Yesterday, I took my son to a friend’s house for a playdate. As the children were playing in the yard, on their beautiful Gorilla Playset, we noticed some birds trying to land on the roof of the playset while us parents, were trying to find ways to keep them away.
So, how can you keep birds off of playsets? There are many things that can be done to keep birds away. Some of these include statues, reflective objects, spikes, chemicals, moving objects, and etc. Determining why the birds are in your yard will also help you eliminate the problem.
As delighted as the children were to run around chasing the birds, our concern was to make sure that they didn’t get hurt or harmed by the birds. Hence, I started researching how to keep these birds away from playsets and away from our kids!
Related: How to Keep Wasps Away from Playsets
How to Keep Birds Away?
After researching extensively online, I was able to compile a list of the different things you can try in order to keep the birds away from your child’s playset.
Statues:
The most common strategy was to buy a predator statue i.e. a hawk, owl, etc. and place them in areas where the birds frequent in hopes of scaring them away.
The key to making this successful is to make sure that you’re constantly move the statues around. If you leave them in one place for too long, the birds will get used to them.
Another idea, that was also common, was using a scarecrow. This was especially useful with people that have Gardens. The Scarecrow is pretty light and flops around when it’s windy. Birds don’t like sudden movements and thus, it does the trick.
The last thing mentioned that also falls under this category, was the use of rubber snakes. By putting rubber snakes on the ground or on the roof of the playset might deter the birds from landing there.
Once again, the trick is to keep moving it around so it feels real to the birds.
Reflective Objects:
It is a known fact that birds of any kind hate reflective objects. Anything that glitters and shines in the sun can affect their eyes and they don’t like going near those objects.
Hence, the use of reflective objects has helped with frightening the birds to land in an unwanted area.
Today, reflective tape or ribbon is easily available in stores for your purchase. All you have to do is cut strips of it and attach them to long poles, place the poles near the playset and/or areas where you don’t want the birds to land.
Or, you can attach the strips to tree branches and on the roof of the playset and it will have the same effect.
A cost-effective way to achieve the same result would be to use aluminum foil, which is an everyday household item. You can take pieces of foil and tape them to the roof of the playset, or even make decorative pieces for the playset and hang them where you know it’ll get direct sunlight.
Spikes:
Bird spikes are also frequently used to keep birds away. These spikes are either made with metal or plastic but, either way they get the job done.
Just stick the spikes on the roof of the playset and this will prevent the birds from landing there.
When using the spikes, just be very careful that they are in a place where your kids can’t get to them, they can be dangerous and can cause unnecessary cuts or scrapes and you really don’t want that.
Chemicals:
There are sticky substances available that you spread in areas where you don’t want the birds to perch. Birds don’t like getting anything on their feet and this will keep them away.
Moving Objects:
You can strategically place flags, pinwheels or even wind chimes around the area of the playset or your yard in general and this should scare the birds away.
Noise Machine:
Another popular technique is playing loud noises. There are audio machines manufactured that can play predator noises and/or distress calls which deter birds from coming near the area where the machine is playing the sounds.
Alternately, if you don’t want to go out and buy this machine another tactic that works is playing your stereo on a high volume, enough to scare the birds but not so loud that you annoy your neighbors and this also helps in keeping the birds away from your child’s playset area.
Installing Soft Yellow Lights:
One of the things that brings birds to your yard is bugs. This is a source of food for them. Sometimes what attracts the bugs to your yard is the kind of light you use.
Accordingly, if you were to install soft yellow lights in your outdoor light fixtures, this will help keep bugs away. Yellow lights are known to repel bugs.
Fishing Line:
Lastly, if all else fails, you can make a web of fishing line above the playset area. You can do this by passing the fishing line through long poles and place them strategically around the playset. Having the fishing line will prevent the birds from landing near the playset area.
Why Are There Birds in Your Yard?
Knowing why the birds are in your yard in the first place, will help you eliminate them easily. There are plenty of things in your yard that can attract them. Some of the common attractions for birds are:
Shelter
As I mentioned above, birds are always on the hunt for their next peaceful resting place. A place where there is warmth, for them and their little ones (if they have any) so, look around your yard to determine if there are any areas where the birds might find shelter.
Another thing you want to look for is spaces around your home or by the playset where a bird might make a nest. i.e. hollow areas, trees, etc. If you see anything like that, cover the hollow areas and maybe trim the branches that are low hanging or closer to the area where the playset is located.
Food and Drinks
If you have a garden where you grow produce or flowers, these can be a source of food for some birds. They may want a nibble of your fresh fruits and veggies or the nectar from the flowers. Or, they might even want the first dibs on the worms and other bugs that might be present in your garden because of the produce.
Also check to see if there is a source of water in the form of a fountain, still water, etc. If there are, moving these sources or eliminating them might help with your problem.
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t find the answer right away. Just make sure you’re looking and keeping tabs on the birds. And, since you can’t possibly be in the yard at all times, if possible, time and money permitting, install a camera so you can see what the birds are up to. This may help you find your source. Otherwise, just try and observe their patterns whenever you can.
Why Are Birds Bad for Your Yard?
Apart from the birds wanting to eat your fruits and veggies, if you have any, and your flowers for their sweet nectar. Birds can be destructive for your yard. They can leave behind a mess in the form of their feathers and poop.
It is also a known fact that bird poop can be very dangerous to humans. Their poop is known to carry diseases that can prove to be deadly. In addition to that, their poop is very acidic and this can ruin your child’s playset. All in all, you don’t want birds anywhere near your child play area. They can cause a lot of problems that can by very costly to you.