Deter Pest Birds Away and Enjoy Outdoor Dining

Many cafes have nice al fresco dining areas. Usually, outside dining is a very nice experience. It is nice, that is, unless there is bird droppings all over the furniture and birds lurking about waiting for you to drop a piece of food, or leave the table so they can swoop right in and devour the leftovers. Bird control is definitely needed for this scenario.

All the area needs are a few easy additions which will make the birds fly on by to find another place to roost and graze. Open spaces can sometimes be a little difficult to get rid of the pest birds. There are bird control methods, however, that are affordable and can alleviate the nuisance bird problems.

Bird Spikes and Bird Tracks

A fairly routine bird control method that is used by many businesses is bird spikes. Plastic bird spikes are a physical bird deterrent that prevents larger pest birds like the pigeon, crow, and gull from perching and roosting where they are applied. Bird spikes can be put on any flat or curved surface. Bird spikes are a permanent solution that will keep pest birds off rooflines, ledges, eaves, I-beams, awnings, canopies, light posts, and signage. The plastic bird spikes also come in different colors including gray, black, brown, brick red, tan, and white. They can be glued down very easily because the base of the spike has a glue trough for fast and easy application. When installed correctly, the spikes are virtually invisible from the ground.

A bird track is an electrical track that gives off a mild shock when the bird tries to land on the surface where the track is installed. This does not harm the bird or the installer in any way. It is considered a humane bird control product, just as bird spikes are. The height of the shock track is only a fraction of an inch, so it is invisible to customers as well. The track is very flexible and can bend 360 degrees without compromising the integrity of the deterrent. It is very easy to implement and is highly successful in modifying the bird's behavior. The birds will not want to be near it.

Visual Bird Deterrents

Visual bird deterrents are a good complement to either of the physical bird deterrent products. Visual bird deterrents come in different shapes and sizes. There are beach-ball-sized scare balloons and smaller flat diverters. The flat diverters would be ideal to hang around the trees near the restaurant to keep birds out of the trees. The further you can deter them away from the buildings, the better. The diverters have a shiny surface that irritates the bird's vision and also has predator markings on them. To humans, the predator markings look like a unique design, but the birds believe they are looking into a predator's eye. Their natural instinct of flight will cause them to fly away in fear.

Using a couple of different bird deterrent methods together will enhance the success of deterring pest birds so that customers can enjoy their al fresco dining experience and want to come back.