Open buildings, such as warehouses and barns, are particularly vulnerable to bird invasions. Once birds find their way inside, they can quickly make themselves at home, nesting in rafters, beams, scattered cuttings, and debris. In addition to being messy, birds can also pose a serious health risk, as their droppings can contain harmful bacteria.
To make things worse, if you have plants in your open building, birds can wreak havoc on them, eating the leaves, flowers, and fruits. They may feast on your seedlings even before they have a chance to sprout.
So, what can you do to keep birds out of your open building? Read on for some tips.
Why Do Birds Like to Go on Open Buildings?
In the city, birds are simply looking for a place to build their nests. They’re attracted to open buildings because they offer a safe, sheltered spot away from predators.
Birds are also drawn to food sources, so if you have plants in your area or if you leave food out for other animals, that may be another reason why birds are congregating there.
How to Keep Birds Out of Your Open Building
The incessant sound of birds chirping in the early morning hours is enough to drive anyone insane. Paired with their droppings and the destruction of your plants, it’s no wonder you want them gone.
Here are some tips on how to keep birds out of your open building:
Use Visual Displays to Scare Away Birds
Does this work? While it may seem like a simple solution, sometimes all it takes is a visual display to scare birds away. Remember that despite their curious personality, birds are also cautious creatures.
You can try hanging shiny objects from the ceiling or lining the perimeter of your building with bird netting.
If you have a garden, you can also try stringing up old CDs or pie pans. The reflective surface will startle birds and deter them from landing.
Some properties also have statues of predatory animals. While these won’t actually do anything to harm the birds, their presence may be enough to keep them away.
Install Bird Nettings
If you have a lot of birds congregating in your open building, you may want to consider installing bird nettings.
This is a physical barrier that will prevent birds from entering the area. Nettings can be installed on the roof, over windows, or around any other openings. Remember, birds can squeeze themselves in, even through small spaces. Creating that barrier will make it much more difficult for them to get inside.
You can also use nettings to create a physical barrier around your plants. This will protect them from being eaten or damaged by birds.
Make the Area Difficult to Land On
Birds like to land on smooth, flat surfaces. If you make the area around your open building difficult for them to land on, they may be less likely to stick around.
One way to do this is by installing spikes or wire mesh on ledges and window sills. You can also try hanging ribbons or streamers from the ceiling.
The movement will make it difficult for birds to land, and they’ll likely move on to somewhere else.
Use Sound Devices to Deter Birds
As mentioned earlier, open buildings make a perfect sheltered space for birds because they’re away from predators. However, you can use sound devices to make the area less appealing to them.
Playing a recording of a predator call, or even just a loud noise, can make birds feel unsafe and cause them to fly away.
You can also try using an ultrasonic device. These emit high-frequency sounds that are inaudible to humans but will bother birds.
Use Safe Deterrents
Airports and large commercial buildings often use chemicals and other bird repellants. Ideally, you want to make sure that you have a professional apply these so that they’re used safely and correctly.
Repellents can be effective, but they need to be applied regularly. You may need to experiment with a few different types before you find one that works.
When choosing a repellent, make sure you go with one that won’t harm birds, other animals, and the environment.
Final Thoughts
Open buildings may seem like an open invitation to birds, but there are ways that you can keep them out.
By far, reflective mirrors have been proven to be one of the most effective ways to scare birds away. But, you can also try installing bird nettings, bird wires, or using sound devices.