It’s a sight just about everyone has seen: a collection of birds nestled atop a telephone wire—or any other type of electric wire. For the most part, this can be a harmless activity that you don’t have to worry about. Until the birds start landing on your electric wires. Preventing birds from landing on electric wires helps keep them safe—and it helps you maintain a peaceful landscape. Here’s what you need to know about effective electric wire bird control.
Why Do Birds Land On Wires?
More often than not, birds land on electric wires for the view! But that doesn’t mean that they are necessarily taking in the scenery. Wires offer high perches in wide-open spaces, which in turn gives the birds views of any potential prey that might be on the ground. With the open space, birds are also free to watch for predators that might enter the area. At its essence, a wire is a secure place for a bird to get its bearings and hunt for food.
Why Prevent Birds From Landing Electric Wires?
If you’ve driven through just about anywhere in the U.S., you’ve likely seen birds land harmlessly on power lines. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t risks to birds landing on the wires near you. Birds that land on electrical wire expose themselves to all sorts of risks, including electrocution and collision. Some species, like woodpeckers, can also damage the poles or wires themselves. This isn’t good for you or the birds.
The problem is that it can be difficult to directly interfere with the migratory patterns of many bird species—and in many cases illegal. So how can you prevent birds from landing on electric wire to keep both the wire and the birds safe?
Effective Electric Wire Bird Control
The best way to keep birds off of electric wires is to take away what makes them such an ideal place to land: the feeling of safety. You can do this a number of ways:
- Auditory Deterrents: Sound repellent devices, for example, can emit a chirp that can prevent birds from landing—however, this can interfere with your landscape.
- Eliminating Food Sources: Birds often practice “perching” behavior when they believe a source of food is nearby. Try to maintain a landscape that minimizes bird food sources and discourages this behavior.
- Scents: Some scents naturally repel birds—however, beware of chemical scents and bird repellers that can interfere with the quality of the outdoor environment.
- Visual Deterrents: Deterrents that move or are made to resemble birds’ natural predators can be a great way to scare them away from an area.
Try The WhirlyBird Repeller
The WhirlyBird Repeller is the most versatile bird deterrent on the market today, incorporating multiple bird scare tactics into a single device. Shaped like a Peregrine falcon, the WhirlyBird Repeller spins, vibrates and clacks in the wind, creating an auditory deterrent. It’s “wings” spin and wobble as well, and its holographic post reflects sunlight, creating an effective visual deterrent. Most importantly, because it reacts to the wind and the sun, its patterns are randomized, helping to prevent birds from adapting to it.
Order a WhirlyBird Repeller today!