How to Get Rid of Birds on My Porch
Pigeons, crows, sparrows, and other birds welcoming you on your porch isn't a warm greeting. Instead, it will give you headaches due to the smelly droppings and pecking that your porch has endured. And for sure, this situation of your porch isn't inviting for your future guests. You have to do something and find ways to get rid of birds on the porch before it affects your household and social interaction.
This might sound a bit too much, but birds flocking to your porch sets the image to what your house is from the inside. Remember the trite saying, "first impression lasts"? This is true to some extent because your porch is the first part of your house that people will step into. If it reeks of droppings, it would be an unsightly (and unsanitary) welcome.
But fret not if you're one of the victims of the notorious bird nesting, dropping, and pecking. There are easy hacks that you can do to send the fowls away. Here are some that you can try at the soonest possible time:
1. Remove any materials that can be used as a nest
One reason why birds keep flocking on your porch is the presence of materials they use for nest building. Remove dried leaves, twigs, and anything that can be possibly used as a building block of a nesting place. The birds may not intentionally plan to poo on your porch, but it happened otherwise. Try keeping your porch clean of the dried leaves and see if it will have a difference.
Another thing you should check is if your yard tree branches extend near your house's structure. If yes, chances are this is the reason why the birds keep hanging out on your porch and leaving some unsightly souvenirs. Trim these parts and let the direct light shine into your porch if possible. This will remove the dropping smell after some days as ways to get rid of birds on the porch.
If there's already a nest on your porch, try calling a wildlife remover to expertly relocate the birds.
2. Place a bird feeder away from your porch
For once, stop feeding the birds and then complain about the droppings they leave on your porch. Feeding the fowls don't just make them poop, they also keep them coming back. If the birds still haven't stopped landing on your doorstep, place a feeder somewhere in your backyard where they can be less invasive. However, this will still leave some bird droppings you'll have to clean later on.
Some homeowners aren't worried about getting the hidden parts their yard get dirty as long as the porch stays pristine. To add another diversion to the perching birds, add a birdbath near the feeder so the fowls would be isolated within one area.
Don't forget to remove any food sources on your porch, otherwise, the birds will also peck on it even in the presence of a separate feeder. That's one of the crucial ways to get rid of birds on the porch.
3. Install a repellent device
If all else fails and you don't have the patience to perform some diversion tactics, go straight to business by installing a bird repellent device. This gadget can either be battery or electricity powered and will emit high-frequency sounds that the birds will find annoying. Upon turning on the device, the birds will fly away due to the unbearable sound only animals can hear.
The only downside here is if you have a roaming cat, the high-frequency sound can also annoy them. Nevertheless, the sound is short-waved and cannot pass through thick walls. Your furball is safe when it's on another room.
Check out the ZOVENCHI Ultrasonic Repeller that doesn't just work on birds but also to other critters that keep on damaging your garden and porch. The device is solar powered so there's nothing else to do than activate it as ways to get rid of birds on the porch.
4. Show the shiny things
In case you have multiple dogs and cats, the ultrasonic device is out of the window. You can explore other means of driving the fowls away. Start by hanging some reflective and shiny stuff on your doorway and the porch itself. You can purchase some of these products online that are all tailored for bird proofing.
One of my favorites is the Homescape Creations Bird Repellent Scare Rods. Each of the spiraling rods is 15-inch long and best to attach on your porch without ruining the appearance of your doorway. It adds a decorative effect actually.
When the rods are hit with light, it will sparkle and the reflection will disorient the birds. It will frighten them especially if the rods are moving in a spiraling motion. You can pair it with an owl bird repellent from the same brand for maximum ways to get rid of birds on the porch.
5. Make your light fixtures irritating
So there's no food source on your porch, no trees to extend to your house, and no feeding. What's the culprit? Your porch light fixture. This part of your porch gives birds enough warmth and a place to nest. It's actually a perfect place to leave their eggs for hatching because of the heat it emits when in use. But this doesn't mean you have to remove the light fixture. You just have to make the top part irritating or impossible to land at.
One way to do this is to install appropriate bird spikes to that fixture. The Abco Bird Spikes is one of the best options since it's made of plastic and it won't make your porch light look awful. Every spike is about 48 cm long and you can cut it to surround the top part of your light fixture. Use the excess spikes to bird proof your fence or roof ledge.
