You have spent countless dollars and hard work preparing your summer garden, only to see it go to the birds. This is happening all over the country to backyard gardeners. Pest birds such as crows, sparrows, starlings and even pigeons are eating the seeds and seedlings in our gardens before they have a chance to grow. If you are so lucky as to get mature plants, the birds will enjoy feasting on them too. How do you keep these pests away from your garden?
There are several methods you can use to keep pest birds away from your garden. There are sound deterrents that scare birds away. There are visual deterrents that make birds feel uncomfortable in the area, and there are physical deterrents that block birds from your garden.
Lets first look at the sound deterrents. They play distress calls and predator calls. When birds hear the distress calls their natural instinct is to flee the area. The predator calls reinforce that danger is near so the birds stay away. It is easy to mount sound deterrents around the garden. Some units even have satellite speakers so the sound can come from several areas of the garden or yard. Once the birds have left the area you can turn off the sound system, if the birds return, just turn it back on.
Visual deterrents are usually some sort of reflective surface like Mylar flash tape or bright balloons, which scare the birds as the sun reflects off of them and as they move with the breeze. Visual deterrents are an inexpensive way to get rid of birds from your garden or yard. Once the birds leave the deterrents may be removed, if the birds return, just put the deterrents back up again.
One of the best physical deterrents is garden bird netting. This netting is easy to install and is made of a light plastic so it will not damage plants. Place garden stakes around the perimeter of your garden, then drape the netting over the stakes. No need to remove the netting to water, just raise the netting up the stakes as the garden grows. Garden bird netting comes in various mesh sizes depending on the type of bird that is attacking your garden.
In some cases, it may take more than one type of bird deterrent to keep the birds from your garden. You may need a visual distraction to get rid of crows and a physical deterrent to keep the sparrows away. Whichever method you choose, it is best to protect your garden from birds right from the beginning. As you plant the seeds you should also install the bird deterrents.
Fran Prisco has been in the bird control industry for over eight years now. She is involved with product development, sales and service. She enjoys running, biking, golf and most things outdoors.
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