How To Keep Birds Out
Of Your Hanging Baskets

By Richard Worden

Hanging baskets are a part of a home's outdoor decor, but birds can come along and cause trouble by trying to use them as nests. This can be annoying and may cause damage to your hanging baskets. So, you're probably wondering how to keep birds out of your hanging baskets.

If you want to keep birds out of your hanging baskets, you can use fake predators and reflective items. You can also make loud noises near the hanging baskets to scare birds away, place strong scents around the basket, or cover the hanging basket to keep the pests away.

Want to learn more about how to keep birds out of your hanging baskets? Keep reading to find out more!

1. Use Fake Predators

Birds have predators, and as you can imagine, they would rather be far away from them. So, placing a fake bird predator near the hanging baskets should keep them out of it. Examples include owls and eagles. 

These generally come in the form of a statue and are highly effective at keeping birds away. An example is this Dalen Fake Owl Decoy, available on Amazon.com. It looks highly realistic and can be filled with sand if you don't want it to fall over. 

However, you may need to move your fake predator around every few days because the birds might soon realize it's not real if it never moves. Birds are more likely to remain scared of something that actually moves, so you could also consider a "flying" predator. Since these move around in the air, they're more likely to keep birds away for extended periods.

Scarecrows can also work, but some birds might soon realize they are nothing to be afraid of. Using fake predators in combination with other deterrents that I'll mention in this article is an excellent way to keep birds out of your hanging baskets.

2. Use Reflective Items

Other things that birds don't like are reflective items. Things like CDs and aluminum foil keep them away, so place some of these near the hanging baskets. You could even put some aluminum foil or a CD inside the basket. 

Thankfully, you'll probably already have a CD or aluminum foil in your home, so this method is cheap and easy. Birds are generally afraid of reflective items because of the different reflections they emit. It's even better if your chosen item makes noise in the wind.

If a bird sees aluminum foil and hears the noise it makes as it blows around in the wind, it's likely to be terrified and stay away. However, there are even better options!

For example, you could consider using holographic tape, which has reflective properties. Place it in and around the hanging baskets for the best results. 

An example of holographic tape you can use to deter birds is this RUI SPEED Sliver Aluminum Foil Tape, available on Amazon.com. Although it's supposed to be used for repairs, nothing's stopping you from using it for your hanging baskets. Once the birds see this reflective tape and hear it blowing in the wind, they should turn around and find somewhere else to nest.

3. Make Loud Noises Near the Hanging Baskets

If you're still wondering how to keep birds out of your hanging baskets, consider making loud noises near the area to scare birds away. You may not have realized, but birds don't enjoy loud noises, so they are excellent deterrents in most cases.

Of course, it's not feasible to stand outside the hanging baskets and physically make loud noises every day, so you should use a speaker. There are plenty of sounds to play that should keep birds away, including predator noises. So, either use a CD to play the sounds or find a predator sound playlist on Spotify or Amazon Music and connect to a speaker.

If you don't have a speaker and aren't interested in buying one to keep birds away, consider other things that make noises. One example is a wind chime, which you can hang near hanging baskets. However, some wind chimes may attract birds (particularly if they're small and only make faint noises). 

So, make sure you choose a large one that makes louder noises. That way, the birds are more likely to stay away from your property.

4. Place Certain Scents in and Around the Baskets

While noises are some things that can scare birds away, smells can also keep them out. 

However, not all odors deter them, so you need to be aware of the ones that do. 

For example, essential oil and peppermint smells tend to prevent many birds. Many of these smells, including peppermint, irritate birds' throats. So consider spraying some essential oils or placing peppermint in and around the hanging baskets.

It's also possible to make a DIY repellent spray by mixing things like:

• Vinegar
• Peppermint
• Peppers or chili flakes
• Water

Once you've created the spray, you can spray it around the hanging baskets now and then. It ensures birds can smell it and stay away. 

5. Cover the Hanging Baskets

This step might not be the most appealing because it involves covering your hanging baskets, which you likely don't want to do, as it may ruin the aesthetics. However, it will help keep birds away, so it might be worth it if you don't want to try other methods in this article.

A suitable type of cover is netting, which is widely used to keep birds away from properties. Simply place the net around the hanging baskets and other areas you want to protect, and the job is done. Thankfully, netting won't completely block your hanging baskets (i.e., you'll still be able to see them underneath), so you don't have to worry too much about ruining the decor.

The netting will prevent birds from being able to get into the hanging baskets, so they'll have to find somewhere else to go and nest.

6. Place a Hanging Basket in a Different Area

You now know how to keep birds out of your hanging baskets, and all the methods mentioned should be highly effective. However, one last thing you can consider is placing a basket in a different area–this will attract birds to the opposite end of your yard, possibly keeping them away from the rest of the property.

You're essentially attracting birds to a new location to ensure they stay away from the places you don't want them to be. Consider placing a bird feeder close to the new hanging basket to ensure the birds are attracted here instead of on your property.

Once that's done, birds are more likely to stay away from your desirable hanging baskets and gravitate toward the other(s), especially if you also use bird feeders!

Try Different Methods Together for the Best Results

When reading this article, you might wonder which method is the best. However, why not use multiple methods together for the best results? For example, you can use aluminum tape (step 2), netting (step 5), and place hanging baskets in different areas (step 6) to keep birds away.

Mix and match different methods to see which ones work best for your situation.

How To Keep Birds Out of Your Hanging Baskets...Conclusion

You can try different things to keep birds away from your hanging baskets. Loud noises, fake predators, and netting are all examples of things that can scare birds away. Use different methods together for the most promising outcome.

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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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