Avoid the Hitchcock Effect: Scare Birds Away from Your Garden

Female House Sparrow, Bairnsdale Australia. Taken in September 2006. See also Image:House sparrow03.jpg. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Birds are pretty, sing lovely early morning songs, and help keep insect populations under control. However, they can also be pests, damaging garden beds and ruining produce. If birds are taking over your garden, there are many easy and inexpensive ways drive them away. Fortunately these methods do not harm the birds or any animals in your area.

Keep Birds out of Your Garden

Here are a few steps you can take today to deter birds from entering your garden space.

• Use a scarecrow! Believe it or not, this age-old technique is still in use today and is helpful. A large scarecrow made from straw, newspapers, or pillows may prevent birds from entering your garden space. Having reflective items on the scarecrow, such as aluminum foil, may also deter birds, as they are often turned off by shiny objects. You may want to somehow provide movement to the scarecrow so the birds will believe this object is a living being.
  
• Aluminum Foil. As mentioned above, some birds do not enjoy having direct sunlight shining directly into their eyes through reflective surfaces. Aluminum foil will reflect the sun during the day, bouncing light off its surface into the eyes of birds. This technique has some limitations, such as time of day, cloudiness, and the proximity of the bird to the garden.
• Physical Barriers. Creating a barrier around your garden will help protect your plants from birds and other animals. A protective shield around your garden perimeter can be as simple as a wired cage or as complex as a greenhouse.

Try using just one of these techniques, or all three, to increase your chances of preventing birds from entering your garden. You may also want to talk to your local nursery and see what else can be done to protect your garden from birds in your specific part of the country.