How to Scare Birds Away from Your Property

It is springtime, and birds are out and about around your yard and home. It's lovely to wake on a sunny spring morning and listen to birds chirping happily—until you step outside to use your patio and find it covered in bird poop! It is then that you realize it's time to scare birds away from your yard and home if you ever want to enjoy your outdoor space again.

To help you navigate your options, be sure to check out our resources on protecting your yard this summer with bird control products, how to keep birds away from your home, and choosing the right deterrent for your bird problem.

Choosing the Right Product to Scare Birds Away

In searching for ways to deter pest birds, you'll find that there are many options available. When seasonal populations arrive, understanding when migratory birds become pest birds can help you time your strategy effectively. Products generally fall into two basic categories: visual bird scare deterrents and sound bird scare deterrents. Let's look at what is available in each category to help you decide which would work best for your yard.

Visual Bird Scare Deterrents

Visual scare deterrents work by leveraging a bird's natural sense of sight. These visual bird deterrents typically feature bright, shiny surfaces or movement that creates a visual distraction; birds see the threat and flee the area.

Visual deterrents are ideal for open spaces like gardens, yards, pool areas, and orchards. Products in this category include flash tape, scare balloons, hawk decoys, and scare diverters. They are relatively inexpensive, easy to install, and effective. If pest birds are perching near roof fixtures or overhead glass, you can also explore how to keep birds away from your skylights using visual and physical barriers.

Sound Bird Scare Deterrents

Sound bird deterrents play pre-recorded predator calls and distress signals. When birds hear these calls, their natural survival instinct is to flee. Sound deterrents are ideal for open spaces like vineyards and orchards where loud noises won't disturb neighbors.

Some sound deterrents use motion-activation to play sounds only when pests approach, making them a great choice for use near a home without constant noise. For instance, the Sonic Shield by Bird-B-Gone is perfect for this, while also helping deter other unwanted critters like deer, raccoons, and rabbits.

Layering Your Defense

Whichever type of bird deterrent you pick, you can successfully scare away birds from your yard and home. Combining multiple types of deterrents—such as flash tape in a garden, a hawk decoy protecting a pool area, and a motion-activated sound deterrent guarding trash cans—will yield the best results to keep your property entirely bird-free.