What are the Best Methods? We test, review, and rate them….
Best Products Guide ⇒
We rate the best bird control methods for the following:
1. Ledges and horizontal surfaces
2. Ceilings and small crevices
3. Trees and Landscaped Areas
First, the best methods for ledges is electric barrier and bird slide/slant metal or boards. Of these, the best is spring tension electric barrier because the floating spring tension design lasts 25 years. Where as, flat electric barriers usually last five to ten years before degrading to the point of needing full replacement. Slanted metal or plastic bird slide works on some narrow ledges against a wall. The problem with this bird slide method is small birds, starlings, and rats nest behind the slanted materials after squeezing thru crevices. Slant board or birds slide becomes a dirty mess overtime because it is almost impossible to remove and clean behind. Cones over some light fixtures are another form of slanted metal.
Second, the best method for ceilings is black heavy duty polyethylene netting and vinyl coated mesh. Floating or point to point electric barriers are also good for some ceilings with limited crevices and horizontal surfaces.
Third, the best methods for Trees and Landscaped areas is humans with the right tools. The tools could be many different devices including dogs, fogging equipment, lights, noise makers and drones. Because birds adapt most sound makers or motion devices are worthless without the human element. The human scare crow with the right know how and tools can herd birds and change their behavior. This is called an Active Barrier.
Spring Tension Electric Barrier
Spring Tension electric barrier is known as Bird Fence or Avian Averting System. Some persons call it shock-wire. It has evolved over the years.
Effectiveness 0% -100%
90%
Longevity 1-25 Years
95%
10 Year Cost to Maintain $-$$$$$
$$$
Product:
Avian FlyAway’s Electric Barrier
Air Insulated Open Wire Design
Avian Averting System
Bird Fence
Advantages:
Great for controlling pigeons and other birds on window ledges, rooftops, columns, historical structures, architectural designs, awnings, parapets, signs, railings, beams, parking garages, and any structure with pest birds.
Visually appealing, virtually invisible from below, above and from windows looking out. Unsurpassed in visual appeal from inside the building looking out onto ledges for electric barriers.
Eliminates pest birds from nesting and roosting with a humane mild harmless shock.
Proven to last 25 years in full sun and longer in the shade.
Best product on the market for pigeons, vultures, and buzzards.
100% satisfaction guaranteed
Professional installation
Both vertical and horizontal shock resistance to pest birds
Efficient design with pos/neg electrical design virtually eliminates arcing.
Works Excellent for many years
with Vultures/Buzzards.
Meets pin and wire mortar fastening specifications
Disadvantages:
-Requires electricity
-Requires professional installation
-Expert knowledge of birds necessary by designer
-Permanently fastened with screws or spot-welds
-UV problems after 30 years
-Adhesive installs subject to environmental variables
-Arcing still possible in rare instances
Bird Netting & Mesh
The bird netting we rate is heavy duty black polyethylene bird netting and vinyl covered wire mesh. This is the only bird netting you should buy.
Effectiveness 0% -100%
90%
Longevity 1-25 Years
70%
10 Year Cost to Maintain $-$$$$$
$$$
Product:
Bird
Control
Netting & Mesh
Black Polyethylene Twist
Stainless Mesh
Vinyl Coated Wire Cloth
Advantages:
Netting/mesh provides a good blocking barrier against some pest birds and workers too.
Great for ceilings, large open areas, large covered balconies, and airplane hangers.
Stainless Steel Mesh lasts decades, and vinyl covered mesh lasts decades in most areas.
Disadvantages:
-Not always aesthetically pleasing up close
-Mesh is sometimes ugly
-Very Costly in some applications
-Prevents worker access to area, seals off access
-UV destroys cheap or non black nets quickly, UV problems after 10 years on the best nets in full sun.
-Netting and mesh may not work at an angle. Birds cling to angles.
Flat Electric Barrier Tracks & Tapes
Horizontal electric barriers are plastic tracks, strips, and tapes lying flat on the surface with metal wires sewn onto, embedded into, or glued onto plastic.
