What property modifications will keep down bird populations?

Although birds in a property may be beautiful to see, they can pose a safety and health threat, as well as cause substantial material damage. Depending on the environment and the location you live in, your property may attract pigeons, seagulls, crows and other birds that are definitely hard to live in. before the damage birds cause becomes too expensive to repair, it is up to you to properly modify your home and property in order to keep them away. There are numerous ways for you to keep the birds away, and most of them include property modifications that will not allow the birds to access your residence. Modifying an estate to keep the birds away is important due to multiple risks they carry.

Birds can cause substantial damage in any estate they inhabit. They normally nest in nests that are sheltered from predators and disturbance. This is the reason why birds most often nest in roof tops and chimneys. These places are dark and hidden which protects birds from people and other animals. They are also sheltered from extreme weather conditions, like rain and cold. Often, birds will gather on the top of the roofs, balconies, yards and windows. As they crowd these areas, they peck on the infrastructure and are capable of damaging it. They also leave a large amount of fences behind, which can cause the infrastructure materials to rot and rust. Often, birds can damage balconies and roofs to the point where repairs can be very expensive.

Home repairs are the first step you need to take if you want to keep the birds away from your property. However, to be able to properly repair your home, you are going to have to inspect it for any possible bird entry spots. Inspect your attic, roof and balcony to detect any holes that are large enough for a bird to get through. Also, inspect your fences for any holes and gaps. Note any spots you discovered that are split, cracked, rotten or rusted. All these are the spots you are going to have to seal and repair. Pay special attention to holes and gaps in your roof, because these are the places that birds will most likely use to get inside your attic.

Bird nets are another great way to keep the birds away from spots that you can't seal. These include chimneys, vents, balconies or any other spots you detect. You can purchase bird nets in the majority of hardware stores, and other stores that specialize in products related to birds and other animals. You may need a different type of net for different locations in your estate. Installing these nets is going to prevent birds from landing on balconies and chimney tops, as well as entering your home through vents.

Bird spikes are a highly useful installation to keep the birds away from places like fences and balconies. Made out of different material, bird spikes are basically pieces of long spikes lodged on a flat basis. Once you install bird spikes in areas in which you want to keep the birds away from, birds are not going to be able to land there. They will lose interest in these areas after some time. Bird spikes are sold in a lot of hardware and other specialized stores. You can choose between steel, stainless and plastic spikes.

Scarecrows are home-made or produced human-like installation that are supposed to keep the birds away. Since their shape resembles a human, they are often used to keep the birds away from fields and crops. You can buy a scarecrow, but making one on your own is not that difficult either. First, you need to create a cross using two long wooden sticks and tie or nail them together in the middle, next, you need to layer hey on top of these sticks to create a human shape. Use robes to do this. The final step is dressing a scarecrow, for which you can improvise with different fabrics or use actual clothes.

Proper cleaning is a way for you to keep the birds away from your balcony, porch and front yard. Make sure to regularly remove any trash, food remains or leaves that may leave behind in these areas. Keeping your properly properly clean is going to attract less birds, because they won't be visiting in search for food and shelter.

If you are working to a strict budget but still need to find a way to stop birds from causing a nuisance on your property, here are a few ideas that you can get started with.

FREE:

If you have any of the following things in your kitchen or home, you have a “bird repellent”. These do not work well and can actually prove quite expensive in the long term, but they can have some effect in the short term -

Chilli peppers (fresh or dried)

Vinegar (preferable white)

Water (to mix)

Citronella (animal-safe) essential oil

Peppermint (dried, fresh or animal-safe essential oil)

Under $20:

Spiral reflective rods can be hung from fences, walls and tree branches to deflect light and frighten birds away. You can often buy a pack of 15-30 of these for less than $20. Foil strips and stickers can also work well. It’s best if they move so the light reflected moves. 

Owl decoys and dummies start at around $10 for small models, with more complex, moving, light-making models on offer for more money. These need to be moved frequently to be realistic. 

Under $30:

Some bird spike strips can be purchased for around $30. These are designed to be installed on ledges, on top of walls, etc. and work to take away landing places and roosts for nuisance birds. As long as the spike strips are cleaned and well-maintained, they are a permanent method of bird removal and control.