How to Keep Grackles Away at Commercial Properties

Grackles may look harmless at first glance, but when flocks settle around your property, they can quickly become a major problem. Known for their loud calls, messy droppings, and aggressive behavior, grackles are a common nuisance for businesses across the United States. Whether you manage a shopping center, resort, restaurant, or industrial facility, keeping grackles away is an ongoing challenge.

In this guide, we’ll cover why grackles are so difficult to deter, the most effective strategies to keep them away, and when it’s time to call in professional bird control.

Why Are Grackles Hard to Keep Away?

Unlike smaller songbirds, grackles are highly adaptable. They thrive in urban, suburban, and rural environments, feeding on everything from spilled food in parking lots to insects on lawns. Their ability to roost in large flocks makes them especially disruptive at:

• Outdoor dining areas and food courts

• Resorts, pools, and water features

• Parking lots and light poles

• Warehouses and commercial rooftops

Once established, grackles rarely leave on their own, making proactive deterrence essential.

How to Keep Grackles Away: Effective Strategies

When it comes to deterring grackles, there’s no single “quick fix.” Success comes from combining prevention, exclusion, and site-specific deterrents.

1. Remove Attractants

• Secure trash bins and dumpsters so food waste isn’t available.

• Reduce standing water around pools, fountains, and drainage areas.

• Limit outdoor food access in dining and resort spaces by cleaning quickly.

Grackles are opportunistic; the less food and water available, the less appealing your property becomes.

2. Exclude Grackles from Roosting

• Bird netting is highly effective for covered walkways, canopies, and loading bays.

• Shock track systems discourage grackles from perching on ledges, signage, or architectural features.

• Spikes prevent them from settling on narrow beams or light poles.

• Angled Edges like our AviAngle deter grackles from nesting on ledges, eaves, and other flat surfaces

Exclusion is the most reliable long-term solution since it physically prevents access.

3. Use Visual and Audio Deterrents

• Species-specific sound units broadcast grackle distress calls to disrupt flocks.

• Visual deterrents like reflective tape, kites, or predator decoys can provide short-term relief.

• Laser systems may help with evening dispersal when grackles gather to roost.

While helpful, these methods work best when combined with exclusion and maintenance. Grackles are intelligent and may adapt if only one tactic is used.

4. Target Problem Areas by Site Type

• Food courts & outdoor dining: Combine netting with regular cleaning.

• Pools & water features: Use netting or overhead wires to reduce landings.

• Parking lots & signage: Install ledge deterrents on light poles and building edges.

• Warehouses & large roofs: Consider grid systems or shock track for coverage.

Every site has unique challenges, and effective deterrence usually requires a custom plan.

DIY vs. Professional Solutions

Many property owners try DIY methods like seed changes, reflective tape, or noise makers. While these may help in small backyards, they rarely solve problems at scale. Large flocks of grackles need a coordinated approach that balances effectiveness, compliance, and safety.

Professional bird control companies can assess the site, identify root causes, and install long-term solutions like netting, shock track, or sound systems.

👉 Learn more about professional Grackle Control Services.

FAQ: Keeping Grackles Away

Do grackles go away on their own?

Not usually. Once they’ve found food and shelter, they tend to stay and return season after season.

Do repellents work for getting rid of grackles?

Most over-the-counter bird repellents (like sprays, gels, or ultrasonic devices) provide little to no long-term relief against grackles, especially at commercial sites. Grackles are intelligent and quickly adapt to smells, tastes, or sounds that aren’t reinforced with other measures. While repellents might seem appealing as a quick fix, they typically only shift the problem temporarily. For large facilities, proven deterrents like netting, shock track, or sound systems are far more reliable and cost-effective.

Are grackles protected?

Yes. Like many bird species, grackles are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. That means humane, non-lethal methods are required.

Final Thoughts

Keeping grackles away requires a proactive strategy that goes beyond quick fixes. By reducing attractants, excluding roosting areas, and combining deterrent methods, businesses can prevent costly damage and health hazards caused by these invasive flocks.

If grackles are becoming a problem at your facility, our team can design a safe, effective, and humane control plan tailored to your site.

👉 Contact AviAway today for a consultation.