Keeping birds off my new roof

[Syncro]

Anybody have any ideas that work to keep birds off of a roof? Our new place is getting ruined by a steady flow of bird droppings at the ridge ends and at the dormer corners. We are out in an open field sans trees, so the house is the highest point. Hawks are the main culprit, although in a way I guess they in themselves keep smaller birds away, the also are large birds with appropriately large droppings! In past years I've tried plastic owls which don't work, tried sling shot with small stones, not a permanent fix. I don't really want to shoot these beautiful creatures, but they are destroying our brand new roof so any help at all would be most appreciated.

[TrippleT]

Try putting something predatory to them, that will still have some esthetic value to it. Bob cat, eagle, etc.

[Buckeye_Jim]

You might try the products from this company: Bird Control From Nixalite, The Bird Control Professionals since 1950

They make products to keep buildings free of birds.

Good Luck,

Jim

[SPIKER]

I also second the link jim posted. net search will show up several different sites that do bird control passively. also you might try getting a telephone pole and mounting it at the back corner of the yard slightly higher than the roof. put a good perch up top for them to set on. more than likely the pole will be a better roost and will be closer to their prey/food source. I doubt they get many mice from the grass next to the house. you can even put a light out there if ya wanted one...


Mark M

[randy41]

how a bout a sign that says no loitering?

[Syncro]

Thanks for all the suggestions, I especially like the 'No roosting' sign! I checked out the various web sites and spikes seem like the most practical thing, although I don't like to drill holes in our new roof. But, that seems to be the best drvice to use. Any other suggestions?

Funny how some sites have products for sale that border on the ridiculus, like the Laser gun, the propane cannon that hooks up to a 5 gal propane tank and fires off thunder claps every few mins, etc. I think some of these devices would scare humans more than they would scare birds!

[BTDT]

Some folks put a motion detector hooked up to a water sprinkler to scare off cats that keep getting into flower beds, maybe something like that would work for you.

[EddieWalker]

Funny how some sites have products for sale that border on the ridiculus, like the Laser gun, the propane cannon that hooks up to a 5 gal propane tank and fires off thunder claps every few mins, etc. I think some of these devices would scare humans more than they would scare birds!

I once went dove hunting on a piece of land that was next to an orchard that had those propane cannons. There was qutie a few of them, and they were spread out all over the orchard. We never figured out the timing, nor could we tell how many there were, but it seemed like one went off about every five minutes.

The dove hunting was pretty good on the land we were on, but we all joked that was because so many of them were eating in the orchard and we were in there flight path as they flew there.

We also joked that those cannons were more like dinner bells for the birds!!!

Good luck with you battle,
Eddie

[thingy]

Must be different kinds of hawks out there,I would be so amazed to see a hawk on my roof,,,That it would take me at least a day to shoot him,,,plenty of hills and trees here,,guess this is a classic case of one of them human beings
taking over animals land,that you see on tv.???

Yeah,the only thing I would know of would be a good shooting 22,,around here,there are hawks, and falcons and a few eagles,,owls,,etc,,,
How tall is your roof?,,but out side of saying shooo,,,and than if that didn't work,shooting a few,,,wouldn't have a clue,,thats what I would do.
Are you feeding songbirds close by house,if so,,stop.thingy

[ronjhall]

When we had bird problems Tangle root (listed on site above) worked very well discouraging the birds from using our barn as a roosting area.
I need to get some more. The sparrows have decided to setup housekeeping in the pole barn track covers.
At a long condo building where I fish. They have runs of stainless steel fishing line every 18" to discourage the Sea Gulls. It worked but was not as effective as tangle root.
At the Marina where I kept my boat they used a Propane Cannon to keep geese and ducks out of the lawns. May not be a good idea if you have close by neighbors. But they do work.