Keep Birds off your Boat using Boat Bird Deterrents!

Bird Boat Sweep with Sandbag Base

Birds have caused problems for Boat Owners for decades. Bird issues on boats and marinas can include trying to steal food, bait or just creating a mess.  This mess is primarily from droppings, which are not only unsightly, but as they are acidic they can also damage covers and finishes on boats, radars, antennas and other equipment. To solve this annoying and damaging boat bird problem, a variety of boat bird deterrents have been developed to help keep boats bird free. Once installed, this frees up the boat owners to enjoy their toy instead of spending their time cleaning it.

Birds that typically cause problems on boats include: gulls, cormorants and pelicans. Seagulls and other birds like boats and marinas because they offer a readily available food source from people fishing which birds often steal or people cleaning their fish which birds enjoy the leftovers. As these birds also fish themselves, they like to perch on boats as they provide an overlook to spot their own fishing opportunities.  Boats feature a variety of roosting spots that birds enjoy for taking in the sun and providing some protection from the elements in inclement weather.  This includes boat canopies, bimini tops, decks, deck-houses, booms, radar towers, antennas and lights. Sailboats, yachts, motorboats or speedboats – all boats offer the potential to attract pest bird problems, but we offer multiple bird control products to keep birds off boats.

Bird Deterrents for Boats

Keeping birds off boats can be accomplished by using a combination of visual and structural bird deterrents placed on or near the problem area. 

Visual boat bird deterrents work on bird’s predatory fear of sudden movement and predator effigies. A new and highly effective product is the Gull-Cat Bird Scare Decoy, a life-like cat decoy whose head and tail moves that frightens gulls, herons, geese, cormorants and other problem birds. The Gull-Cat Boat Bird Deterrent can be positioned on canopies, decks, booms, etc. to be a bird deterrent. The Gull-Cat Cat Bird Deterrent can be securely tethered at typical roosting areas - boom, mast, rigging, etc. -  on sail boats. Some boats may need more than one Gull-Cat Decoy to move the birds (Ex. one at the bow and one at the stern). 

When possible, move the Gull-Cat Bird Scare Deterrent every few days.  This maintains a more realistic predator threat for the birds as the ‘predator’ is moving locations regularly and it will keep the pest birds frightened by its movement.   

Along with the Gull-Cat Bird Scare Decoy deterrent, other visual bird deterrents can be used in combination to create an area where the birds feel unsafe, such as the Dead Gull Bird Deterrent Decoy, dead bird effigy's scare birds into thinking there is a predator in the area.
 

Dead Seagull Deterrent

 Other boat deterrents include   HolographicBird Scare Flash Strip,  Holographic Owl bird control device, ScareEye Balloons, Scare Eye Octopus,  and the Holographic Bird Scare Flash Tape which can be hung from the boom, pulpit, pushpit, or basically anywhere close to the where the gulls, cormorants, geese or other pest birds like to roost.  Make sure the visual bird deterrents are allowed to move freely in the wind and reflect sunlight at the pest birds.

Structural Bird Control Devices for Boats

The industry standard for boat bird deterrents has long been Bird Boat Sweep, also known as the Daddi Long Legs. This unusual pest bird deterrent features long metal arms that move menacingly in the wind and will rotate in even the slightest breeze to help keep gulls and other sea birds away from canopies, decks and booms. Even with no wind, the Bird Boat Sweep will still deter birds from boats.

The Bird Boat Sweep comes in a variety of sizes 2 ft, 4 ft, 6ft and 8ft diameter. Choose the size that best fits your boat’s bird problem area. The Daddi Long Legs wands can be inter-meshed to achieve maximum coverage. When possible, select the size which will allow the arms to hang over or just reach the edge of the area to be protected from birds.  Bird Deterrent for Boats attachments are also available for easy installation on booms, decks and railings.  The Daddi Long Legs bird deterrent can also be installed with a Sandbag Boat base bird deterrent or Boat Railing Mount for easy installation and removal.

Combining physical products such as the Bird Boat Sweep with scare products such as the Gull Cat Bird Scare Decoy can be a very effective way to keep birds off boats or out of marina areas.