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How to Stop Birds from Flying into Your Garage: 10 Methods

Flying,Bird

As a homeowner, you probably have experienced issues with birds flying into your garage at least once. While birds may be a good company to have in your garden, they can easily become bothersome, especially if they make a habit of flying into the house. Birds are often attracted by the wide-open garage doors as they seek warmth, nesting grounds, food, and protection from predators.

As cute as birds may seem, in your garage, they can easily become a nuisance. To keep birds from flying into your garage, you have to make it hard to access and less desirable by removing all possible food sources. Common deterrents include keeping all garage windows and doors closed while not in use. Sealing holes in your siding will also make it difficult to nest.

This article offers different methods on how to stop birds from flying into your garage. We’ll also look at reasons why birds fly into garages, as well as how to get a bird out once it has made a home in your garage. Read on to learn more.

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Why & How Birds Fly into Garages

Before we look at preventative measures against birds flying into your garage, we first need to understand why birds fly into the garage and how they get into the garage in the first place.

Why?

Like any other animals, birds are often looking for a safe and suitable place to nest and raise their young. Their instincts usually attract them to places that are sheltered from weathering elements and predators and are near a stable food source. The garage offers exactly what the birds are looking for. The garage roof protects them from direct sun and rain and is usually high enough that most bird predators can’t reach them.


How?

Birds can enter a garage in several ways. Perhaps the most obvious way would be a huge gaping hole at the front of your house when the garage door is left open. Most often, birds fly into a garage without realizing that they are entering an enclosed space. Light from the garage windows tends to confuse them, and they think they can fly right through.

Yet, once the birds enter the garage, it becomes difficult for them to find their way out, especially after your door closes before they attempt to flee. If they get stuck, they often look for a secure place to shelter, usually high up near the ceiling or a sturdier place like the garage door opener.

These chirping animals can also get into a garage through the siding or small holes in the roof. Similar to flying in through the garage door, once the birds fly in, navigating back outside can be difficult, too.

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The 10 Methods to Keep Birds From Flying into Your Garage

Now that you know birds can access your garage and why they do it. Let us delve into the different methods to prevent birds from flying into your garage. These methods are effective and humane enough to keep birds out of your garage without unnecessarily harming them. We have categorized these measures into different categories: using deterrents, creating physical barriers, and chemical repellents.

Deterrents

1. Place Decoys or Scare Crows Around the Garage

Owl decoy statue
Image Credit: Bev, Pixabay

Birds are easily scared away by the sight of their natural predators. Therefore, imitating a carnivorous bird by setting up an appropriate scarecrow is a popular bird deterrent method. The birds will think that there is something dangerous in the garage and will avoid it for as long as they can. Most of these decoys and scarecrows are readily available at most hardware stores and online shops.

Decoys you can install include:
  • Silhouettes of hawks, owls, and other predatory birds
  • Plastic raccoons, coyotes, or foxes
  • Windsocks or shiny objects to distract birds

2. Light Reflection Devices: Scare-Rods, Tapes, and Disks

This is another popular visual deterrent method that works great at keeping birds out of your garage. The method is even employed on a larger scale by cities to keep birds like eagles away from power lines. These light reflection devices have dual functionality. First, they blind their victims with reflected light, then they scare them off your property with noise. This is the best protection for garages, especially on a sunny, windy day. Simply install them outside your garage doors and birds will no longer be circling your garage trying to find an exit.

A good example of a light reflection device is the reflective scare tape ribbon. According to the manufacturers, it looks aggressive to the bird’s eye and can reflect off of pests. It measures 350 feet long and has a long lifespan. It is also two-sided and can be placed outside your shed or garage. The tape is also affordable, simple to use, and very reliable. Additionally, it is fairly quiet, so it will not disturb your family.


