Our Feathered Friends' Droppings

[HappySeagull]

We like white so we paint our favourite places with our favourite colour.Others will know it's a good 'un too!
We don't like sitting on spikes,aerials,moving windvanes.
Flapping things annoy our rest by obscuring the lines of sight and constantly catching our peripheral vision.And we hate to be touched.A sacrificial cheap plastic tarp billowing a little -even shredding- in the breeze is very annoying unless the fastidious boat owner keeps it taut.Then,of course,we like the springy comfort.

We LOVE solar panels to doze on-they are so warm.
We have no idea what the noises you make are except one.Bang.A lot of that is the concussion we feel.
But we understand waving arms ok.
We recognize your faces individually for over a year,especially if you feed any of us,because,while we strain to recognize each other within a couple of feet, you folks are billboards by comparison.

[boden36]

We have had a similar problem. For our lifeline , I use plastic pegs with holes melted in the ends where you would grip them and thread fishing line through the holes. Clipped onto the lifeline this makes an effective deterrent line.
On the spreaders I have nailplates with the points bent vertical.
If you lift the end of the boom with the topping lift so that it points up at an angle, it looks grotty but makes it uncomfortable for the birds.
If you keep moving your boat, they don't seem to to find it- just another reason to go sailing!.

Regards,
Richard.

[Don1500]

for your lifelines, How about a piece of that wire wrap that is a spiral of plastic. When the bird lands on it it spins. You could grab it and hold on because you would squash it and have your hand completely around it.

[off-the-grid]

I really like the original idea. Why not just charge the entire standing rigging? Although, what would that do to your 12V system if it rains.

Otherwise flailing arms and yelling works the best, but these new SOBs always attack when I'm away from the boat. In fact I've only seen one bird on my boat, once. You'd never know that from the condition of my decks, though...and solar panels...and sail pack...and the kayak.

[Therapy]

In the past someone has used old CDs strung here and there. They seem to irritate the birds as happy seagull said.

Don't know how to rig (un-rig) them easily for the spreaders though.

[Tori]

We have live parrots and the wild birds are afraid of them
Or you can use commercial anti bird spikes they are inexpensive and easy to install and work great.
Try www.birdbusters.com

[Blue Stocking]

Originally Posted by Tori

We have live parrots and the wild birds are afraid of them
Or you can use commercial anti bird spikes they are inexpensive and easy to install and work great.
Try www.birdbusters.com

Your birds are gangstas. Scared me when I walked by your boat

[Tori]

Lmao did you really walk by our boat?

[Therapy]

If the bird spikes don't work on the birds they may work on the lightening thread.

[Capt. lulz]

Originally Posted by avb3

Owls are natural enemies of pigeons, a land based bird. As is the owl.

I doubt that a seagull in a tropical area has even seen or heard of an owl, so why would it be frightened off.

Because animals work with instincts, not memos.

[zeehag]

after havin g had my bubba for a few years on board , i finally noticed my decks had not been splatted nor my canvas spotted and splattered --- i figured out my kat keeps em off the boat. they do not like cats.
in sd he boxed one seagull on its tail feathers, and no problem. gone. no mo poo.
one finch landed on our boat, and bubba taught it never to do that again-- butthe punisment was kinda severe.
he also befriended a finch in gulf of mexico-- birdeez dont land on my boat nor poo on it. bubba is goooooooooooooooood.

[Portobello]

Originally Posted by Therapy

In the past someone has used old CDs strung here and there. They seem to irritate the birds as happy seagull said.

Don't know how to rig (un-rig) them easily for the spreaders though.

They get scared off by anything by the "Eagles" but are attracted to anything by "Bread". Seriously though - I run a fine line from the end of the boom around the mast and back to the end of the boom about 4" (10cm) above. This stops seagulls landing on the boom/sailcover which is usually theit first landing place and they head off to my mate's boat!

[seandepagnier]

What is wrong with you people?

Birds and other wildlife have been persecuted by man in so many ways. Whenever I see bird wires on a boat it annoys me. The rain will wash their poo off. It is not like it is life-threatening or toxic. Maybe they just want a place to rest. I smile whenever birds land on my mast.

And many of these same people are using diesel/gas engines which are far worse and more threatening to the birds and fishes than bird poo ever was to you. If you are putting wires up to block birds then you aren't following the golden rule. Don't anchor next to me, I might do something mean.

[Portobello]

Originally Posted by geckosenator

What is wrong with you people?

Birds and other wildlife have been persecuted by man in so many ways. Whenever I see bird wires on a boat it annoys me. The rain will wash their poo off. It is not like it is life-threatening or toxic. Maybe they just want a place to rest. I smile whenever birds land on my mast.

And many of these same people are using diesel/gas engines which are far worse and more threatening to the birds and fishes than bird poo ever was to you. If you are putting wires up to block birds then you aren't following the golden rule. Don't anchor next to me, I might do something mean.

Acid rain perhaps for the epoxy strength bird droppings we get here!

[niel12]

I seems to me it is a matter of tolerating one anothers views, maybe some don't care about poo stains and smells .... that's fine, others do care about poo and the anoyance thereof ... and that is fine too.

It is good to protect wild life but i think its probably just as wicked to put wild life above humans, after all we are all different, we walk and we talk. We laugh and we cry we agree and we disagree we, with all our mistakes and differences and indifferance we make the world go round.