How To Keep Birds Away
From Outdoor Furniture

By Richard Worden

Many homeowners set up feeders to attract birds of all kinds to their yards so they can enjoy watching them for hours. While this is a beautiful way to enjoy nature, it can also cause great inconvenience if the birds mess on the outdoor furniture. How do you keep birds away from outdoor furniture?

You can keep birds away from outdoor furniture by making the area less appealing, keeping the area clean, moving the bird feeders, and using non-toxic bird repellent strategies, like predator decoys. You could also use bird netting around your patio.

While you may enjoy birdwatching, inviting feathered guests onto your property may cause problems with your outdoor seating area. To make the most of your outdoor furniture, you need to know how to keep birds away from it. This article will tell you everything you need to know about safely deterring birds.

1. Make the Furniture Less Appealing

One of the easiest ways to keep birds away from your outdoor furniture is to make the immediate area around it less attractive to birds. The more comfortable they are close to your outdoor furniture, the more likely they will visit often.

Move the Bird Feeders

If you are an avid bird lover, you have most likely placed your bird feeder with loving care to ensure you receive the best view of the local and migratory birds as they visit your yard. 

Unfortunately, feeders are an open invitation to birds, and if you always keep them full, you will have many feathered visitors. 

Your outdoor furniture is no exception to this rule. You will quickly have excrement to deal with and the possibility of hostile birds.

If you want to keep the birds off your outdoor furniture, the bird feeder should be far away from your seating area or gone altogether. While you will not get to see the birds eating every day, you also will skip the problem of cleaning up poop every time you want to use your outdoor furniture.

Relocate the Birdbath

A birdbath or fountain poses a similar problem to a feeder. In warm weather, the birdbath becomes an oasis, allowing birds to drink water and cool down by splashing themselves. 

The more time birds spend cooling off and drinking, the more comfortable they will be with the area. This can inevitably lead to mess on and around your outdoor furniture.

An easy solution is to move your birdbath as far as possible from your outdoor furniture. Try and pick a location where you can still enjoy watching the bird activity. This will encourage the birds to stay further away from your outdoor furniture but still come to visit.

2. Keep the Space Around Your Outdoor Furniture Clean

Just like you keep the inside of your home neat, tidy, and clean to prevent indoor pests, you need to keep your outdoor space tidy to prevent birds from becoming pests and making a mess. 

Here’s what you should focus on to keep birds away from your outdoor furniture:

Always Clean Up Any Food Residue

If you enjoy dining outdoors, be sure to clean up after yourself. Make sure that there is no residual food on your patio or on the furniture that could attract birds. Birds love a good meal of crumbs any day of the week. 

The plus side of regular cleanings is that your furniture will remain in top shape and prevent other animals from sniffing around as well.

Keep the Surrounding Bushes or Hedges Well Trimmed

Birds love bushes and hedges, especially when they are overgrown. They will be more attracted to your outdoor furniture if it is surrounded by out-of-control shrubbery. 

So, during your yard maintenance, keep track of the growth of your greenery around your seating area. Trim it back as needed to prevent the birds from coming around.

3. Add Non-Toxic Bird Repellents to Your Outdoor Furniture

There are many non-toxic bird-repellent strategies available. It’s best to choose a method that will not hurt the birds, as there are conservation laws that protect most species. The options discussed here are entirely humane and will not harm the birds:

Use an Ultrasonic Bird Repellent Device

Any easy method of deterrence is using an ultrasonic bird repeller. These devices produce continuous, ultrasonic sounds that the human ear can’t detect. However, birds can hear these noises and find them incredibly unforgettable, forcing them to find another place to visit.  

Most ultrasonic-repellent devices are solar-powered, so all you need to do is leave them in a sunny place and forget about them. 

An excellent device to consider is this Ultrasonic Animal Repellent from Amazon. In addition to the standard ultrasonic noise, it provides flashing lights to help deter birds and other animals and is solar powered. 

Add Scents Birds Hate

While birds dislike the scents of many essential oils, you should not use these as a method of deterring them because they are known for causing respiratory distress in avian species.

You can use scents, such as citronella, to keep birds from visiting your outdoor furniture. They do not like the smell, and because it is a common ingredient in bug-repellent candles, you might already have one. 

Peppermint, lemon, garlic, and chili are also scents that birds dislike. However, you may find that these smells overpower your relaxing area and make it less enjoyable. These scents also degrade over time and have to be frequently replenished. how to keep birds away from outdoor furniture

Use Reflective Devices Around Your Outdoor Furniture

Another option is adding reflective objects around your outdoor furniture. Birds often associate these with predators and will try to stay away from the area as much as possible. 

This can be anything as simple as hanging some old CDs you have lying around. Amazon has a lot of great products that are also stylish, such as these two options:

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Strategically Place Predator Statues

Predator decoys fool birds into thinking that there is a predator nearby. They are a fuss-free solution because they’re a once-off purchase, and you can place them near your outdoor furniture and let them work their magic.  

However, the birds will eventually realize that the decoy is fake, so you should move them around a little to keep up the pretense. 

Commonly used figures include owls, foxes, and even the traditional scarecrow.

Amazon offers the Galashield Owl Decoy, which features reflective eyes and a moveable head. With these characteristics, the statue is more genuine to the birds, making it more effective overall.

Use Bird Netting on Your Porch or Pergola

If your outdoor furniture is on a porch or pergola, you can also encase the area in bird netting. This will prevent birds from gaining access to the space without harming them. how to keep birds away from outdoor furniture
A great option you can cut to the size you need is the OGORI 25’ x 50’ Bird Netting, available on Amazon. It is also an excellent choice if you have difficulty protecting your garden or fruit trees.

How To Keep Birds Away From Outdoor Furniture ...Conclusion

Birdwatching and sitting outside are two wonderfully relaxing activities. However, it can be problematic when the birds begin interfering with your outdoor furniture. There are many humane ways to deter birds from ruining your outdoor experience and still get to experience them in your yard.

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Hi! I'm Richard Worden, the author and founder of We Know Birds.

Over 20 years ago I developed a keen interest in birds and birdwatching, and it has been my passion ever since. I am committed to spreading useful knowledge about birds to others so we might all enjoy them to the fullest.

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