3. Sonic Bird Deterrent

Bird-X Solar Yard Gard Electronic Animal Repeller

As mentioned above, birds will not access any part of your home if their natural predators are present. Sonic bird deterrents broadcast pre-recorded predator and distress calls that birds automatically recognize as danger. These calls last for about 2 minutes and are repeated in a 10-minute interval. A good example of sonic bird deterrent devices is the Solar Bird Chase Super Sonic device. The device retails with a built-in speaker and a volume control panel to adjust the sonic output at the correct level to keep birds away. You can mount it inside or outside your garage entrance.


4. Motion-Activated Water Sprinklers

You could also opt to use water sprinklers to keep birds from flying into your garage. However, water sprinklers will only be effective so long as their action radius is sufficient. Simply turn on the sprinklers in your yard and the birds might reconsider flying and getting trapped in the garage. As soon as they get close, the sprinklers will turn on and attack the birds with a powerful water jet. For optimum results, ensure the detector has a 120-degree field of view and is facing in the right direction in advance.


Physical Barriers

5. Keep the Door Closed

closed bifold garage doors
Image Credit: Jason Finn, Shutterstock

As simple as this may seem, you would be surprised to learn that some people often leave their garage doors open for a considerable amount of time. The garage door is the focal point that allows birds to enter the garage, so you should keep it shut while not in use.


6. Cover the Garage Door Opener

In many homes, the garage door opener happens to be one of the favorite nesting grounds for birds. Therefore, keeping it covered is crucial in preventing birds from regularly flying into your garage to roost.

Fortunately, you can get suitable covers, such as a mesh screen or a circular cover, from your local hardware store. These coverings will remove the surface on which the birds perch. Since nesting materials are a fire hazard, you should regularly check to see if birds have made nests in your garage and remove them.


7. Install Spikes

man installing bird spikes
Image Credit; Chemari, Shutterstock

Installing spikes is one of the easiest ways of deterring birds from perching inside your garage. These spikes are usually capable of scaring away not only crows and pigeons but also smaller bird species like swallows.

The spikes can be attached with glue that retails with the package. The spikes usually have a flexible base, allowing you to attach them even to uneven surfaces. You can even paint them with spray paint to match your house.


8. Install Netting to Limit Access to the Garage

Bird netting is considered the most effective bird protection you can install for your house. Nettings can be placed in the eaves and windows of the garage where birds might be gaining access inside. Use the netting to cover up all crevices and holes that would otherwise allow birds to enter.

The netting can also be attached around beams and sills where birds usually build their nests. Good nettings are made from high-quality and durable polypropylene. Ensure it is securely attached so that the birds cannot move around it and access your garage. Nettings may seem cumbersome, but they are a very effective solution.


9. Put Up Obstacles to Prevent Landing

Wire mesh
Image Credit: Pexels, Pixabay

If a bird is able to land on the roof or the surface of your garage in the first place, it will likely choose a new location to build a nest.

The best way to prevent birds from landing on your garage roof is to install:
  • Boards: Should be placed on the garage ledge at a 45-degree angle
  • Bird Wire: Place the bird wire along the roof and ledge of the building to discourage landing
  • Glazes: Coat the roof of your garage with a glaze. It usually dries to form a hard, slippery finish

Chemical Repellents

10. Liquid Chemicals

If the above methods prove to be unappealing, cumbersome, or ineffective at keeping birds away from your garage, you may have to take some more drastic measures. This avian control measure involves using chemical repellents. Liquid chemical repellents are often professionally used in airports and farms because they are effective at bird control. After all, they are harmless to humans and some other animals.

Most chemical repellents contain methyl anthranilate, methiocarb, and anthraquinone. These chemicals repel birds by irritating or affecting their nervous system. Though bird lovers may abhor the use of chemical repellents, they are also an effective method of discouraging birds from making a habit of getting into your garage.

