How to keep birds away from your fruit trees

Abell Pest Control

There's nothing better than picking fruit fresh from your backyard. However, when there's no fruit to pick or it's rotten on the ground, you get upset. Some of the main culprits behind this are birds. Consider these tips to keep your fruit protected from the beaks of hungry birds.

Why birds like fruit trees

Though many birds are happy with basic bird seed, they also appreciate fruit. Certain types of birds, such as robins, magpies, blue jays, finches, sparrows, crows and starlings, all love to feast on fruit, the University of California-Davis stated. Vegetation such as cherry trees are usually the most vulnerable to birds, but apple trees, peach trees and even grape vines all have experienced birds' wrath. Birds aren't fond of going into large orchards that are surrounded by other orchards. Instead, they like trees that are near rural, bushy areas where the birds can seek refuge when they're not hungry.

Bird prevention tips

Consider these tips to scare birds off and keep your fruit untouched.

  • Fake a predator
    Deter birds from your fruit trees by setting up a fake predator nearby, the San Francisco Chronicle noted. All you have to do is get an owl dummy and place it on a stake near the fruit tree where birds will see it. Depending on the size of the tree, you may need to get more than one predator so that it can be seen from multiple sides. If money isn't a concern, there are predators that come with distress sounds that will scare birds off from a distance. If fake predators are too much, simply grab a bag of balloons from the store. Draw a menacing face on each of the balloons and tie them from the tree or on a post near the tree. If birds approach the balloon, the popping noise scares them away.

  • Use reflection
    Birds hate any sort of reflective surface. Luckily, there are plenty of products on the market that have a reflective side. If you're on a budget, grab some aluminum pie pans from the store. Loop a string through the pan and tie several around the tree off different branches. If finances aren't tight, use reflective tape or CDs.

  • Distract them with other food
    As a basic attempt, give the birds an option. Place a bird feeder in another part of the yard that's far away from the fruit trees. Hopefully, the birds will be attracted more to the seed than your trees. If not, try the other options.


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