How To Keep Birds Away
From Patio Deck

7 Helpful Tips To Keep Them And Their Mess Away

By Richard Worden

Few things are more comforting than relaxing on your patio deck in fine weather. However, this experience is ruined when birds start pooping all over the place, making it unsightly and smelly. In such cases, you’ll be looking for solutions on how to keep birds away from patio deck.

The best way to keep birds off your patio deck is with scare dummies or bird spikes. Other effective objects to scare birds include reflective panels, repellent devices, and bright lighting. Keeping your yard clean and moving the bird feeder away from the porch are also helpful.

In this article, I’ll discuss different methods to keep birds away from your patio. If you’re a bird lover, there’s no need to worry – all the methods discussed below won’t harm the birds! So, let’s get started!

7. Use Animal Dummies as Bird “Scarecrows”

We’re all accustomed to the concept of scarecrows. So, why not use the same method to scare birds away from your patio? 

Using scare dummies is a proven way to scare these birds off your patio deck, especially if the dummies are realistic. Birds are extremely wary of other animals and people and won’t perch comfortably if a realistic dummy is present. 

If you were wondering how to keep birds away from your patio deck, using realistic bird or animal dummies is a great option. Just don’t go out and place a large teddy bear on your deck. The last thing you want is to create another perching spot for the birds! 

Always choose realistic dummies that will be difficult to distinguish from a real animal at a distance. The Bird-X Prowler Fake Owl Moving Wings (available on Amazon.com) has realistic plumage and comes in a hunting pose to scare most birds. 

When using scare dummies to keep birds away from your patio deck, keep in mind that birds aren’t completely brainless and will soon get the idea that the “predatory birds” are actually dummies. One way to counter this is to move the dummies around regularly to keep the birds guessing. 

Disclaimer: Smarter birds like crows or ravens may pick up on the dummy trick much sooner, so use this method along with other strategies. 

6. Install Bird Spikes on Your Patio 

Have you ever pondered over why birds love perching on patio decks, even when there isn't any food close by? It’s because your patio’s edges are easy for birds to perch on. To make birds reluctant to come to your patio deck, you’ll have to make it impossible for them to do so. 

One solution is to install bird spikes on your patio deck. Bird spikes are simple metal pikes that you can install on a fence or patio to prevent birds from perching there. If you’re worried about pigeons or crows, you can get bigger bird spikes. On the other hand, if you’re dealing with smaller birds, get spikes that make perching difficult for them.

The Bird-X Standard Stainless Steel Spike (available on Amazon.com) is designed to prevent birds from pooping, roosting, or building nests on your patio deck. It’s easy to install and can last several years with little maintenance.

While bird spikes do a great job of preventing birds from perching on patio decks, they may be unsightly. So, it’s best to reserve this as a last option if you don’t like the look of these spikes.

5. Place Reflective Objects on the Patio Deck

Birds don’t like areas with too much bright light, which is why reflective objects, such as reflective panels, are effective at keeping them away. You can even install bright lights to scare the birds away, but this isn’t a cost-effective solution. 

Installing reflective panels allows the sunlight to reflect onto your patio deck, and you won’t have to pay anything to maintain it. Preferably install panels or reflective items in a hanging position that moves when there’s wind since birds are more likely to get scared with sudden movement. 

If you hang small mirrors on the patio deck, you’ll have the double benefit of having a shiny, reflective object, and there’s the possibility that the birds will get scared by their reflections. how to keep birds away from patio deck

While it's best to cover the whole patio with reflective objects, they may look out of place, so place them in positions where they are most likely to reflect sunlight. 

4. Install a Sound-Based Repellent Device 

If reflective panels don’t work, it's time to go hi-tech and use special sound devices to repel birds from your patio. These devices are available online and are a cost-effective method of keeping birds away. 

They play special sounds that repel most birds. However, you don’t have to worry about disrupting the neighborhood's peace with loud sounds, as these devices play sounds that are almost impossible for humans to hear. 

If you’re looking for a sound-based device that will repel most birds, try the Bird-X Balcony Gard Ultrasonic Bird Repeller. (Available on Amazon) It has a decent range and plays soft sounds that are almost inaudible to humans but effective in keeping birds away from your patio deck.

3. Spray a Bird Repellent Solution on the Patio 

Did you know that most birds will avoid certain natural liquids, such as citrus fruit juice? Citrus fruits have a smell that’s repugnant to most birds, and spraying citrus fruit juice on your patio deck will keep most birds away. 

You can use orange, lemon, or lime juice, but avoid diluting it too much, as you'll reduce its potency. Unless you have certain exotic birds that come to your patio, you won’t have to worry about birds as long as you keep applying the spray. how to keep birds away from patio deck
While it's difficult to keep on spraying fresh citrus juice on your patio deck, it’s a solution that won’t harm the birds and is worth considering if other options don’t work. 

2. Keep Your Yard Clean

If you’re getting more birds in your yard and patio, it's probably because your yard has plenty of food sources for them. If you don’t have a bird feeder in your yard, you may have too many leaves, twigs, and other natural waste lying around. These attract bugs, worms, and other insects that subsequently bring the birds. 

Simply keeping your yard clean can reduce the number of birds that perch on your patio deck. Rake the yard regularly and remove extra twigs, dead leaves, and dirt that may attract birds. 

1. Move the Bird Feeder or Bird Bath Away From the Patio Deck

If your bird feeder or bath is close to the patio, then it's obvious that they’ll perch on the patio deck! Place them as far away from your patio as possible. You can also place poles or build other structures close to them, so the birds don’t come to perch on the patio. 

Also, check that your water fountain isn’t too close to the patio. Birds love water, especially in hot weather, and the presence of a water fountain close to the patio will cause you to deal with a lot of bird poop! 

Move the water fountain closer to the bird feeder so the birds can stay at a specific spot in your garden. If the fountain is too heavy or costly to move, you can use a combination of bird deterrent methods mentioned above.

How To Keep Birds Away From Patio Deck
...Final Thoughts

Birds are beautiful, but they can be pests, especially if they practically live on your patio deck. If you’re wondering how to keep birds away from the patio deck, try these solutions: 

1. Place a dummy predator on the porch to scare the birds. 
2. Use reflective objects or repellent spray. 
3. You can invest in bird spikes or bird-repellent sound devices for variation in case the birds pick up on the fake predator. 
4. Keep the bird feeder and water fountain away from the patio deck and keep your yard clean to reduce the food sources for these birds. 
   
   

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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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