How to stop birds landing on your patio

[Morrie]

I had a huge problem with birds pooping on my patio I tried many ways to rectify the problem with out success until erected fishing line on top of where they normally perch .....it worked the fishing line stopped them from landing 

[EricL]

Hello @Morrie

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. Thank you for joining us and sharing your method of keeping birds off your patio fence.

What a fantastic and ingenious idea of keeping birds from landing in that area. What were some of the other methods that did not work? How long have you had the fishing line attached? I'm sure our members would be keen to know how you eventually came upon this idea. If you have any other projects that you are currently working on please don't hesitate to post them. We would be more than happy to provide advice and information should you need it.

We look forward to seeing your next project.

Eric

[TedBear]

That reminds me of a time when working in a prison, where the "Powers" had stretched razor wire in front of a small opening to an area near a verandah ceiling, that birds kept building nests in. The guards were then in awe of the birds flying skills when they watched them fly toward the ceiling, close their wings to drop through the leftover gap, then used the razor wire to hold their nest securely in place. The guards felt that these birds deserved the spot, so then left the situation alone.  Glad to see that you've solved your problem, with a non aggressive method.

[Morrie]

Hi Eric 

Another method I tried was a product call Bird Off from a Queensland company this product had a distinct smell that repelled the birds, unfortunately every where I put my hands I would end up wearing it Ha!

I tried the spikes but they didn't have a good look the fishing line seemed to be the ideal answer.

I have had the fishing line installed for around 3 weeks now.

Recently I was watching the birds trying to land on the line but it kept flicking them off until they just gave up, the good part about it was they didn't come back, hope this is of use to the members.     

[rju]

hi thanks for sharing this. I’m gonna give it a try. Do you have any suggestions for the birds that fly over and poo as I don’t think the fishing line will help that?

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @rju. It's wonderful to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about deterring birds.

Let me tag @Morrie so they are alerted to your question.

You’re right that once birds are flying over your property, it’s much harder to control where they go. One option that can sometimes help is installing imitation hawks or similar predator decoys on your roof or in visible spots. These can encourage birds to avoid your area and fly elsewhere, though results can vary depending on the species and how used they are to people.

Beyond deterrents like that, there isn’t a lot you can do to stop birds that are simply passing overhead, so most strategies focus on discouraging them from landing rather than controlling their flight path.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell