Keep Gulls Off Boats & Marinas

Keep Gulls Off Boats & Marinas

Posted on July 19, 2016 by Terri Anne Meyer in Bird Control

Effective, Humane Marine Bird Control

There’s no denying that today's marinas and boats take a lot of abuse from pest birds. With their many lofty perching points, boats and marinas provide ideal places for waterfowl looking for a vantage point for their next meal.  While this may be great for birds, it can create all sorts of problems for today’s boat owners and marinas.

Bird Droppings/Nests Deface and Damage

Besides nesting and dive-bombing people for food, pest birds leave behind pounds of unsightly droppings on docks, boathouses, supply huts, signage, light fixtures, rooftop HVAC units and rain gutters. The acidic nature of bird droppings can “eat” into most materials, including wood, metal, canvas, plastics and composites, even stonework. Unless bird droppings are promptly removed, these surfaces can be defaced and damaged.  

Bird nesting materials can block rooftop rain gutters, causing water to overflow and seep under roofing tiles to create leaks. Bird feathers and nesting twigs make excellent kindling and have even been known to cause electrical fires in signage. Bird droppings can also wreak havoc on boats; ruining sails, sail covers, radar towers, and jamming windows, doors and mast gear. Droppings can gum up rigging and railings and even cause sure-footed sailors to slip.

A Costly Nuisance

Whether you own or manage a marina, or you own one boat or an entire rental fleet, dealing with pest birds can be a costly nuisance. Clean ups and repairs can quickly run into the hundreds, even thousands of dollars annually. Today’s boat owners and marina managers/owners must be proactive in implementing effective bird deterrents. The good news is that there are a number of effective and humane bird control measures available that can ease the pain in dealing with pest birds in and around boats and marinas.

Bird Spider 360°TM

The wind-powered Bird Spider 360°TM uses thin, wildly flailing arms to frighten birds away. These devices are easily placed on rooftops, canvas covers and boat decks, discouraging gulls, cormorants, pelicans and pigeons. These bird spiders come in 2-, 4-, 6- and 8-foot diameter arm lengths for increasingly wider areas of deterrence. Made in the USA, the Bird Spider 360°TM features a UV-protected polycarbonate base to survive harsh waterfront weather. To fully extend the wide range of applications for its Bird Spider 360°TM, Bird B Gone offers a number of mounting options that can be used to install or position this deterrent on everything from AC units to boat railings. They include:

    • Bird Spider® Sand Bag Base. Used to weigh down a Bird Spider so it can stand alone, the Sand Bag Base attaches directly to the base of any size Bird Spider and comes with all necessary hardware. Each base weighs 8 lbs. and has eyelets around the outer ring for extra security. The Sandbag Base is easily removed and re-applied, and is ideal for boat canvas covers, Biminis and other areas where mobility is key.
    • Bird Spider® Boat Base. Ideal for securing Bird Spiders to masts, spreaders and other areas, the Boat Base features cross arms with eyelets that easily wrap around poles and other surfaces. Easy to remove and reapply, the Boat Base installs directly to the bottom of any size bird spider and comes with all necessary hardware.
    • Railing Mount. Ideal for attaching Bird Spiders to boat rails, pole fencing and similar applications, the Railing Mount easily adapts to railing sizes 1" to 1.86" thick. Simply tighten the screw to safely secure the mount and Bird Spider.

Stainless Steel Bird Spikes

Ideal for harsh marine environments, Bird B Gone’s Stainless Steel Bird Spikes provide anti-perching, ant-roosting protection for marinas, boats, lampposts, signage and other elevated structures. The spiked strips won’t allow birds to land or perch wherever they’re installed. These durable, seaworthy bird spikes are made in the USA of stainless steel, with pins embedded in a UV-protected polycarbonate base. They come in 1”, 3”, 5” and 8” widths and have a 1.5” base, so they can easily be mounted on narrow surfaces. The spiked strips feature a built-in glue trough and pre-drilled mounting holes for fast, easy installation. They come with an industry leading 10-year guarantee.

Repeller 360°

Wind-powered so it can easily be placed where pest bird land most often, the Repeller 360° spins in the breeze to deter large birds such as gulls, pigeons, cormorants and crows from perching and loitering. Designed to catch the slightest breeze, the Repeller 360° has two "sails" mounted at opposite ends of a 6-foot stainless steel arm. Each sail has a reflective “bird predator” eye to intimidate birds. When the wind spins the Repeller’s arms, they intimidate and frighten any bird. The

Repeller 360° is easily placed on boats, signs, docks, billboards, parapet walls, roofs or any flat surface. No electrical wiring or hookups are needed. The unit is easy to set up and uses patent pending clip locks to secure it into place. The unit’s railing mount attaches easily to railings from 1- to 5-inches thick. Simply tighten the screw until the unit is secure. The Repeller 360° has been specially designed to work in strong winds. Constructed of UV-protected materials, including polycarbonate fins and a rugged base supported by two stainless steel rods, the unit is built to last in severe marine weather.

How to get rid of gulls from marinas infographic

For additional advice on how to effectively deter pest birds from boats, marinas and seaside businesses, consult an expert like the folks at Bird B Gone.