Table of Contents
Introduction:
Water attracts birds in large numbers. After spending a significant amount of money installing your swimming pool, you do not want to spend much time cleaning bird droppings from it. It is essential to note that bird droppings create a mess and can pose health risks to the property’s residents. Thankfully, you can do several things to keep birds away from your pool. In this article, we have detailed various effective methods on how to keep birds away from pool, and how to keep birds from pooping on pool deck.
How To Keep Birds Away From Pool : A Step By Step Guide
Step 1
Scare the birds away. Birds are easy to scare, and that is the reason why scarecrows are a necessity. However, it would be best if you do not worry about creating strawmen and mounting them on poles. There is a wide range of fake predators you can buy to keep birds away from your pool. A hawk, owl, falcon, or snake can scare birds from landing near your swimming pool. Ensure to move your scarecrow regularly to ensure the birds do not get used to it.
The fake owl replica is the most popular since it has a 360-degree rotating head with creepy eyes. The replica can even scare kids away from the pool. You can place it near the awning or tree. However, some birds respond better to rubber snakes. If you prefer plastic snakes, scatter a few around your pool or place them on the solar cover.
Step 2
Blinding can also help keep the birds away from your pool. Blinding birds does not mean you hurt them and make them blind. Note that the local laws, the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, as well as the state laws, protect birds in the United States. Therefore, hurting or worse, killing birds around your pool is not an option.
However, you can blind them with reflective objects, including aluminum plates, shiny party streamers, and foils. The flashiness and reflection that these materials provide when sun rays hit them affect the bird’s eyes. If well set in your pool, the birds will avoid the area as much as possible.
Hang these reflective materials on high areas and trees in your backyard. Besides, you can tape the materials around the edges of your pool or on the fence.
Step 3
Limit the birds’ movement by trying to put up barriers such as fences and hedges between your grass lawn and your pool to prevent geese and ducks from walking into your pool. If you have a fishing line, you can try to run it in a crisscrossing pattern over your pool. Use trees and eaves around the pool to tie the fishing net and ensure it is high enough. Birds do not like being obstructed when flying. In this case, the net will serve as an obstruction, and the birds will consider hanging around other people’s property.
Step 4
Bird feeders for flying birds and grass for geese and ducks are their primary sources of food. That can encourage the birds to keep returning to your property. Reduce your grass lawn area and remove bird feeders around the pool to avoid that. In addition, remove plants that produce edibles such as berries, fruits, and nuts.
Step 5
Placing a few pool toys that resemble various predators to lounge on in the water can help keep off birds that may want to land in the water. Immediately the birds see the toys resembling a predator, they will keep off from your pool. For instance, a giant inflatable gator can scare away birds and make them look for a different pool. You can also try placing a different pool toy such as an alligator, dolphin, shark, or whale.
Step 6
If you are wondering how to keep birds away from pool, the ultrasonic sound system can help. Manufacturers have come up with multiple sound systems that help deter birds from hanging around your pool. An ultrasonic sound system emits an extremely high-pitched noise that humans cannot detect but can scare off birds. Most of these systems are motion-activated. They begin working when they sense birds flying.
Manufacturers have also come up with sound systems that emit sounds of birds in distress or sounds similar to those predator birds emit. The two sounds signal birds that the area is not safe to hang around. Some of the ultrasonic sound systems are sophisticated. You can program the system to scare off a specific bird from your pool.
Step 7
Reflective bird diverters are inexpensive and can help keep birds away from your pool. The diverters are small circular tags that one can hang around their fence, tree branches around, among other areas surrounding the pool. Each tag has an image that imitates a predator bird’s eye.
When birds see these eyes, they will be tricked into thinking that predator birds are in that area. When the wind blows, the diverters tag back and forth, and the birds tend to think that the predator bird is moving. Bird diverters are readily available in outdoor and hardware stores.
Step 8
Wind chimes are aesthetically pleasing bird deterrents and pleasing to the human ears. They are two-fold. Birds do not like the reflective, shiny light from the metal pieces. The wind chimes sound can scare birds off since the sound is unfamiliar to their ears and one that they do not understand.
If you have trees around your pool, you can hang the wind chimes on the branches, overhang on your porch, or fence. The good thing about wind chimes is that they are not just for scaring birds. They can be part of your patio décor or garden. They also produce a relaxing sound for humans.
Step 9
If you are not aware of how to keep birds away from pool easily, those shiny, colorful pinwheels that are children’s toys can easily scare birds off. When the wind hits the spinning pinwheels, they spin frantically, causing motion and noise that scares off birds. The metallic material on the spinning pinwheels reflects light that scares birds away.
Depending on where you have noticed the bird droppings, you can secure the pinwheels at the top of your deck railing or fence. The pinwheels are available at a children’s toy store or dollar store. When purchasing the pinwheels, make sure you pick the ones made with shiny or metallic materials.
Step 10
Cover your pool anytime you are not using it. That is the best way to keep birds from pooping in your pool. A pool cover can discourage birds from swimming in your pool. Since the pool cover can be unsteady, the birds cannot stay on the cover.
Step 11
Try eliminating birds’ roosting areas such as branches over or around your pool. It is essential to trim or remove the shrubs and trees around the area. This is also the perfect way of keeping bees away from your pool since there is no ideal place to build their nest.
