Simple, Effective Bird Deterrent--Finally!

[LeeV]

Originally Posted by wnischt

Guys in my marina hooked up a small blower to a 3/4 inch pvc pipe with a piece of sewed fabric on the end of it about 1 foot long. The contraption is hoisted to the top of the mast with a spare halyard and a 110v extension chord. The extension chord is plugged into a timer which goes off for 2 seconds every 2 minutes. The fabric snaps to attention when the blower is powered for the two seconds. Has worked flawlessly for over a year! Birds fly away when the blow cycle initiates. I can send pictures if anyone is interested. All parts cost less than $100. Works great!

Pics always welcomed by us visual learners! ;-)

[jmschmidt]

Glad I'm not sleeping aboard in the slip next to that guy or his bird machine would be warbling from the bottom of the marina.

[NevisDog]

One particular area of moorings in our last port was referred to as "bird **** alley" - in some locations I'd be delighted to be near any of the folks with bird scarers at low volume, might even ask them to turn it up.

[Edit: offending word has been removed automatically - how clever!]

[anacapaisland42]

You guys should count your lucky stars.....when on the hard we are right next to a blueberry field.....BLUE POOP.....
and the deterrent......12 gauge and Jack Russell

Bill







It goes without saying that one of the banes of boat ownership is the constant battle to keep one's boat clean and clear of bird droppings. Thus, folks have been searching for an effective bird deterrent for centuries but without much success. Now the solution may be at hand.

[Bruce K]

Originally Posted by danielamartindm

I hate to say it, but in America, someone would likely report you for cruelty to animals.

Just found the dear bird washed up, shame to waste it !!!!!!!!

[Dehler 25]

Neighbor boat at Gulfport had the same system and it worked for a short while then the strafing runs resumed. We are currently suffering the gathering of the crows which are the worst, Osprey I can accept because there are only a few to several at a time, Conyers are at least pretty, but the crows are in the hundreds.

[seabreez]

Originally Posted by sailormed

Is it effective in the long term?

I can say yes! A neighbor tried the bird distress sounds in summer 2017 and this year... 2018... no birds of any kind around the whole point where we live. I am presently searching for the recording... to pass it on to others...

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by Tayana42

So HyLyte, what is this recording called and can you get a source from your neighbor? I’ve never heard of one that actually worked so I’d be interested to know more.

I shall inquire the next time I encounter our neighbor and post what I learn. Thus far, the system is still working well.


FWIW...

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by Bruce K

I have had a Simple,Effective Bird Deterrent (SEBD) and it has the advantage of silence! A dead seagull, laminated between two sheets of clear adhesive plastic, simply lying flat on my roof. Said SEBD needs to be replaced occasionally because UV gets to the plastic. I get occasional "fly overs" by gulls looking and squarking, but they never land. Dead seagulls are easily obtainable by applying small steel balls elastically propelled.

In our neighborhood, leaving a dead bird on deck, whether wrapped in plasic or not, would invite a visit from a flock of vultures (to say nothing of being a rather disgusting practice). Moreover, the vultures here abouts have no cumpuntions about scare tactictics, or even klaxon horns on semi-tractors, when they are attacking road-kill.


FWIW...

[billgewater]

In Australia, we are blessed with very large Sulphur crested cockatoos (Percy Mitchell's). They descend on marinas in large numbers and behave like a collection of half drunk teenage boys. Raucous, really, really noisy. Then they enjoy swinging on anything available, usually the wind direction detector at the mast head or the VHF antenna. Then if in a really playful mood, they begin to bend anything they can or strip off any insulation. I suspect if an audible distress alarm was on they would descend on it and in great delight just totally rip it all apart. Otherwise lovely birds. But they don't **** much. If you call to them they tilt their head to one side and begin to chat to you or start dancing. Hello cocky! They like socializing with humans. Great pets.
Hanging CD discs in the breeze (which constantly flash) has been know to work as well as having a cat. Count your blessings.

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by jmschmidt

Glad I'm not sleeping aboard in the slip next to that guy or his bird machine would be warbling from the bottom of the marina.

As I mentioned in my original post, the broadcast is no louder than what we routinely hear from the bird population in our locale and, for that matter, cannot be heard when one is below deck. At least on our boat.


FWIW...

[jen1722terry]

Actually, gulls are a Federally protected species. Killing one could get expensive.

We summer on our boat in Maine (Northeast Harbor on MDI) and the local cormorants can really make a mess out of a boat that is left unattended for just a few days. We got really clobbered a few years back and came up with a system that seems to work on our sailboat. We tie off halyards to make it difficult to land on the radar scanner and spreaders and also run lines from the mast to the bow and stern just above the sailcovers and bimini. This makes it hard for them to land so the birds just go to the next boat.

Works for us.

Cheers!

Jenn and Terry

[Saleen411]

Two words....Alka Seltzer.

Exploding sea gulls everywhere...oh the HORROR!!!!

[boden36]

Like Bilgewater, have lots of Sulphur Crested Cockatoos. They are intelligent but highly effective vandals.
Driving to work one morning, I glanced over to see a dozen or so on the furling genoa, merrily picking the stitches from the UV panel.
They also love snipping any electrical wires and cut the feed to our spreader lights and VHF antenna. I ended up encasing the wires in the flexible metal tubing usually used for hand held showers.

They don't poop much.

On land, they ate their way into a house ,and totally destroyed the contents.
When they had a go at the front deck of our house we started pinging them lightly with a slingshot. They were bright enough to get the message and stayed away.



Regards,
Richard.

[waterman46]

Rap music would also work, but I bet these distressed bird cries are a whole lot easier on the ears.