6. Wind chimes are there for a reason
Wind chimes are also excellent ways to get rid of birds on the porch. It's a bird scare due to the sound it produces when it's hit by a breeze. You can also choose one with shiny chimes to reflect light and discourage birds from landing on your porch.
Wind chimes are good options aside from distress signals since it produces sounds that are pleasant to the ear. The higher the sound produced, the better. You can also come up with a DIY chime using old CDs and other sparkly material.
This method of sending birds away from your porch works on pigeons, brown grass birds, and other smaller fowls. If you're in the hunt for the best bird chime, check out the YLYYCC 12-Bells Chime. It's guaranteed to produce a loud but pleasant sound.
7. Bring out the owl
Larger birds like crows and feral pigeons tend to ignore some scare methods. If this happens, you can get an owl replica with haunting eyes to drive them off. This will simulate the presence of a predator which will scare the birds. The trick here is to consistently change the placement of the owl every day so the scare will work as long as it can. Crows are pretty smart birds and they can detect a decoy scare if it doesn't change positions.
One of the ways to get rid of birds on the porch is the Visual Scare Horned Owl Deterrent. Unlike other owl models, this has moving wings and floating-like feature when mounted on a bar. It has a 44-inch wingspan complete with a simple mechanical system that will allow it to flap if wind-blown. Place this on your porch and even a human will mistake it for a real owl!
8. Let the cats take over
Nothing beats the presence of a real predator when it comes to sending the birds away from your porch. Letting your cat/s or dogs roam your doorway is a guaranteed way to reduce the droppings and damage the fowls can incur to your house. It also helps to install catwalks on your porch or place a sleeping rug where the cat can cozy up.
You may see some dead birds on the first days when the fowls are yet to discover the hunting threat of your furball. However, the problem arises when the cats get used to the birds that they no longer chase it anymore. This is the reason why you shouldn't stop using deterrents aside from letting your line of defense wander on the porch.
9. Mirror, mirror on the wall
In case you wouldn't want to let your pets stay outside, say it's a rainy day or it's too hot for the furball, you can place a mirror on it. If you want, you can add glass elements on your doorway as ways to get rid of birds on the porch. Placing small but multiple mirrors on your porch will serve as a reflective method that will annoy the birds. You can place this small mirrors on the sills, so sunlight will directly hit it during the day.
You can also add this to the wall if the light hits on it directly. It works most of the time, but to be sure, it's best to pair it with other methods and products I mentioned here. Just experiment and you'll find what works for your porch.
10. Spray some citrusy repellent
Birds hate citrusy fragrances and spraying it on your porch will be an effortless move to annoy them. You make your doorway smell good and you drive away the pesky birds. A double win for you. You can opt for lemon juice diluted in water or purchase a formula specific for repelling birds. But for a natural and non-toxic method, I'll choose the lemon option especially if there are protected birds visiting your porch.
Just squeeze a lemon and add a little water. Spray it like an air fresher and you have guaranteed ways to get rid of birds on the porch. You can also place slices of lemon on your porch to make the smell stronger. It will also help in fighting off the smell of bird droppings left on your porch after cleaning.
11. Make the surface sticky
Annoying the birds isn't difficult. All you have to do is make it difficult for them to land, perch, or roost on a surface. You can install bird spikes for sure but in case the surface won't allow, a bird gel repellent will save the day.
One of the best finds in the market is the Bird B Gone Transparent Bird Gel. It has a component that can cover 10 feet of area per tube and can withstand harsh weathers. The reason why this is the best choice for your porch is its colorless characteristic that won't ruin the look of your doorway.
If you don't want the birds to get stuck, just apply it thinly on the sills of your porch. Make sure to use a pair of gloves as the gel is really sticky and it can put you in a washing spree if you're not careful.
12. Remove attractants from your porch
This point is somewhat a summary of all the discussed ideas above. Birds are attracted to your porch for some reasons and it's your task to identify it and get rid of it fast. If you keep feeding the birds, you're fueling your problem. Stop this habit and send the birds away with humane methods that won't kill or harm them.
Before performing the ways to get rid of birds on the porch, remember that some birds like woodpeckers are protected by federal law. You will be fined due to a wrongful death of a bird on your property. Just the right hacks and a little patience will stop the fowls from throwing a feat on your porch. The droppings will soon be over and your doorway will be quiet and free of poop.
How to Get Rid of Birds on My Porch
Source: https://birdproofingguide.com/ways-to-get-rid-of-birds-on-the-porch/