I went to a wonderful local toy store this afternoon to a buy a paper refill for the boys’ easel, and I chuckled when I watched a woman carefully pick out two plastic snakes. She noticed my expression and said, “We put these on the roof to keep the birds away.”

I love the creativity of it! Who would think pigeons are dumb enough to think, “Dang! There are snakes on that roof. I’m flying on to a better location.”

Birds in the Garden

We love birds in the garden and around the house, but I realize not everyone shares the sentiment. I heard of one gentleman who captured sparrows in a cage and disposed of them. It was draconian by any measure, and frankly pretty useless. It would be like catching mosquitoes on sticky tape especially since his neighbor fed the same birds and kept the populations healthy. His primary concern was the sparrows nesting in his downspouting and causing problems. There are definitely better ways to deal with the issue.

Bird Spikes

One tool is combinations of bird spikes. They can be made of metal or a composite material, and they are placed inside the gutters to discourage the birds. These are gnarly looking contraptions, and they effectively keep them at bay. The drawback is it would be tough to maintain in areas that have a lot of leaves or debris. If too much built up on the spikes, it would negate the purpose, and the birds would be back with a whole bunch of new nesting material.

Plant Deeply

But back to the pigeons. I can understand why someone wouldnt want them hanging out on their rooftop. Theyre messy. My plot in the community gardens is at an older gentlemans place, and he used to keep pigeons. Well, they still hang out because they know theyre going to be fed bread and other treats. I like the gentle cooing they make as they perch on the small building along the perimeter of the garden. Theyre interesting to watch and for the most part are fairly innocuous except for the copious amount of feces on the rooftops and the fact that they swoop down to pick up the seeds, especially the corn, as fast as I can plant it.

To keep them away from my seeds, I definitely plant deeper than normal. Im sure this affects germination rates to some degree, but any seed that is even slightly visible is gone. For smaller seeds, I cover them with a thin layer of straw or the floating row cover.

Mylar Stringers

But Im glad I dont have to worry about keeping them off the roof at home. I dont know how well the fake snakes work on top of the roof; the same goes for the owls or other static deterrents. Despite the proverbial bird brain, I think pigeons are smart enough to figure out that the object isnt going to hurt them. One thing that does work is attaching Mylar stringers to the roof or areas where you dont want the birds. They whip around in the wind and startle the birds from the area.

Shock Tracks

Another product that I think is a fantastic idea, although Ive never been in a situation to use it, is a shock track powered by either AC or solar DC current. When the little birdies touch the track it gives them a mild zap. It doesnt hurt them, but definitely would retrain them. If pigeons, starlings or crows are a huge issue, this is a viable solution.

For the most part birds are a lovely addition to the home landscape, but some of the species that come by the dozens can be a problem. With these few tips, you can be bird free without having to invest in fake snakes.

Photo copyright of Matt Ramos via istock.