Bird Problem

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Finally got enough good weather to spend the weekend out on the boat. Early in the morning the wife told me to peek through the front cabin curtains. There were about 16 blue and white birds sitting around the bow of my boat on the bow rail. They were so cute my wife sez, all cleaning and ruffling their feathers. It was neat to watch. However, with them finding a morning roost, and at a daily rate of cleaning and crapping, I have a nasty bird crap mess on the bow of my boat.<br /><br />Does anyone have any suggestions on keeping them from roosting there? Will rubber snakes work? Thanks.....

 

[crab bait]

Re: Bird Problem

they sell fake owls at marine centers.. i hear they work..

 

[Capn Mike]

Re: Bird Problem

Had an old stuffed toy cat that was rejected by my kid. Works periodicall, especially if I moved it around from time to time.<br />Want to use a 12-gauge, but the folks in the marina sort of discourage it. We've got ducks and geese that leave large deposits. You can't believe how much a family of Canadian geese can crap.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Bird Problem

A rubber snake works okay too. A real snake would probably be better but they are hard to fit a PFD on. <br /><br />Bob

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Bird Problem

Good one Bob! I thought about putting super glue on the bow rail and that way when they try to leave, they would help give my bow some lift.<br /><br />The geese, well at least they are big enough to have a feast. These things would take a dozen to make a sandwich. The Ranger said I am not allowed to use the ole tennis raquet on em. You know, Real Live Badmitton! These little rascals will actually dive at you.

 

[Clay]

Re: Bird Problem

I have a problem with ducks. Tried the owl, snake and whatever else i could find. They seem to work for a few days and thats it. what works is a web of fishing line over your boat. string it from post to post, the more the better. It is a major pain in the ass though, if you have antenneas or a high camper top.

 

[ERR446]

Re: Bird Problem

Put two plastic owls that appear to look realistic at least to the human eye in my boat house to keep barn swallows from nesting in the boat house. Did not work at all. Swallows land on owls heads.

 

[Capn Mike]

Re: Bird Problem

Hey, just received a catalog selling an alligator head...just the head, with beady eyes. Supposed to float it in your "water feature" that you have in your backyard as kind of a joke, I guess.<br />Soon as I saw it, I wondered if it would work for ducks and geese in moorages, especially in the south. And maybe, in the north, if ducks and geese (a) know what an alligator is, and (b), believe one can live in 38 degree Columbia River water.... <br />Maybe an alligator with wings for those swallows

 

[marcmccain]

Re: Bird Problem

Had a big fig tree on the south end of a house and the birds were forever eating the figs. Saw some rubber/plastic snakes in a Burpee seed catalog. Advertisement was complete with an artist drawing of frightened birds falling all over themselves trying to get away from the rubber snake. Sold me!<br /><br />I ordered the snakes, put them on the southern roof of the house with clever device to keep them from blowing away. As the birds arrived I chuckled knowing I had finally gotten the upper hand. Birds landed on the roof and carried off the snakes.

 

[suzukidave]

Re: Bird Problem

A plague of Birds and snakes. This is all kind of biblical isn't it? We get the same problem at our summer cabin moorings with seagulls and otters adopting the boats. Believe me when an otter adopts your transom or swimgrid as a place to eat its supper you look back fondly on what the seagulls left behind.<br /><br />I'm afraid I don't know a solution that works. Decoys certainly don't for long. I've heard that pepper and some aerosol sprays work but I've not seen the proof.<br /><br />People just down the coast from us have a bigger problem. Sealions! They adopt marina floats as roosts and flop all over the decking, sometimes into boat cockpits.

 

[oldboat1]

Re: Bird Problem

...so this sea lion up on the bow, does he at least keep away birds?

 

[Homerr]

Re: Bird Problem

Well, you could do a few things...<br /><br />Hire a kid down the street and buy him the latest BB gun.. At least if he gets caught, he's a minor! (And don't give him your real name)<br /><br />Second, maybe put some 'tainted' bird food around? Might take awhile, but it will eventually work!<br /><br />How about a physcotic cat? You know..The type with a brain disorder.. Eats anything on contact..<br /><br />Hmmmmm....<br /><br />LOL!<br /><br />Personally, I would have too much fun blasting them myself!<br /><br />There are a number of pyrotechnic devices available too, but they are rather noisy. (guess that's the point) <br /><br />I call them bird bombs. Airports use them to scare vermin off the runway. You can get them in a 12 gauge shotgun version, or a smaller cartridge that fits into a special gun that ignites via .22 caliber blank. I've also seen an adaptor you can use on a Ruger 10-22.<br /><br />They are both very loud, but personally I think the smaller cartridge version is louder. Besides, if you don't have the special gun, you can stuff a fuse on the end of it and *KABOOM*<br /><br />You can find these devices at gun shows or order them. They will usually say, "For agricultural use only"...Yea whatever.. So say you own a 40000000 acres ranch..! Works for me!<br /><br />They also have a version that a person can hang from trees or lay on the ground. Suppose to go off on contact. I've never tried these.<br /><br />Good luck....<br /><br />H.