Pest birds such as seagulls, cormorants, and pigeons will land on and poop all over a boat's masts, spreaders and canvases. Boat owners and Marina managers spend valuable time and money cleaning up after these birds. Controlling these pest birds is a wise investment in time and money.
Pest birds are attracted to the elevated areas of boats such as the top of masts, on spreaders, and on the riggings. From these perches they will leave behind their droppings and debris. Bird feces can eat away at boat finishes, cause stains on canvas and carry over 60 known diseases.
Reasons to Keep Birds Off Boats
- Pest birds and the debris they leave behind can cause damage to a boat. Bird feces can ruin the finish on a boat, stain the canvas and erode metal.
- Pest bird droppings can carry up to 60 transmittable diseases. Some of these such as Nile virus and histoplasmosis are transmittable to humans and other animals.
- The cost and time involved in cleaning up after birds can be extensive. Not to mention delaying a nice day on the water. Installing bird deterrents will save time and money in the long run.
Types of Bird Deterrents for Boats and Marinas
- Bird spikes can be used on masts, spreaders and radar antenna to keep pest birds from landing. They are easily installed with zip ties so that they can be removed and stowed when using the boat. They are also ideal for marinas on roof edges, ledges and other flat surfaces.
- Bird spiders work well on canvas, Biminis, masts and radar antenna. They have 8 arms that move with the breeze to keep best birds from landing. They are easily stowed when using the boat.
- Visual bird deterrents such as balloons and diverters work well to keep birds from landing on boats. They have a reflective foil eye that causes a diversion and the birds will fly away from it.
- Electric track can be used on marinas to keep pest birds off of buildings and signs. The track gives the birds a mild shock that quickly changes their habits and moves them on.
For any bird-proof system to be successful, a good cleanup of the area must first be done, removing all of the debris left behind by the pest birds. It is also important to try to bird-proof a boat before there is a large bird control problem. Prevention is important when it comes to boats and marinas. Boat owners are not there all of the time, and just may not know when a bird control problem begins. It is best to stop it before it starts.
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