How do I know what type of Bird Netting to install?

3/4" Bird Netting excluding from hanger rafters.

The primary purpose of bird netting is to exclude pest birds from an area while at the same time being as invisible as possible. Modern technology has allowed netting manufactures the ability to design nets that are long lasting, strong and can be made to cover small and large openings. Bird netting is used to keep a variety of pest birds out of any enclosed or semi-enclosed area. That is why it is important to select the proper bird netting to match your problem bird.

Selecting the style of Bird Netting

 

The two main styles of Bird Netting are an inexpensive lightweight plastic mesh, which is used in gardens or to help solve small homeowner bird problems. This netting should only be used for short-term bird problems, because it is not designed to hold up to the elements.  I will focus on the Bird Netting of choice for bird control professionals which is made out of polyethylene twine, that is long lasting, water resistant and nearly invisible when installed correctly. It is available in black, stone and white, with black being far and away the most popular color because it blends in with almost background including white buildings. Contrary to what most people think white netting is the most visible because it reflects light and brakes down faster from the UV rays.

Selecting the Bird Net mesh size

Black Bird Net on a white building

Pest birds including sparrows, starlings, woodpeckers, pigeons, crows, gulls come in all different shapes and sizes, so therefore you need to use a net that will exclude your problem bird. High-end bird nets are available in a variety of mesh sizes. The mesh “opening” is the area in the netting in which small birds or large birds could potentially squeeze through. The mesh squares are measured from one side of the twine to the opposite side. To exclude sparrows and all other pest birds use ¾” mesh netting.  Small 3/4” netting can be used to keep swallows out of eves, run under carports as a false ceiling or solve large bird problems in warehouses and hangers. The next size up is 1 1/8”, which keeps out Starlings and larger birds. Starling Net is commonly used to keep starlings out of little openings on roof edges and over hangs. Pigeon net or 2” netting is the most widely used bird control netting because of the high level of problems with pigeons or larger birds like gulls.  Pigeon net is used on home eves, courtyards, rooftops, carports literally any enclosed or semi-enclosed area where pigeons or larger birds are a problem. 

The largest size polyethylene mesh twine is the 4” gull net, which is used to keep large birds like gulls and geese out of ponds, rooftops etc. 

4" Bird netting over a pond

More netting blogs to follow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For specific advice, email mark@birdsgottago.com with brief description of roosting conditions.

BirdsGottaGo.com
1-855-741-3222

 

Do it yourself Bird Control Solutions for homeowners

Pigeon on side of house

Pest birds on your home can be annoying and unsightly, but luckily there are a variety of bird control products available for “Do It Yourself” homeowners. These bird deterrent products are great for people that don’t mind getting a little dirty or maybe climbing a ladder. The key to successfully solving a bird problem is figuring out what attracts the pest birds to various locations on your home or yard.  Is it food?  Is it a protected nesting spot?  Is it a great sunning location?  Once you know this information, you can choose the right bird control product to protect your home and apply it to the right location to drive the pest birds away. 

 

The following are the most common homeowner bird problems and solutions:

 

Pest Birds on Roof Peaks 

Pigeons on roof peak and side

Pigeons and gulls like to roost on the peak or high point of roofs to keep an eye out for enemies, overlook food or water, and sometimes to just sun themselves. If you are experiencing this problem, the easiest solution is to run Bird Spikes along the peak of the roof. Before installing Bird Spikes, observe the birds’ activity so you can get a feel for where they are congregating. A few rows of bird spikes may be needed to remove the area where the birds are frequenting. When installing the Bird Spikes, clean the area first to remove any dirt or bird droppings. Once the area is clean, apply adhesive to the base of the Bird Spikes and set them in place. I don’t recommend screwing down because that can damage your roof and cause water leaks. As a added deterrent mount the Attack Eagle Bird Deterrent near the roof peak edge. This will help discourage birds from landing.