Effectiveness 0% -100%
85%
Longevity 1-25 Years
35%
10 Year Cost to Maintain $-$$$$$
$$$$$
Product:
Flat Shocking Tracks
–PVC Base or Acrylic Tape
Bird-Shock®
Bird Jolt Flat Track™
Flex-Track™
AviShock™
KabaTape®
Voltape®
BirdShock®
Barrier Strip™
Advantages:
Visually appealing from below. May be unsightly out of windows and from above.
Low profile.
Good for signs, railings, covered ledges that remain out of the weather and sun.
Deters birds from nesting and roosting with a humane mild harmless shock.
Acrylic Tape blends in to structure until mold starts
Good for DIY part-time installers.
Disadvantages:
| -Requires electricity
-Color fades and plastic shrinks within weeks of install in full sun. Vultures destroy within 4 years. -Not UV resistant after 5 years, Threads break 4 to 7 yrs. UV & Smut build up problems after 5 years, immediately creates hidden cost in difficult access areas or facades, replacement costs. -Does not work near salt water, road salt spray or sea spray. Arcing/shorting problems common and difficult to trouble shoot, connections short out easily. -Monthly maintenance of the track is recommended by manufacturers -Adhesives may stain, unreliable adhesive fastened -KabaTape/Voltape/BirdShock tape must be cleaned or will arc for 2 reasons: aluminum wire on acrylic tape base becomes self-insulating and contaminants collecting on flat surface between 2 ridged conductors shorts out due to smut and pollution. -Mold grows under clear tape -Aluminum wire incompatible with copper and requires cleaning to remain conductive to bird’s touch -Expected life on track/tape from 3 to 7 years in sun -Lack of vertical resistance allows birds to easily hop over -DIY Product sold by companies with no knowledge of electric barrier design |
Slanted Metal or Plastic Bird Slide
Slanted metal or plastic bird slide is used to exclude or obstruct ledges less than 16″ wide. It is best for ledges less than 10″ wide.
Effectiveness 0% -100%
70%
Longevity 1-25 Years
90%
10 Year Cost to Maintain $-$$$$$
$$$
Product:
Bird Slide
Slanted Metal
Advantages:
Slanted barrier that prevents some birds from attempting to land, roost, or nest.
Metal versions may look very good.
Glue or screw fasten.
Disadvantages:
-Limited areas for installation, looks unsightly on ledges wider than 12 inches.
-Some birds will roost on top by digging claws into top crevice
-Can be ugly when not painted to match structure if clashing colors.
-Small birds, Starlings, and rats build nests behind due to exposed crevices.
-Blocks bottom of windows and plastic versions create dusty mess and residue piles outside of windows. Plastic versions not appropriate for outside of windows.
-Unfinished metal is unsightly.
Adhesive fastens may not last.
Bird Spikes
Bird Spikes are metal or plastic pointy objects that deter birds from ledges and other horizontal surfaces.
Effectiveness 0% -100%
45%
Longevity 1-25 Years
80%
10 Year Cost to Maintain $-$$$$$
$$$
Product:
Bird Spikes
Metal
Bird Spikes
Plastic
Bird Spikes
Advantages:
Detracts large birds from landing and roosting on very narrow flat surfaces.
May be effective as a perch deterrent.
Colored metal spikes usually work for a while on isolated decorative lighting that is hanging by a chain or wall mounted as long as it is less than a square foot in area.
Disadvantages:
-Attracts nesting birds into the spikes if used at 90-degree angle or recessed area.
-Birds build nests on top, does not change behavior.
-Ugly at a short distance, unfavorable aesthetics for architectural design
-Detaches or falls off of structure becoming a liability and safety hazard
-Clear plastic turns whitish yellow after 5 years in sunlight.
-Vultures/Buzzards destroy easily
-Birds become ensnared and impaled on spikes in windy weather, which makes even the newer blunt end spikes impale hazards. The sharper spikes may easily harm birds.
-Poor aesthetics
-Look and feel of a low-cost solution
-Only reliable for small areas less than a square foot or as a perch deterrent
-Adhesives will not hold for long because of narrow base
-Should be mechanically fastened