty by keeping birds from roosting as well. Water scares them because of their natural aversion to getting wet and makes them quickly move on in search of another area to settle down. So when the sprinkler is set off they will try to avoid it at all costs and move on!
The biggest downside to this type of deterrent is that you have to remember to turn them off again before you go out into your garden. This can be quite tricky sometimes as leaving them on for too long could start to cause some unwanted flooding…
You should also consider if your area has any water restrictions in place as many states do these days, and only allow low-flow sprinklers to be used.
15. Remove Bird Friendly Garden Ornaments
If your set on keeping birds out, why would you invite them in with a nice bird bath or bird feeder? They are an easy way of attracting birds to your garden and once they get settled in, it will become very difficult to remove them.
If you can’t remove the bird bath or feeders, at least try to cover them up with a plastic bag. This will help reduce the number of curious birds who come over just for a drink of water or something to eat!
16. Bird Repellents
There are some things that you may not have thought of before which can be used as bird repellents:
Hanging Yellow Socks – Apparently, these scare birds because they think there is a predator in their territory (the odd Yellow bird perhaps?)! By hanging them on bushes and trees near areas where birds like to perch, you can ward them off.
Radio – Don’t use the radio to scare birds away (at least not while you’re in the garden), but tune it into static instead! This will create white noise which won’t attract birds at all (apart from maybe a few brain-damaged individuals) and they will see it as an unnatural sound.
17. Cover your garden in netting
If birds eating your garden and berries is the reason for concern, the best thing you can do is cover it up!
Covering your garden with nets will completely prevent them from eating anything. If you’re lucky, they might decide to just fly around and not bother hanging out in your yard at all!
The netting will allow sunlight in, but will also stop the birds from landing on anything, so they won’t be able to land and tear up berries from branches.
The downside is that it can look quite ugly, and you may not like having your garden covered by a net… but if it’s very effective then why not!
On the bright side, If you ever get too much sun, different-sized nets can be used to avoid plant burn, or if you’d like your garden to be less shady for other plants, then simply take it down!
Netting comes in all shapes and sizes, but the bigger you go, the more birds will still get through (and probably poke their heads right into your garden too) so bear this in mind before buying. Also, remember that different species of birds are noticeably bigger than others (eg Robins vs Starlings), so stick with large nets if they are a common nuisance pest!
18. Garden Fleece
Using garden fleece as a shield can be a good idea if your garden is already covered in netting as it will stop birds from landing directly on your plants and berries.
Using fleece can also be much cheaper than buying berry guards for every plant you have, but don’t expect it to solve all problems!