Of course it is natural for us to appreciate and love birds, there’s even a whole industry dedicated to bird watching. Who doesn’t enjoy bird song in the morning or evening? It can be therapeutic and a great way to “connect” to nature. However, having a large number of birds congregating on or around your home can be a nuisance, even dangerous.
Droppings
This problem speaks for itself. We’ve all seen the mess even a small number of birds can leave. It’s obviously unhealthy and dangerous to have any amount of an animal’s droppings lying around. Their droppings also contain uric acid, which can damage the paint on both your vehicles and home.
Aggression
Some species of bird can become very aggressive at certain times of year (Such as nesting season) and will attack both people and other animals, pets for example, when we get too close to “their” space and/or nesting site.
Noise
If you have a large number of birds coming to your yard, or perching on your roof every morning, this can lead to a lack of sleep. A loud morning chorus will wake you up way before your alarm.
Mites
Birds often carry mites that will also happily live on us and/or our pets. They can cause irritation, through bites, and pass on disease.
Property Damage
If they regularly perch in the same spot then their droppings can start to damage materials such as wood, and also in sufficient numbers their feathers will fill and clog drains and gutters. This can lead to an expensive repair bill.
Flowers and Vegetables
Birds soon find bright flowers and tasty crops. They will use them as a source of food.
Nesting Inside Buildings
Once inside they can be a real threat to the safety of your home. They can weaken the structure of a roof, be noisy and smelly, and cause damage to water and electric fittings.
So, there we have it, birds can cause problems,. They are of course a beautiful and appreciated creature, but it may be time to look at an effective way to repel them.
You Have a Problem: The Next Steps
Having a bird problem can see you end up trying all kinds of approaches in order to discourage them using your home and yard as a place to visit or even hang out. That’s when you might hear about bird repellent gel and go on to ask the question you really need an answer for: Does it work?
So, does it? In general bird repellent gel is aimed at larger birds such as crows and pigeons and not for smaller ones like sparrows. It’s really quite a straightforward approach in how it works with any retail sold gel being designed to irritate a bird’s feet so that they then avoid the area you want them to stay away from. I mean, would you stand somewhere that made you feet feel uncomfortable?
So let’s have a look at how effective this method is at keeping your home, yard and family transport free from the mess birds can leave.
New to the Product?
On first hearing about how a friend or neighbour, by using bird repellent gel, got the results they wanted, it can, as it was for me, be a bit of a head scratcher. How can a gel keep birds away from your property?
Plus, as ever, you want to be absolutely sure it will deliver the desired results, as none of us want to invest in a product that does not work in the way that we want. Value for money is always key on this site!
Well, the news seems good, because on meeting and reading what users of these kinds of products think, then bird repellent gel does work effectively when used correctly. On purchasing an established brand with a market presence then there is no reason to suspect that the gel won’t work. Birds will be kept away from your home, car and yard.
A word of advice: You need to be really clear about what kinds of birds are causing the problem. Find and identify those that are causing the mess, as gels are not designed to keep smaller birds away. Also, always be certain what kind of birds the product you buy is aimed at.
Bird Repellent Gel: How it Works
Repellent gel works by simply stopping birds from either landing or perching. On landing the gel will stick to their feet, the birds can no do anything to avoid getting the gel on its feet when it lands on any surface upon which the gel has been applied.
Gels are designed to allow birds to be able to take off and leave, no one wants to actually trap and either hurt or kill them. The product is instead designed to make the animals feel uncomfortable, a great way to teach them that by avoiding your home and its surroundings they won’t get their feet covered in annoying gunk. If there is one sure way to discourage birds, it’s to teach them that by landing on your home, they’re going to get horribly sticky feet.
Any quality gels will hold onto any surface and will be transparent – delivering an effective “invisible” solution to your bird problem.
Why Go With Gel?
It is easy to apply it to any surface and is straightforward to use, not requiring any specialized equipment, training or clothing. If you can squeeze toothpaste, or apply caulking, then you can use bird repellent gel.
It Sticks and Stays to Most Surfaces
Applied to a variety of surfaces — including beams, windowsills, ledges and tiling – it sticks and stays, ensuring a long lasting and effective deterrent to unwanted birds.
Weather Proof
Any gel worth its value will be able to endure all kinds of weather and climate. It doe not need regularly replacing and/or topping up as other pest control methods often do.
