How to Keep Birds From Eating Your Strawberries: 9 Humane Ways

You do not have to continue sharing your strawberries with birds, even though they like these sweet fruits as much as we do. By now, you may have discovered that yelling still keeps them around. So how can you keep them off your berries once and for all?

This post will dive into the humane and effective ways you can prevent birds from devouring your fruits.

If you are sick of fighting the birds over your berries, below are methods you can use to keep your strawberries intact. Let’s get started.

The 9 Humane Ways to Keep Birds From Eating Your Strawberries

1. Netting

One of the most effective ways to keep birds away from your strawberries is using garden nets. It would help if you bought a bird net (a plastic mesh with approximately a quarter-inch holes) online or from your local garden store. The net will prevent the birds from reaching most of the berries as long as it’s supported by a frame.

Your ideal net should be large enough to cover your strawberries and have enough holes to allow sunlight, not birds. It should also be durable enough to withstand harsh weather. The net should be far from the berries to prevent a determined bird from having a bite.

Despite netting being more costly than other methods, it remains the most effective way of keeping birds from eating strawberries.

2. Reflective Scare Tape

The reflective scare tape is one of the best humane ways to prevent birds from coming near your strawberries. The continually shifting reflections and shadows from the tape visually disturb birds, so they’ll not want to go anywhere near them. Apart from hurting their visions, the metallic screeches from the reflective scare tape are unbearable to birds.

You can get a commercial scare tape or make one by slicing crisp bags (containing shiny aluminum) into reflectors. Other repellants you can use are; CDs, pie plates, and pinwheels. It is advisable to start using these reflectors once the fruits ripen. After harvesting your berries, you can remove them.

You can place the reflective scare tapes on your garden, rooftop, trees, or balcony as long as it’s an area that receives sufficient light and wind.

3. Fake Predators

Scare off birds from your garden using predators such as owls or hawk decoys. You can do this by placing the fake predators beside your strawberry garden. Or you can scatter rubber snakes throughout your field, especially during harvest season, to increase their efficacy. After all, you do not want the birds to wise up to your tricks too quickly.

Scarecrows will be most effective if you have a large garden of berries. But ensure you add a hat or scarf and even create motion on them by using a pinwheel, for instance, to make them as believable as possible. Also, position them in various places in the field, so the birds will think they are alive.

4. Yard Sentinel

Did you know that you can scare off birds from your property using noise that is silent to you? Yard Sentinel uses ultrasonic sound wave technology to mislead and disorient pest birds while staying silent to humans. With this electronic technology in your home, birds will identify your place as a no-go zone due to the pressure of the high-frequency sound waves.

Yard Sentinel ultrasonic repeller is a simple, humane method you can use to keep pesky birds from areas outside your home. It covers around 5,500 square feet, and you can install it on your driveway, balcony, carport, or patio.

5. 360 Degree Bird Repeller

360 Degrees bird repeller is a rotating bird display that prevents large birds from settling. It works through predator eyes and wind power to frighten and confuse birds from coming near your berries.

You can install it on posts around your home.

6. Liquid Repellants

Effective bird liquid repellents like Bird Stop are harmless to humans and repulsive to large birds like crows. If you are tired of seeing them roosting around, pour these liquid repellents into your garden to irritate the birds’ sense of smell and taste.

Undetectable to humans, these liquid repellents will significantly irritate the bird’s sensory system and, thus, stop them from landing on your strawberry bushes. You can apply this non-toxic product through spraying or painting to keep the pests away.

7. Balloons

Consider using balloons if you want a pocket-friendly method of repelling birds from your garden. Balloon bird repellents prevent birds from landing on your strawberries without harming them. These balloons contain holographic eyes that resemble a predator following the birds.

This technique is backed up by the wind’s natural flow, which gives the impression that the predators are pursuing the birds. Once you install the balloons, you do not have to inspect them often since they require little maintenance.

8. Motion-activated Sprinkler

You can use motion-activated sprinklers to deter birds from accessing your juicy berries. The sprinkler detects birds from 35 feet away using an infrared sensor. Upon detection, it immediately sprinkles water, scaring the birds away.

9. Organic Products

If you are on a shoestring budget, you can use cayenne pepper or peppermint oil to keep the birds away.

Cayenne Pepper

The scent of cayenne pepper is annoying to birds. So, mix cayenne pepper with water and spray over the berries frequently to maintain the pepper’s strong odor. But ensure to thoroughly wash the berries before munching them lest you invite a hot taste into your mouth!

Peppermint Oil

Peppermint oil is repulsive to birds. To use it, dip cotton buds into it, then spread them over your berries. Most birds will not dare come near it. Although peppermint oil doesn’t hurt the birds, it irritates them enough to make them flee. And since it is organic, you will not have to worry about compromising the quality of your strawberries.

Final Thoughts

There are various ways to prevent birds from devouring your strawberries humanely. After all, the birds are not to blame for the sweetness of your fruits!

But again, nobody wants to eat bitten berries, so using these safe and quick methods will ensure you bring a healthy harvest into your kitchen.

Which ways are you going to use to yield maximum results? Please do not hesitate to let us know below.

Featured Image Credit: congerdesign, Pixabay