Anti-Bird Spikes: What You Need to Know

Anti-Bird Spikes: What You Need to Know

Posted on December 11, 2020 by Bird B Gone in Bird Control

Roosting birds cause lots of problems. If you have perching pigeons, gathering gulls, or congregating crows on your property, then you know exactly what we’re talking about. While this communal roosting provides significant benefits to birds, it does nothing but cause trouble for people. Noisy chattering, food messes, and, it needs to be said, poop everywhere are the result. Roosting birds create unsightly, corrosive, toxic, droppings. 

Popular roosting areas are easily spotted by telltale streaks of salt-and-pepper-colored bird droppings that look horrible, destroy property values, and hurt business. Droppings destroy indiscriminately; no material is safe from their damaging effects. Bird poop is corrosive enough to eat through virtually any material, including concrete, wood, stone, iron, and steel, and regular accumulations of droppings can ruin cloth, damage paint, and even short out electrical equipment. You just cannot afford, for any reason, to allow prolonged communal roosting on your property.

Anti-Bird Spikes to the Rescue

Employing physical barriers that prevent roosting is the best way to protect your property from bird damages, and bird spikes are the most effective, least expensive bird deterrent available on the market today. Bird spikes have been around for over 50 years as a simple barrier against birds roosting on narrow, horizontal surfaces such as ledges, sills, pipes, chimneys, signs, and gutters. 

They are Bird B Gone’s best-selling bird deterrent product; their long life span and easy installation make them a popular bird control solution for both residential and commercial buyers. If you’re thinking of giving spikes a try, the following is all you need to know.

What Are Anti-Bird Spikes?

The bird spike is a simple device used to prevent birds from perching or roosting on flat surfaces. Spike systems consist of thin, mildly flexible rods set in a base in multiple rows at varying angles. Pigeon spikes are not sharp and will not harm birds in any way; pigeon spikes are always dull and are completely safe and humane. Contact with the spikes is uncomfortable but never painful or dangerous. The sole purpose of the spikes is to block the birds’ feet from reaching the flat surface; without a foothold, the birds can’t roost. You can use bird spikes to protect your property with a clear conscience.

Bird control spikes are easy to understand, install, and maintain. No special tools are needed, no complicated assembly is involved, and making certain that the spikes don’t become clogged with leaves or other debris is the only maintenance required. In addition, no other bird control device is as cost-effective when measured in money and time; anti-bird spikes don’t require costly installation upfront and continue to function for a long, long time. Bird spikes are honestly a great way to keep birds away.

Bird Spikes from Bird B Gone

Bird B Gone offers four outstanding spike options. Choose the product that is best for you.

  • Bird Spike 2001 Stainless Steel Bird Spike. Our #1 spike is available in 2’ lengths and in 1”, 3”, 5”, and 8” widths.
  • Bird Spike 2000 Plastic Bird Spikes. These Plastic bird spikes are sold in 3”, 5”, and 7” widths and in six different colors.
  • Mega Bird SpikesThese heavy-duty product features 7” spikes mounted in our flexible, notched polycarbonate base. Strips come in 2’ lengths and work to protect a 5” ledge.
  • Gutter Bird SpikesStainless Steel Gutter Bird Spikes are built to deter birds from landing or nesting in gutters. Each strip comes equipped with three “C” clamps along its base that are easily tightened with the attached thumb screw for quick, DIY installation.

The Many Advantages of Bird Spikes

Anti-bird spikes offer the following advantages:

  1. They Are Safe. Impaling birds is not the purpose of the spikes. Bird spikes have harmless, dull tips, and the spikes themselves are just a bit bendy. When birds try to land, they get a gentle, uncomfortable prod in their undercarriage, and their feet are unable to reach the surface.
  2. They Are Effective. Many bird control experts agree that bird spikes are 100% effective at deterring roosting birds when installed correctly. Spikes work by preventing birds from roosting, and they work every time. Rain or shine, day or night, today, tomorrow, and next year, spikes keep birds away.
  3. They Last a Long Time. Bird control spikes offer low-maintenance protection for years. High-quality strips and spikes are constructed to withstand constant exposure to harsh, changing weather conditions.
  4. They Are Unobtrusive. Strips don’t cause any interference with electrical or communication transmissions, and, especially from a distance, they won’t significantly interfere with the look of your property. The only thing you will notice is the absence of birds.
  5. They Are Easy to Use. Spikes come preassembled in 2-foot strips that are notched for a tool-free breakdown. A piped line of adhesive down the bottom of the strip gives you a quick and permanent installation, or, for temporary installation, strips can be nailed, screwed, or even zip-tied down. Plus, anyone can do it; installing bird spikes is well within the skills of any competent DIYer.

Choose the Right Spikes

Bird spikes are pretty simple. Choosing the right anti-bird spikes involves considering the following:

Material

Bird spikes come in plastic and stainless steel, both of which have a UV-resistant polycarbonate plastic base. Both systems are effective, long-lasting, weather-resistant, and easy to use, but stainless-steel spikes have a higher upfront cost and carry a longer warranty. Stainless steel spikes also have a slightly lower visual impact than plastic. Plastic spikes are thicker and are more visible, but they come in a variety of colors to improve camouflage.

Width

Getting the width right is critical to fully protect your area. Clever birds will find ways to get around your spikes if they are not properly installed. To ensure success, spikes should hang over the edge by ½” and be no farther away than 1” from any walls. To help you get the right coverage, plastic and stainless-steel strips are available in different widths and are easily placed in multiple rows. Contact the bird control experts at Bird B Gone with any questions you have about calculating the right width for your space.

Spike Height

This refers to the height of each protruding spike. Most standard spikes are roughly 5” tall, but Bird B Gone also carries a mega stainless-steel spike that is 7” tall. The spikes need to be taller than the birds’ legs to be effective; if the birds can stand over them without any discomfort, they won’t work. Five inches will keep most average birds away, but you’ll need taller spikes to keep larger birds at bay.

Installation Location

Bird control spikes can be used in virtually any horizontal location. Plastic spikes are rigid and can only be placed on flat surfaces, but stainless steel spikes have a flexible base that can bend up to 360 degrees. And Bird B Gone offers gutter spikes designed for easy installation in gutters. Use anti-bird spikes to protect roofs, eaves, special architectural features, signs, statues, chimneys, I-beams, lamp posts, pipes, awnings, A/C units, railings, boats, and more.

Solving Your Bird Problems with Bird B Gone

Bird B Gone’s mission is clear: we aim to help our customers find solutions to bird control problems. Anti-bird spikes are an excellent tool for deterring pest birds and preventing costly damage. Call us today to learn more about our lineup of bird spikes and discover how our products can help you keep birds away.