Step 12
Removing fountains and birdbaths in your yard will discourage birds from visiting the area. Birds love water sources where they can drink and bathe. If you have a fountain or a birdbath beside your pool, consider relocating it or eradicating it. Once you take away the bathing station, the birds will begin looking for a better place to hang around.
Step 13
If you receive a significant number of birds that the above methods cannot handle, you must involve professionals. Experts can install effective systems that can help keep birds away from your pool.
For example, the professionals can install a motion-activated sprinkler that squirts water to any bird that flies within the machine’s sensor.
Experts may also advise you to buy a motion-activated ultrasonic repellent. The system produces an ultrasonic sound after birds enter the sensor’s range. The ultrasonic sound is unbearable for the birds. This is the most effective way to keep off birds from your pool.
Bird Control Products For Pool
As mentioned earlier, bird droppings around and in your pool area are unsanitary. The time and resources needed to clean the droppings off daily can be overwhelming. However, bird control products for the pool can give you peace of mind and a healthy pool environment.
Hawk decoy
A red-tailed hawk decoy is used as an owl decoy to frighten birds from backyards and pools. The product has a shiny reflective surface and mocks the predator’s eye. The two elements work together to appeal to the bird’s sight and send a sense of danger.
Bird chase supersonic
The birds chase supersonic is an outdoor programmable sound deterrent that people use to scare birds from their pool. The product features actual predator and distress calls of over 24 types of birds. When birds around your pool hear these calls, they flee the area. It broadcasts these sounds in intervals of ten minutes to alert birds of danger.
Electric track bird deterrent
The unique electrically charged tracks transmit mild electrical shock when birds around your area land on them. The mild shock will not harm the birds but will create an uncomfortable environment from them. The awkward environment created by the electric tracks can keep off birds from even nesting in that area.
There are several bird control products in the market. One has to learn the kind of birds that flock their pool to pick a useful product. You can also involve professionals if you are not aware of which product may work best for you.
How To Keep Birds From Pooping on Pool Deck
Most people on various online platforms have been looking for answers on how to keep birds from pooping on pool deck. It is not an easy task, but with the tips below, you can maintain a clean pool.
Install an automatic pool cleaner
An automatic pool cleaner is a useful machine. Birds are easily scared. They get scared even from the sound of a vacuum cleaner. Therefore, an automatic pool cleaner can prevent them from landing in your pool.
Maintain your pool
Ensure that your pool has enough chlorine and if there is any floating debris, remove it. Also, ensure to upkeep the area surrounding the pool. Birds are more attracted to smelling pond water than they are to clean water.
Own a dog
Since some birds may not get scared of the fake predators, having a dog can solve your problem. When birds such as ducks see or hear your dog bark, they can flee from your pool. However, it is essential to note that not all dogs chase or bark at birds. Therefore, it is crucial to train your pet on how to chase birds. Remember that if only a few birds hanging around your pool, you do not have to deal with many bird droppings.
Use duck off
Using unwanted chemicals may be discouraging, but duck off is safe to use. The product breaks the surface tension of water, making it uncomfortable for birds such as ducks to swim.
How To Keep Birds Away From Pool: FAQs
Q: How can I stop birds from pooping in my pool?
You can use several methods to keep birds away from your pool. For instance, you can eliminate food sources, trim back shrubs and trees, remove birdbaths and fountains, and using floating pool predators.
Q: Do wind chimes keep birds away?
Unusual and unexpected sounds do help in keeping birds away. However, when birds get used to the voice, they can keep coming back. Wind chimes may yield temporary results in your yard and may not be practical after a few years.
Q: What home remedy can help keep birds away from my pool?
You can use water, apple cider, and chili peppers to make a homemade bird repellent. The spray helps keep birds from plants around your pool. All you need to do is spray the repellant on plants, among other areas where birds land.
Q: What scents can help keep birds away from my pool?
A mixture of citronella and peppermint oil has proven to produce a smell that birds find offensive but pleasant to humans. You can hang the mix on the tree branches around your pool or fence.
Q: How do I stop birds from pooping on my pool?
You can get reflective banners or flash tapes that reflect sunlight. The banners may confuse the birds and make them leave your property. Also, you can use a thin fishing line. Tie the line across the pool area from your roof to your fence in crisscross patterns.
Q: Are scare tactics such as plastic owls and eye balloons effective?
After introducing plastic predators such as scary eyes, plastic owl, and snakes, the birds may respond. However, once the birds realize that the fake predator does not move, they can continue landing in your backyard. Manufacturers of these plastic predators advise users to move them to a different position once a day.
Final verdict
There you have it. Bird poop covering your deck or pool is an issue that can be dealt with efficiently. If you have birds staying or visiting your pool regularly, simply scare them away. The birds are just looking for a place to reproduce, feed, and swim. Killing them is not the solution, look for the best method on how to keep birds away from pool and how to keep birds from pooping on pool deck. You can try a few methods mentioned above until you get the one that works best for you.
However, it is crucial to remember that combining these methods is the best defense to keep the birds away from your pool. Birds can catch a routine when you use one strategy for an extended period. Change the positions of your bird control devices and the fake predators regularly to keep birds away from your pool.
