Bird Management

[Black_Fly]

Birds make a mess of our carport - it’s like their own condo. I tear nests out every day. This is the heavy season. So now, I’m tarping my canoe, trying to devise a cover for the entire rack and its occupants. I’m wondering if there’s not an effective deterrent to settlement. Maybe used cat litter. They just pooped on the fake owl I tried. Not sure if birds act on scent but I’m going to give cat litter a shot. So far I’ve tried foam, wire, the plastic owl, smoke, water, noise and constant nest clearing. If baby chirps emerge, I admit defeat and leave the brood to occupy.

 

[clemency]

What are they building nests on? Put in wood blocks to make it less attractive?

 

[lowangle al]

They not only build nests on the decks of my overturned boats but one persistent robin kept trying to build on where the center thwart meets the hull.
I've seen posted here somewhere that you can put a beachball in your stems to displace them.

 

[Sedges]

We have had a problem with Phoebee building nests and messing up an outdoor kitchen at a local park. Black rat snake being great climbers and a major bird predator, we entwined a length of black rubber hose in the rafters. We have been Phoebee free for several years now. Works with Wrens in the canoes, too. There are fake plastic snakes on the market, but a ready to discard piece of hose worked fine for free.

 

[CaptainOllieWest]

Try a bobblehead owl decoy.

 

[Boatman53]

A neighbor put a couple of rubber snakes in strategic locations, they will not be back till after nest building has begun so I’ll let you know if they work.
Jim

 

[Odyssey]

It's too easy for me to criticize an anti-avian thread being somewhat of a twitchy-bird lover, but I do sympathize, since we park our 2 black cars directly under a tall oak tree every day. When the squirrels aren't plinking them with acorns the birds are adorning them with splat.
I wonder if your carport design can be adjusted slightly to deter them? Some birds will fly directly to/from their nests (starlings, robins) while others will swoop under and search for roosts (swallows). What birds decorate your boats? I draw the bird-loving line at pigeons. Have at er.

 

[RBourg]

When wrens build nests in my endcaps it just means I am not paddling enough. Seriously though, maybe try some rubber snakes??