Birds perching on your roof pose a number of problems. They gather on a ledge and are noisy and obnoxious. They also poop on the area below the roof, including your car and driveway. And the birds themselves can be just gross.
So, what can you do about birds perching on your roof?
The first solution most folks think of is to install a ledge modification device like bird spikes. Bird spikes are plastic or metal spikes that stop birds from landing on a surface like a ledge. They don’t hurt the birds, but make it too difficult for medium-sized birds to land on the ledge.
Bird spikes installation is in some cases the right solution. If you are facing a medium-sized bird problem and the birds have not yet nested in the area, bird spike installation may be the right solution.
There are a few cases where it isn’t, however. Smaller birds like sparrows can fly in between the spikes and even make nests in them. Larger birds like turkey vultures can still perch on the spikes due to their size. Bird spikes work best for medium-sized birds, like pigeons, starlings, or seagulls.
Bird spikes will also not fully solve the problem if birds have already nested nearby and are invested in the are. To solve a bird infestation problem when birds have nested, you will have to implement changes to the root of the problem: removing bird food sources and blocking off bird nesting grounds.
By removing bird food sources, birds will have to find somewhere else to eat. Food sources include open trash containers, food strewn on the ground, bird feeders, and insect infestations.
To remove bird food sources, cover up open trash containers and pick up food thrown on the ground. Remove bird feeders and address any insect infestations if the birds are eating from them. Birds also need a source of water, so bird baths, pools of water, and fountains should also be moved if it is possible.
The next step is to block off bird nesting grounds. These include locations like cracks in walls, chimneys, and behind trash containers. The best way to block off bird nesting grounds is with bird netting. Bird netting, if applied correctly, will block off birds with 100% effectiveness, last 20+ years, and endure through all weather conditions.
If birds have already nested, do not move the nests yourself. In most cases this is illegal, and in the three cases in which it is not (house sparrows, pigeons, and starlings) the birds could become territorial and fight back to defend their nest.
The best option you have if birds have already nested is to either wait out the gestation period and wait for the younglings to leave the nest (which is in most cases only a few weeks) or to hire a bird control company like AviAway to address the problem. Bird control companies know the laws around bird nesting and can mitigate a bird problem safely and effectively.
Once birds have left for the season, then is the time to install bird netting in the nesting locations. You can do this yourself, but be careful around empty bird nests, which can be carriers of disease. You will likely be better off hiring a bird control company to install the netting correctly and disinfect the area the birds have nested in.
Removing food sources and blocking off nesting grounds will solve your bird problem permanently. Other methods will leave the birds coming back, year after year, to return to their nesting grounds.
Once you’ve solved your bird infestation problem, then it is time to install ledge modification methods like bird spikes to block off the stray birds who fly into the area from perching on your roof.
Bird spikes can be used to block off your roof from birds, as well as other ledge modification methods like electric shock tracks or bird wire. Each of these methods will stop birds from perching on your roof.
Bird spikes are attached to the ledge of a roof and block medium-sized birds from perching by making it impossible to do so. Bird spikes are a common solution to this problem and can be purchased at online bird control suppliers like Bird-X or BirdBGone.
Electric shock tracks are another ledge modification method that can be installed along a roof ledge to give birds a small electric shock if they attempt to land. It does not hurt the bird but is uncomfortable enough for them to fly away.
Another method is bird wire, which is a springy wire strung across a ledge that bounces if a bird attempts to land. The birds cannot get a footing on the wire and have to find somewhere else to perch. Bird wire is slightly less visible than bird spikes.
Ledge modification will stop the remaining birds from perching if you have removed the underlying bird infestation.
Summary: To get rid of birds perching on your roof, the best step you can take is to remove the underlying bird infestation problem. Remove bird food sources and nesting grounds. Then, install ledge modification devices like bird spikes, electric shock tracks, or bird wire to stop birds from perching on your roof.
If you’ve been having a bird problem on your roof and you want custom, expert help on solving your bird problem, consider giving a bird control company like AviAway a call. AviAway offers free bird control consultations and can walk you through, step-by-step, how to solve your bird problem. Click here or call 844-247-3373 to set up a free consultation.
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