Bird Control to Get Rid of Birds from Pools and Spas.

Geese, ducks, pigeons, sparrows and other birds often use pools and spas for drinking, pruning and cooling off.  But bird droppings in and around pool areas are unsanitary and can pose a health hazard.  Birds can carry any of 60 known diseases.

Germs in bird droppings can infect humans. Duck and goose droppings, for example, may contain germs such as E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter, or Cryptosporidium ("Crypto" for short). While chlorine will normally kill most germs in bird droppings, the germ Crypto is protected by a tough outer shell. This shell allows it to survive for days even in a chlorinated pool.

There’s also the slip-and-fall hazards wet bird droppings can create.  Children running around pools can easily fall and injure themselves.  Bird droppings on lounge chairs and towels can be equally unsettling.

This brings up the daily maintenance required when pest birds have invaded your pool or spa area.  There’s the constant cleaning  and monitoring of water content, the daily hosing off of deck chairs, tables and walkways—with pest birds, this process never ends.
Getting rid of pest birds can be a challenge.  In the US, most birds, including ducks and geese, are protected by the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act as well as by some state and local laws. This rules out lethal or harmful bird deterrents such as poisons, pellet guns or damaging or moving nests.

Here are some suggestions to keep pest birds away form your pool and spa area:

Scarecrows 

A natural around pools and spas, Scarecrows employ a motion-activated sensor to detect any bird entering a pre-set radius of protection. Once activated, birds get doused with a spray of water. Scarecrows connect easily to any standard garden hose and will protect a 1,200 square feet area (or a 35-foot by 45-foot wide swath). You can easily adjust the sensitivity and blast radius to you specific needs. And one 9-volt battery powers the entire device.

Sonic Bird Deterrents

Birds are always on the alert for predators. Sonic Bird Deterrents exploit this fact, emitting pre-recorded distress and predator calls that prompt birds to leave.  If your pool or spa areas is being invaded by a swarm of mixed bird species, consider getting the Bird Chase Super Sonic. It’s ideal for most common pest birds, including pigeons, crows and gulls. In fact, it emits distress and predator calls for 22 different species of birds.

Red-Tail Hawk Decoys

These look decorative and they work to scare most birds away. Red-Tail Hawk Decoys make the perfect companion bird deterrent for the two listed above.  Just make sure you get the most realistic looking decoy available.  The best hawk decoys are made of heavy duty plastic and will last for many seasons outdoors. The only thing you have to remember about hawk decoys is to re-position them from time to time.

Using Bird Guards and Bird Barriers to Bird Proof Your Property

by Alex A. Kecskes

No matter how you feel about birds, when they invade your property en masse, they can be a real nuisance. Consider the damage just a few bids can do to your gutters, rooftop AC units, skylights, air vents and solar panels. Over time, their acidic droppings eat into these areas and devices, which can be very costly to repair or replace. Bird droppings left on your car, van, boat or RV can ruin the finish, especially if you wait too long to wash off the droppings.

There’s also the problem of bird nests and nesting debris, which can cause fires when they are built too close to any electrical device, exterior wiring or light fixture.

Finally, if you fancy eating outdoors, there’s the problem of diseases that pest birds carry—they can transmit any of 60 known diseases. Unless you control pest birds with bird guards or bird barriers, they will land on tables, chairs, BBQs awnings, pool ledges and spa areas. And every time they do, there’s the potential for them to drop a disease carrying “load.”  

The solution, of course, is to install bird guards and bird barriers on your property. Two of the most popular bird control devices that fall into these categories are Bird Spikes and Bird Netting.

Bird Spikes Won’t Let ‘em Land

Whether you get stainless steel spikes or plastic, these deterrents are humane and highly effective.  Both are easy to install and essentially maintenance free. The plastic bird spikes cost a bit less and come in 3-, 5- and 7-inch widths and two-foot spike strips. A single row of bird spikes usually covers a 7-inch wide area. The best plastic spikes have a flexible base that adapts to curved surfaces. Each spiked strip comes pre-drilled with holes along the base. The strips can also glued in place by using a glue trough at the base of each spike strip. Concerned about how bird spikes will look on your property? Not to worry. They now come in a full range of colors--including white, tan, gray, black, brown, brick red and even crystal clear. Custom colors are also available.

Create a Bird-Proof Barrier with Bird Netting

Bird Netting creates a barrier that blocks out most pest birds. It can keep everything from sparrows to pigeons from invading the nooks and crannies of your property. What’s more, like bird spikes, netting is a humane bird deterrent that won’t harm birds.

For bird netting that lasts, opt for Heavy-Duty polyethylene Bird Netting. It’s made from a U.V. stabilized mesh and comes in various sizes and custom cuts. The key here is to choose the right mesh size for the pest bird you’re having problems with. The three most popular mesh sizes include 2-inch mesh, 1 1/8-inch mesh, and 3/4-inch mesh.

The most rugged netting is ISO 1806 protocol mesh tested, flame resistant and rot- and waterproof. This durable netting consists of 6 monofilaments, each12/1000s of an inch thick. The monofilaments are twisted together to create a tough twine with 160-200 twists per meter.  This high quality bird proof netting is frequently specified by architects.

To get the most deterrent effect out of bird netting, you must install it properly. Before installing Heavy Duty Bird Netting, thoroughly clean the area of bird droppings, nesting materials, loose rust, peeling paint or other debris. Improperly installed netting will sag or droop, leaving gaps that birds can work through. The one thing to remember here is that pest birds can be very resourceful when it comes to sneaking through netting. For best results in large installations, cables should be set up around the area and the net should then be attached to this cable.