Winter is here and it’s time to winterize your home. This is typically when you seal all the cracks between wood and stucco, wood window casings, etc. It’s also the time when you need to check your rain gutters and spouts, and when you check around chimney areas and vents. It’s also the time when you should be thinking about bird proofing your home. Bird, after all will be looking to settle in for the winter and if your home isn’t protected with bird deterrents, they’ll gravitate to your home and you know what that means: nests, feathers and bird droppings. Nests in your rain gutters, patio covers, gazebos and all those nooks and crannies in your home’s exterior.
The good news is, you can prevent birds from flocking around your home by implementing an effective and humane bird control strategy. Here are several bird deterrents that you should consider installing when winterizing your home:Sonic Bird DeterrentsYou can blast air horns and set off firecrackers to scare birds away. But they’ll come back as soon as you go backing the house. Sound Bird Deterrents have been proven effective because they emit distress and predator sounds that frighten birds. The best sonic deterrents will emit sounds that birds can hear (unlike ultrasonic deterrents which emit sounds birds can’t hear). If you had crows, starlings, swallows, gulls, woodpeckers, sparrows, grackles, cormorants last year, you might want to consider using the sonic system many have turned to: it emits distress and predator calls for as many as 22 types of birds. By the way, sonic bird deterrents only create sounds that resemble normal birdcalls, so they won’t annoy your neighbors and pets. Balloons and BannersEasy to install and quite effective in deterring birds from your home and backyard, Banners, Flash Tape and Balloons make pest birds feel too uncomfortable to stay. These deterrents rattle and reflect sunlight as they twist and flap in the breeze. Balloons have the added advantage of large, predator eyes that spook birds, making them think a large predator is eyeballing them. For best results, these visual bird deterrents should be moved around occasionally to keep the threat looking alive and real.Bird SpidersEasy to place on rooftops, patio covers and other elevated areas, Bird Spiders boast long spindly arms that prevent birds from landing. Spiders come in 2-, 4- and 8-foot diameter arm lengths to protect increasingly wider areas. A variety of mounting bases allow for easy positioning on most flat areas. Bird Slope™Angled, slippery PVC panels, Bird Slope deterrents are easy to install in all those 90-degree nooks and crannies where birds tend to nest. The panels come in a variety of colors to blend in with your home’s aesthetics. The best panels are made of UV-stabilized polycarbonate to last longer in tough outdoor weather.