Birds are smart, mobile and persistent. If your house, deck, garden, shop or restaurant gives them food and a secure place to land, they will keep coming back. This guide explains how do-it-yourself bird control works and which Flock Free products to start with, so you can move nuisance birds on humanely and keep them away.
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Why Birds Become a Problem
We like birds and our products are designed to move them on, not to hurt them. But when too many settle on a home, farm or small business, they become a real nuisance.
Droppings and debris
Droppings, feathers, seed shells and nesting material make decks, patios, boats and storefronts look dirty and take time to clean. A flock of geese resting on a lawn shows how fast it builds up.
Hygiene
Accumulated droppings and nests are unsanitary and can carry disease and mites. They are a particular concern around doorways, outdoor seating and anywhere food is served.
Damage
Birds will eat garden crops and spoil what they leave. Woodpeckers gouge holes in siding, and sparrows pull apart insulation and decorative wreaths to build nests.
How DIY Bird Control Works
Birds return wherever they find food and feel secure. To move them on for good, you need to do three things:
- Remove access to food and nesting spots. Clear spilled seed and food waste, and close or protect the ledges, beams and openings they use.
- Make the area uncomfortable, and keep the pressure on. Use deterrents birds can feel, smell or see on the surfaces they land on.
- Teach them to leave. With consistent pressure, birds come to associate the spot with danger and choose somewhere else.
Before you start, keep in mind
- There is no single solution. Each species and site is different. Combining two methods, such as a surface treatment and a physical barrier, usually works best.
- It takes weeks, not days. Birds are persistent. Expect several weeks of consistent effort.
- Aim to reduce, not eliminate. Set your goal at bringing numbers down to an acceptable level by making the area uncomfortable to stay in.
Which Product Do I Need?
Flock Free DIY Bird Control Products
Everything below is sized for homeowners and small businesses and installs without special tools.
Bird Repellent Spray for Surfaces Birds Land On
Flock Free Bird Repellent works on all types of birds. It irritates birds when they touch a treated surface, so they learn to land somewhere else. Spray it on the railings, ledges, trees and roof edges you want to protect. Apply once, reapply 7 days later and again 7 days after that, then continue with monthly maintenance applications. Consistent application is important for best results.
Flock Free Bird Repellent Spray - Ready-to-use Bird Deterrent
32 oz ready to use. No mixing: point and spray. The simplest way to treat railings, ledges and small areas.
This product can't be shipped to CT, IN, MD, MT, NM, RI, and DC.
Flock Free Bird Repellent Bundle: RTU Spray 32oz + 4oz for Refill
The 32 oz ready-to-use spray plus a 4 oz concentrate to refill it, for treating the same areas through the season.
This product can't be shipped to CT, IN, MD, MT, RI, DC, and NM.
Bird Spikes for Ledges, Sills, Beams and Railings
Spikes take away the flat surface birds land and nest on. They are a physical barrier, so there is nothing to spray or refill. We sell two styles, and the right one depends on the size of the bird and the surface you are protecting.
Mini Spikes: low profile, for smaller birds
Short, low-profile stainless steel strips that sit neatly along sills, railings, fence tops and ledges. Choose 1 inch wide for narrow edges or 3 inches wide for wider ledges. Rolls of 49 ft suit long continuous runs; the 20-inch piece sets suit short spots. Fix with double-sided tape, screws, Velcro, zip ties or glue (hardware not included).
Stainless Steel Bird Spikes: for larger birds
Traditional stainless steel spikes for pigeons, gulls, crows, starlings and grackles. Choose a 2.5, 4.5 or 7.5 inch coverage width to match the surface, in 50 or 100 ft lengths of 2 ft sections. Fix with construction adhesive or screws; the flexible base follows curved surfaces.
Wear gloves when installing Mini Spikes and keep them out of reach of children.
Mini Spikes Bird Deterrent, 1” wide, roll of 49 ft
Low profile, 1 inch wide, on a 49 ft roll. For narrow sills, railings and fence tops.
Mini Spikes Bird Deterrent, 1” wide, 3 rolls of 49 ft (147 ft total)
The same 1 inch Mini Spikes as three 49 ft rolls, 147 ft in total, for longer runs.
Mini Spikes Bird Deterrent, 3” wide, roll of 49 ft
Low profile, 3 inches wide, on a 49 ft roll for continuous runs along wider ledges and beams.
Mini Spikes for Bird and Animal Control, 3-inches wide
3 inch wide strips, 20 inches long, in sets of 2, 4, 6 or 10 pieces. For short ledges and individual spots.
Stainless Steel Bird Spikes
Traditional spikes in 2.5, 4.5 or 7.5 inch widths, 50 or 100 ft in 2 ft sections. For pigeons, gulls, crows, starlings and grackles.
See every option in our bird spikes collection.
Surface Pro Tack and UV Paint for Shaded Ledges
For indoor or outdoor surfaces out of direct sunlight. Surface Pro Tack ("liquid spikes") leaves a tacky film birds find uncomfortable to stand on, without trapping them. Dot Flock Off UV Paint onto the surface first: it is clear to people but visible to birds, and birds avoid the unfamiliar marks. In direct sunlight, use spikes or shock tape instead.
Surface Pro Tack – Liquid Spikes - Surface Protector - 4 fl.oz.
4 fl oz for spot work and smaller runs. A tacky film for ledges and sills where spikes will not fit.
Flock Off UV Paint Clear 4 Ounce Dauber
4 oz dauber. Clear to people, visible to birds. Dot, dab or stripe it alongside the tack coat.
Scent Pucks for Small Enclosed Spaces
For sheds, dumpsters, storage areas and other small enclosed spaces, and a good alternative where spraying is not practical. Open the lid and place the puck where birds gather. It releases a grape scent that is pleasant to people but unpleasant to birds, so they move on. Works on pigeons, sparrows, starlings, swallows and more.
Scent Pucks for Bird Control
Scent repellent pucks for dumpsters, sheds, storerooms and other enclosed spaces.
This product can't be shipped to Connecticut or Indiana.
Vulture Effigy for Vultures
Made to move turkey vultures off your property. It looks like a dead vulture and moves in the wind, giving a realistic warning sign. Hang it wherever vultures are gathering: on land, roofs, poles or towers.
Vulture Effigy
For vultures. Hang wherever vultures are gathering. Moves in light wind. Hanging hardware not included.
Get More Help With Your Bird Problem
Find advice for your bird
See our guides for pigeons, sparrows, starlings, woodpeckers, geese and vultures, or browse bird control tips by species.
Protect a specific area
Read our guides to covered areas such as porches, garages and awnings, and open areas such as yards and gardens. Product labels and safety data sheets are on our labels and SDS page.
Watch and ask
See our products in use on the Flock Free YouTube channel, or contact us and we will help you choose.