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Birds in Your Barn? Keep Them Away!

Are pesky birds becoming a concern for your barn and barn animals? As temperatures change, birds will often look for consistently warm areas to create their new home. As barns are a safe nesting area for practically any weather conditions, your barn could easily be chosen. This becomes an issue as birds will consume and contaminate your barn animals’ food and water, potentially making barns unsanitary for livestock. Try these helpful tips to keep birds out of barn areas. 

Bird Types To Watch For barn owl

Non-migratory birds are a common threat to barns since they stick around in colder months and seek out warmer spaces. During other seasons, all birds seeking shelter may prefer a barn over open areas. There are a few common birds that tend to inhabit barns during different times of the

 year. These birds include: 

  • Swallows
  • Starlings
  • Pigeons
  • Sparrows
  • Doves 
  • Barn Owls

It’s important to know what birds are finding a home in your barn so that you can know how to combat their nesting plans along with what federal regulations they are protected under. Knowing what these birds feed on can also attribute to certain tactics used to deter them. 

Related: Protecting Barns From Swallows, Owls and More

Cover Food Sources

Birds will naturally be attracted to food and end up in your barn as a result of food and water being left available and in the open. This lesson is simple: avoid making it easy for the birds. Excess animal feed on the ground, not having bird-proof food containers, or open water troughs are all examples of why birds may find your barn attractive in the first place. To avoid unknowingly attracting them again, follow these tips:

  • Clean leftover grains, oats, and seeds that have fallen on the ground
  • Invest in bird-proof containers to stop birds from going directly into the feed
  • Keep water levels shallow so birds will be unable to drink while standing on the ledge
  • Turn off fountains or other water sources that may attract birds
  • Provide alternate food sources or birdbaths that are far from the barn

Related: How To Protect Barns From Bird Pests

Make The Barn Difficult to Enter

When looking to keep birds out of barn areas, be sure to make it difficult to enter. Birds have short attention spans and will often fly away to other potential nesting places if they cannot get into your barn. Keep the exterior unattractive to birds by using props, wiring and blocked openings. You can bird-proof the exterior of your barn by installing:

  • Blockings in front of small openings (e.g. long, thick plastic)
  • Plastic decoys to scare birds away and force them to a new area
  • Porcupine wiring consists of spiked wires that make it uncomfortable for birds to stand on
  • Install traps to safely catch and remove birds 
  • Make alternative nesting areas available (e.g. trees, birdhouses).

Related: How to Repel Barn Swallows During Cold Months

Short-term Treatments

  • Bird Gel is a transparent, sticky substance you can caulk onto surfaces. Birds dislike the feeling and remember not to land on that surface, but it will need to be replaced often and you will need a lot of it to cover large surfaces.
  • Flash Tape is a brightly colored strip of shiny, metallic ribbon that you can tack or nail to a high post or branch to deter birds from the area. The ribbon sways in the wind to distract the birds and can be moved around. It works best on windy days.
  • Noise Makers come in a variety of options, from electric to manual shakers, and work as a scare tactic to repel birds. However, if used frequently, they may cause you more annoyance than necessary.
  • Netting is generally for larger areas to keep birds away from produce. Setting up the netting is long and tedious, especially since a single tear will render the netting useless. 

Related: Bird Repellent Checklist

Long-term Treatments

While each of the aforementioned methods works to successfully repel birds off your property, nothing compares to the long-term guarantee of investing in liquid bird repellent. Once you get tired of changing the short-term products every few days, try an FDA-approved bird repellent that comes with all of these benefits:

  • Up to 2 weeks of effective treatment
  • Non-lethal ingredients that are mild enough for people and animals
  • Ground, aerial spraying, or fogging application options
  • Low treatment costs

Keep Birds Out Of Your Barn With Liquid Repellent

The best way to deter birds from barns is to spray a bird repellent before birds begin nesting. A quality bird repellent will keep the birds away legally so you won’t have to worry about interfering with any nests and their potential hatchlings. Unsure what kind of bird repellent to use? Find one that is:

  • Legal
  • Non-toxic
  • Easily applied
  • Long-lasting
  • Cost-effective

Related: Benefits of Avian Control For Dairy Barns

Avian Control Can Solve Your Needs

If you’re looking for relief from birds in the barn, around the house, on farms or virtually anywhere, Avian Control is the perfect bird repellent for you! 

Avian Control has been trusted by a variety of industries to repel nuisance birds. Contact us online or call our bird repellent specialists today at 888.868.1982 and we’ll help you find the right solution for you!

Birds in Your Barn? Keep Them Away!