Pest Birds Under Roof eves

Pigeons like to nest underneath eaves because the area protects them from the elements just like a home. If pigeons are nesting in this shaded area, the best solution is to net off the area with 2” Bird Net as this will completely block access to the area. When pigeons are nesting, they have a strong desire to remain there so you need to completely eliminate access with the bird netting to drive them off.  When installing bird net, try to angle it out a little so there is no available shade for the pigeons to roost. Try to avoid putting holes in the roof by wedging attachments under roof shingles, or gluing/bonding attachments to the surface if the surface is strong. If the pigeons are new to the area and have not started to nest, you might be successful in moving them by covering the surface with Bird Spikes. If you do this, make sure you completely cover any shaded surface area with the Bird Spikes.

Keep Birds off of Roof Edges

Bird Spikes on building

Pigeons or gulls like to also roost on the sides of homes overlooking the yard or patio. Installing Bird Spikes along the perimeter of the house can easily modify this behavior. Make sure that when you are installing the Bird Spikes, that the tip of the spike is even with or hangs a little over the edge of the building. Do not leave a gap between the side of the building and the tip of the spike – if you do birds, will try to squeeze into the space. If you have a problem with smaller birds like sparrows or starlings, Bird Gel can be applied along the edge as a short-term solution. Don't use Bird Spikes against smaller birds like sparrows or starlings as they only work against pigeons and larger pest birds. For a long-lasting and very effective solution against all size and species of pest birds, an electrified track like Bird Shock FlexTrack can be installed by a professional bird control company.

Pest Birds Striking Windows

Several bird control products are specially designed to help prevent bird window strikes; one is "Bird Alert for Windows". The Bird Alert decal has a special coating that reflects ultraviolet sunlight. This ultraviolet light is invisible to humans, but birds see it as a brilliant glow much like a stoplight. The Bird Alert decal is designed to be placed on the OUTSIDE of a window to help stop birds from striking the window. Bird Alert decals can be applied to windows of homes or businesses, including high rise office buildings.

Woodpeckers Pecking Homes

Woodpecker damaging home

When fighting  Woodpeckers, always combine taste and Audio/visual products. Do not try to save money by applying just one of these solutions because that will only lower your chances of success.  The idea is to create the feeling that there are multiple ‘threats’ in the area so the woodpecker moves on to a safer place. Ideally woodpecker problems should be solved immediately when they first show up – the longer you let them peck away at your house, the harder it will be to break their habit. To make your decision process easy, try one of the Woodpecker solution kits which combines some of the best selling products – Popular Woodpecker products include -  Woodpecker Deterrent Kit- Basic, Holographic Owl, Holographic Repel Strips and Flash tape.

A new product on the market is the highly effective  Gull-Cat Decoy Scares Birds. The Gull-Cat cat Bird Deterrent by its realistic features along with a moving head and tail. Mount on the side of the wall facing down towards the problem area or use on the deck or patio area. If you have crows in your yard, try hanging the Dead Crow Bird Scare Decoy for crows or the  Dead Gull Bird Deterrent upside side in the death position. Combine the Dead Crow Deterrent with other Crow deterrents. 

 

 Bird Chaser Bird Deterrent -want to move flocks of crows out of trees or off power lines, the ground-breaking Bird Chaser bird deterrent is a visual bird scare device that deters problem crows & starlings from unwanted areas by reflecting irregular light beams from the sun.

New woodpecker & pest bird deterrent is the Bird Free Bird Repellent Gel or BirdFire Optical Gel, which affects all pest bird species by triggering multiple sensory responses. First, the material emits a UV light to make it appear as a flame to approaching birds. Stick the pre-loaded dishes near and around the pest bird problem areas!

 

* Audio / Visual Bird Scare products are not always effective on their own, particularly where birds may be roosting rather than simply hanging out. A combination of audio / visual products should be deployed and re-located as birds react. Results vary depending on protected roosting conditions, food /water source. Overnight nesting sites typically require exclusionary products – netting, electric etc. 

Contact us at mark@birdsgottago.com with details about your bird problem and we can work with you to determine the best bird control products to deter the birds from your property.

BirdsGottaGo.com

1-855-741-3222