With summer rapidly approaching, marinas are full, and boat owners are preparing for the upcoming boating season. Well, with boats and docks come the birds. As a boat owner, one of the most unsettling and bothersome things is having constant bird activity near your vessel. This will undoubtedly lead to feces, garbage, and even damage to your boat. Just another headache you will need to deal with before you can start your day. Can anything be done to stop this before it happens?
If you own a boat, you know that costs will always appear. The acronym Break Out Another Thousand (BOAT) always comes to fruition. Vessel maintenance and upkeep are already costly, so do you want any more costs? It costs money to keep the boat clean constantly. Of course, the bigger the boat, the more it costs.
To protect your vessel from these pesky birds, it is crucial to take the needed preventive steps so that they never become a problem. These birds can be a nuisance for boats, especially larger vessels since they will have much more space to use. Seagulls and other bird species can cause significant damage to the exterior of boats by pecking at paint, leaving unsightly droppings and garbage, and damaging the fiberglass. The longer your boat is left moored in one spot for long periods, the worse it could get. To protect your boat against these pesky birds, it's essential to use various deterrents and cleaning methods. These can help reduce the damage, money, and time spent trying to clean it up.
Some popular deterrents that have worked include bird spikes, sound units, reflective strips, and netting. Each with its use and function. Let's get into it:
Spikes
Bird spikes are a landing deterrent placed on beams or ledges. They are metal or plastic. The spikes make the birds not want to land or nest in that area as it would be uncomfortable and bring harm. They are visible to the human eye as they are made to look intimidating to the birds.
Sounds Units
With sound units, you are working with mounted electronic sound boxes. These units emit and play low-volume sounds that the birds find unpleasant. They are set to be played during specific times to condition the birds to stay away from your boat.
Reflective Strips
Reflective strips shine and glare into the bird's vision, so they view it as dangerous to land. They are designed to be low profile, and based on their positioning, the birds will be looking directly down into them when they are flying. These work best when the weather is sunny. For the boat owner, they are a little less visible than the spikes.
Netting
The most full-proof method is to cover any open areas on your deck or cabin with netting, which will prevent birds from landing and nesting in those spots. This exclusion device has longevity and effectiveness. With netting, you are closing any entry points for the birds so they cannot enter anywhere. Netting is also highly durable. Different types of nettings have different visibility.
Another helpful practice is keeping all food and trash covered and stored correctly, as this can attract birds to your vessel. Remove all garbage so that there is nothing exposed and left behind. This garbage and scraps are precisely what the seagulls and birds are seeking.
These measures can prevent or limit bird activity near your vessel while at the same time protecting the boat from further costly damage. If you need a professional bird control solution, AviAway will facilitate bird removal, install prevention methods, and provide cleanup services for any mess a bird might leave behind. Call AviAway at 844-247-3373 or fill out our online form for a free consultation and quote. Whether you believe one or multiple of these solutions meet your needs, AviAway Bird Control has you covered.