Keep Birds Away

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.

If your school is like most, it has open courtyards, outdoor eating areas and overflowing garbage cans and dumpsters. Birds love to loiter around these areas and seek out any food scraps left under lunch tables and benches. And when they see an opportunity, they’ll dive in. After they’re stuffed, they’ll “let loose” some sizeable bird droppings. These droppings can end up on playgrounds, water faucets, lunch benches, tables and walkways. Besides being unsightly, bird droppings can carry any of 60 know diseases, including salmonella and ecoli. Children can also slip and fall on fresh bird droppings, a liability for any school district.

Chances are, you’ve put up with pest birds all year long. Fortunately, there are three simple things you can do to keep them away. And there’s no better time to implement these effective bird control solutions than during the holiday break. So act now while maintenance crews are on site to keep bird pests from flocking to your school.

Scare Birds Away with Repeller 360°

This simple bird control device sweeps pest birds off rooftops, AC units and other flat areas using sustainable wind power. Ideal for keeping larger birds like pigeons, crows, gulls, cormorants and raptors from landing, Bird-B-Gone’s Repeller 360°’s two long arms each have end sails covered with reflective “predator eyes.” When the arms spin in the breeze, the sweeping action and predator eyes combine to make an effective pest bird deterrent. Self-sufficient and easy to set up, the Repeller 360° needs no electrical power or wiring. It rotates continuously in the wind, covering a 6-foot diameter to harmlessly convince bird pests to move on.

Pest Birds Hate Bird Jolt Flat Track
 
Give pest birds a lesson they’ll never forget—a “hello” jolt of electricity when they land on your school roof, ledge or sign. Bird-B-Gone’s Bird Jolt Flat Track “educates” birds but won’t harm them. It’s like getting a shock when you touch a doorknob after walking on the carpet. The shock convinces birds to avoid any lofty areas of your school. Bird Jolt Flat Track is the #1 Specified electric track by architects and government agencies. Its patented “anti-arcing” design provides an added level of safety. It’s also crush proof and will continue to work even if stepped on by window washers or building maintenance crews.
 
Bird Spikes Create No-Landing Zone for Bird Pests
 
Whether you choose plastic or stainless steel, Bird-B-Gone Bird Spikes simply won’t allow birds to land or perch on or near them. Steel bird spikes feature rows of stainless steel spikes embedded in a U.V.-protected polycarbonate base. You can also go with Plastic Bird Spikes, which come in white, tan, gray, black, brown, brick red and crystal clear--to blend in with your school’s color scheme. Plastic spikes are made of rigid U.V.-resistant unbreakable polycarbonate, which makes them tough and economical. Neither type of bird spike will harm birds or installation crews.

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.

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:

Many homeowners have problems with birds around the outside of their garage. That’s because, if a garage is not attached to the home, you won’t hear birds pecking and nesting on rooftop areas, or even the gutters of a garage.