Cost Effective
A phrase we all like: Cost effective. Compared to other methods of keeping unwanted birds away, gel repellent comes in ahead of the field.
Environmentally Friendly
Unlike many other kinds of pest control methods, bird repellent gel does not contain toxins, poisons or harmful chemicals. It’s safe to use and kind to the environment.
Bird Safe
Gel repels birds and, crucially, does not kill them.
So there we have it, a solid number of sensible reasons to use gel as a way to control the birds that visit your property. Keep them away, but keep them safe.
So, now you’ve read about its advantages, maybe it’s time to move on from the other methods of bird control you’ve been using; ones that are certainly more expensive than gel and can even be harmful to the birds themselves.
Bird Repellent Gel: Application
If there’s absolutely one thing everyone who uses bird repellent gel can agree with, it’s how easy it is to use. Here’s an outline of the steps that need to be taken to make your gel application a success:
Pick a Spot
If the back fence attracts a certain kind of bird that you love to have around, then you will obviously want to keep that free of any gel application. Only choose those areas that have been identified as places where unwanted birds rest, nest or perch.
Clean and Dry
Before any application be sure to clean any surface, clear it of any debris and even wash it down. If you do scrub it clean, allow any are chosen to dry. This ensures any applied gel doesn’t get diluted and, most importantly, sticks and stays.
Thin Beads are Key
Once cleaned and fully dried apply the gel in thin beads. This allows a larger surface area to be covered and saves you having to buy more gel than really needed. Read any application instructions provided carefully, the manufacture will always know the best way to use their product.
Bottom line? It’s easy. You don’t need to train up, or be a pro to apply bird repellent gel, and that’s one of its main attractions. It’s cost effective and non-toxic.
Other Approaches
That’s why we are also including this section, which looks at other ways to deter birds from your home.
One of the simplest ways to have an unwanted bird free yard, and one we often overlook, is to remove food sources. Don’t leave anything lying around that the birds you want to keep away would see as a tasty snack. Even think about the plants, shrubs and trees in your yard. Do crows or pigeons like them? Then maybe it’s time to ship them out.
Plastic Eagles
Yes, you read that right. Plastic eagles — or their like — can be really scary for other birds. Going with the same approach as found out in the wild, birds will stay well clear of those animals that are their natural predators, or are just bigger than they are. If you were not sure the lion you can see is real or not, I am sure, as me, you wouldn’t hang around to find out. Same goes for birds, if they see an eagle, real or not, they’ll stay away.
However, although proven effective, if, over time, the fake predator stays exactly where it is, it may well just become “part of the landscape” and slowly cease to deter birds from visiting your yard. After all, a predator has to be “active” to be effective. Moving your plastic owl or eagle around may help to keep it delivering the results you need!
Essential Oils: Some Birds Hate Them
As with all animals, some scents are really very unattractive to birds.
Peppermint oil, citronella, garlic oil, can be effective at keeping birds away. As can crushed red pepper and other strong smells.
Sounds Scare Birds
Airports often employ sounds to keep birds away from runways, but the approach they take is on too large a scale for homeowners. Yet, the thinking behind the approach is proven. The sound of chimes, a recorded bird of prey’s call and/or other predators, can keep those unwanted guests at bay.
However, over time, birds may get used to these sounds to the point where they become ineffective.
Uncomfortable Sitting: Spikes
You can find strips of spikes for sale in many hardware and other stores; designed to deter birds and other animals from perching, sitting or from otherwise using your property as a place to rest, nest or sleep.
However, it is important to note that these do have the potential to injure or even kill some animals and perhaps should be used with caution.
Conclusion: Bird Repellent Gel, Does it Work?
Yes is the short answer. Cheap, easy to apply, and a proven method of keeping unwanted birds away, these gel repellents do what they are designed to do.
However, we’d like to repeat what we said earlier and give a word of advice: You need to be really clear about what kinds of birds are causing the problem. Find and identify those that are causing the mess, as gels are not designed to keep smaller birds away. Also, always be certain what kind of birds the product you buy is aimed at.
No matter the kind of pests invading your life, we have it covered. Explore the site and find all the answers you need, our Pest Removal FAQ has articles about getting rid of every kind of pest you can imagine. And if you still have questions, contact us: We’ll do our very best to help.