One popular chemical repellent is the Bonide (BND238) – Repels-All Ready to Use Animal Repellent. This repellant not only impacts birds through touch but by smell and taste, too. The active ingredients in this chemical are garlic oil, cloves, and putrescent whole egg solids. Once in a bird’s mouth, the active ingredients cause a light irritation of mucous membranes. Consequently, the animal will flee from the potentially dangerous place. This spray not only works on birds but mammals as well.

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The 7 Tips & Tricks to Get Birds Out of Your Garage

Getting a bird out of your garage can be quite challenging. The easiest way would be to open the garage door and let the bird fly out, but even then, this doesn’t always work. Therefore, learning preventative methods of keeping birds out of your garage is crucial.

If your preventative measures do not work and you find that birds have chosen to make a home in your garage, there are a few tricks that you can use to get them out safely.

1. Lure Them Out With Lights and Food

bird feeders
Image credit: nickfish03, Pixabay

Birds are often attracted to shiny objects. So, you can use this against them by setting up a trail of shiny objects, like reflectors. They can start from the inside of the garage, ending in your yard so that the birds can follow. Once outside, the birds can now fly away. The same logic applies to using food as a lure.


2. Make Them Tired

Most bird species are not nocturnal, meaning they are active during the day and sleep at night. So once a bird flies into your garage, simply close all doors and cover all windows to make the garage as dark as possible. This will trick the bird into believing it’s nighttime, and they will likely go to sleep. After a while, open the garage door as quietly as possible and shoo out the disoriented bird.


3. Create an Alternative Living Space

Consider setting up feeders or bird houses outside in your yard so that birds have somewhere to roost once they have been removed from the garage. You can bait them with food or use the food trail method to direct them to their new home.


4. Remove Their Nest

This should only be attempted if there are no eggs or hatchlings in the nest. Using a pair of gloves, carefully detach the nest from its current position in your garage and transfer it to a nearby bush or tree. If eggs are present, wait for them to hatch before taking any action that may endanger the hatchling’s lives.

rustic birdhouses in the fence
Image Credit By: Pixabay

5. Place a Towel Over Them and Pick Them Up

If the bird is small enough, you can place a towel over them and pick them up. Make sure you hold them gently and carry them outside. You can then release them on the floor and let them fly away. This is, however, easier said than done because the bird might still be swirling around trying to find an exit. You can make them sleepy or wait until they are exhausted before covering them up with a towel.


6. Guide Them Out With a Broom

If you cannot or don’t want to open the garage doors and windows, you can use a broom to guide them out. A broom is long enough to reach the ceiling where the bird is likely to be perched. Just make sure they have a clear way out probably through the garage door or a hole in your roof. Also, avoid hitting the bird with the broom.


7. Seek Assistance From Animal Control

An animal control vehicle on duty in an urban setting
Image Credit: Jim Parkin, Shutterstock

Sometimes, it can be so frustrating trying to remove a bird stuck in your garage that you may result in cruel measures like killing the bird. It is never advisable to employ cruel practices while attempting to remove a bird stuck in your garage.

Therefore, it would be best if you sought assistance from animal control services. You can rely on their experience in getting birds out of your garage without harming the bird or destroying anything stored in the garage.

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Conclusion

As you may have gathered by now, garages provide safe havens for birds looking to build a home. They offer a warm and dry place to build nests. Yet, if left to their devices, they can wreak havoc in your garage, not to mention the kind of nuisance they can be.

To keep a bird out of your garage, you have to make it really hard for them to access by using physical barriers, such as installing nettings, covering the garage door opener, putting up obstacles to prevent birds from landing, or simply keeping your garage doors and windows closed while not in use. You could also patch up holes in your garage and use noise and visual deterrents. For more extreme measures use chemical repellents to keep your garage bird free.

If the preventative methods don’t work, you can lure them to another housing source like a bird feeder using food or shiny objects. Alternatively, you can disorient them in darkness then gently pick them up and release them outside. Never result in barbarous methods of removing birds from your garage. Instead, contact animal control to assist you with your bird problem.


Featured Image Credit: J K OFFICIAL, Shutterstock

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