Florida’s year-round tropical climate makes it home to a stunning array of biodiversity, especially birds. However, when those birds prove to be troublesome— such as making a mess of a property, stealing food from guests, or acting as a safety hazard— the climate can be more of a hindrance to bird control measures in Florida than a boon. Feral pigeons (Columba livia), boat-tailed grackles (Quiscalus major), and common grackles (Quiscalus quiscula) are all species that are quick to move in when DIY control measures fail, much to the disappointment of property owners that have already spent money in an attempt to resolve the issue.
How Florida’s Climate Undermines DIY Bird Deterrents
One of the top factors that causes bird control measures to fail in the state of Florida is the climate. It is no secret that Florida’s heat and humidity can be unrelenting, particularly in the middle of summer. These highs in temperature and the condensation from humidity can make gels and other chemical deterrents melt, and tends to destroy the adhesive on cheap bird spike strips. Many retail-grade plastics that are used to construct bird spikes are also not UV-resistant, and become increasingly brittle and prone to breakage when exposed to long stretches of direct sunlight. Low-grade metals are also threatened by the salt in their air in more coastal locations.
The inability of many DIY bird deterrents to survive Florida’s climate only grows worse when paired with another important factor: there is virtually no off season for nesting birds in the state of Florida. Year-round warmth allows birds to nest for much longer stretches of time, and invasive species like feral pigeons may nest multiple clutches per year. This constant pressure from birds can make control measures that are already weak practically ineffective.
Common DIY Bird Deterrents
Bird Gels
Bird gels are intended to create sticky, uncomfortable surfaces for birds to perch, and are commonly used in sensitive areas for pigeon control. However, as previously mentioned, these gels are often not resilient to high temperatures or the condensation from humid structures. Gels are prone to melting in high temperatures, which makes them both unsanitary— due to collecting lots of unsightly debris— and an ineffective bird deterrent for hot weather. While these may be a cheap solution to very small targeted areas, Florida’s climate ensures that any outdoor use would require constant reapplication.
Reflective Tape
Reflective tape uses the reflections from light to scare birds away from specific perching spots. However, similar to bird gels, the adhesives on these tapes rarely last long, and the reflective surfaces themselves may lose their shine due to weather and sun exposure. The effectiveness of reflective tapes as bird control is also highly debatable; pigeons, grackles, and crows all seem to quickly adjust to the presence of the tape. While it may discourage perching birds a few times, birds ultimately seem to figure out that the tape isn’t a threat within a matter of days.
Predator Decoys
Much like reflective tapes, predator decoys are a popular DIY method that relies on startling birds away from perches. The lack of movement in many of these decoys— and the fact that they often persistently stay in one place— unfortunately tends to cue birds in on them being fake threats within days. In fact, birds using these decoys as perches is a common sight where they are deployed.
Sound-Based Deterrents
As the name implies, sound-based deterrents are mounted devices intended to scare birds by using disorienting noises or distress calls. While these may be helpful in remote locations with low foot traffic, these devices are heavily limited by noise restrictions in residential and urban areas and may disturb visitors and non-target species. Areas that already have issues with noise pollution, such as urban centers, may also severely dampen the effect of these devices. Much like visual deterrents, birds also tend to adapt to sound-based deterrents rather quickly, proving why many DIY bird deterrents don’t work.
Bird Spikes
Bird spikes are spikes or prongs mounted onto notable ledges birds use to perch. While bird spikes can be immensely helpful for controlling birds, DIY installation can leave flimsy spikes that are prone to falling off or breaking under constant sun exposure. Spikes are also typically not suitable for large, flat surfaces like HVAC units, as birds will utilize any gaps in the spikes to perch or even pin nesting materials.
Other Visual Deterrents
There are countless other visual deterrence devices on the market, such as balloons, reflective objects, kites, and other scare devices. Unfortunately, these often have the same shortcomings as other visual deterrents such as predator decoys: anything that doesn’t actually pose a threat or exclude birds is easily ignored. While objects that move may have a longer period of successful deterrence than static objects, they still ultimately rely on short-term scares.
Signs DIY Deterrents Are No Longer Working
- Birds are still perching or nesting. Improperly installed or ineffective deterrents will not work in preventing perching or nesting long-term. While birds may disappear for a short period of time, it is important to monitor their behavior over weeks and judge the effectiveness of deterrence devices accordingly.
- If droppings are still accumulating, it means your deterrent is not working. Birds are still waiting in the general vicinity and growing increasingly used to whatever deterrence measures have been put in place.
- There is damage to property or equipment. This is an especially grim sign if you have installed deterrence devices to prevent damage to property or equipment.
- There is a repeated need to reinstall devices. Whether it is by birds repeatedly breaking devices or the harsh climate causing their degradation, devices that need repeated reinstallations are an ineffective headache.
Specialized Nuisance Birds
Pigeons
Feral pigeons are notoriously tricky birds to disperse. Pigeons are cavity nesters, which means they tend to nest and roost in dark, tucked-away spaces that can make infestations hard to locate. Their tendency to find hidden spaces is also a major danger to equipment and maintenance areas, as their droppings are acidic enough to corrode metal and their nesting materials are highly flammable if placed in proximity to electrical sources.
Their strong homing instincts are also why pigeons ignore deterrents. It makes it remarkably easy for them to return to spaces that cheap DIY devices have ‘scared’ them away from, even if it appears like an initial scare has been successful.
Grackles
Both boat-tailed and common grackles can be a headache for property owners in Florida. These species’ activity can change dramatically throughout the course of a year, but both are much more persistent and aggressive during nesting season from early spring through late summer. Boat-tailed grackles especially gather in large courting flocks to breed and raise offspring, and will persistently remain at a site unless they are deterred early. Grackles of both species may also grow increasingly aggressive in their feeding habits as nesting season approaches, with some boat-tailed grackles even growing bold enough to steal food directly off of a held plate or out of hand. This behavior may just seem like a one-time nuisance, but birds that have learned that our plates are a reliable source of food will continue to show heightened aggression towards people, and will even teach other birds the same bad habits.
Stop Wasting Time on Poor DIY Fixes
Overall, poor DIY fixes are short-term and unreliable in Florida’s climate. Not only are they prone to breakage and easily adjusted to by nuisance birds, but repeated installations can be real wastes of time and money. Additionally, having to repeatedly install failed bird deterrence devices is a headache— especially when these devices are needed in hard-to-reach or dangerous areas.
Why Choose Professional vs. DIY Bird Removal in Florida
Hawkeye Bird and Animal Control has over 30 years of experience and expertise in a wide variety of long-term bird control solutions. Our technicians specialize in humane and legally-compliant deterrence methods in the state of Florida, such as bird netting, lasers, and falconry. We offer fully customizable professional bird control and removal services based on the specific needs of each property and infestation severity with a focus on behavioral deterrence and long-term results— not short-term scares. If DIY bird control has ever disappointed you, call Hawkeye today today to see how you can keep birds away with our professional pigeon and grackle control services in Florida.
