Bird Control Spikes

We sell bird control for a living, so this is the short version of what we have learned: what each product is good at, where it is the wrong choice, and how to fit it so it is still doing its job in a few years.

What bird spikes are

A bird spike is a narrow strip with blunt pins standing up from it. You fix the strip along a surface where birds land, and there is no longer enough flat space for one to settle. Strips come with a glue channel and screw holes, so they go onto brick, render, timber, metal or plastic. They are sold in short lengths and joined end to end, so you can treat a run of any size.

Do they work

On the birds they are meant for, yes. Pigeons, gulls and crows have large feet and need room to land and turn around. Take that room away and they stop trying.

Small birds are a different story, and it is worth saying so before you buy. A sparrow can sometimes settle between the pins, and a very small bird may even perch on them. If sparrows or starlings are the problem, netting closes the space properly and a spike does not.

Steel or plastic

Stainless steel is the stronger of the two. It resists corrosion outdoors, holds its shape and is the usual choice on a commercial building or anywhere near the coast.

UV stabilised polycarbonate is lighter, costs less and is close to invisible from the ground, which matters on a period property or a shopfront where you would rather not see the fix. Both do the same job. Pick on budget and on how visible the run will be.

Work out what you need

Measure the whole run you want to protect, then divide by the strip length and round up. It is better to have a spare strip than a bare half metre at the end, because birds will find the gap and use it. On a wide ledge you may need two rows side by side, since a single row down the middle leaves landing space in front of and behind it.

Fitting

Clean the surface first. Old droppings, moss and loose paint stop adhesive gripping, and that is the most common reason a strip lifts a year later. Use a good exterior sealant on a smooth surface, and screws where there is anything to screw into. On a curve, work in short lengths rather than forcing one long strip.

Check them once or twice a year. Leaves, twigs and rubbish can build up between the pins, and once there is enough debris a bird can stand on that instead.

Before you fit anything, check for a nest

Most wild birds are protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and that protection covers the nest and the eggs as well as the bird. Introduced species such as the house sparrow, the starling, the common myna and the feral pigeon are not protected. So treat the surface before the nesting season starts, or wait until the nest is finished with. If there is an active nest on the surface today, that is the one thing to sort out before you order.

When a spike is not the answer

If the birds are being fed nearby, they will keep coming back to the area even once a ledge is protected. A feeder that larger birds can reach is worth moving or changing first, otherwise you are treating one surface at a time while the reason they are there stays put.

Where a spike will not suit the surface, there are other options: gel, reflective tape and hanging discs for places you cannot fix a strip to, and netting for a tree, a bed or a run, where the thing being protected is a volume rather than a ledge.

Ask before you order

If you are not sure which product suits your bird or your surface, ask. It is a short email and a great deal easier than sending something back. You can reach us at theteam@pestspike.com.