Bird Netting

by Alex A. Kecskes

When it comes to effective bird control, plastic bird netting is a humane, low-profile pest bird deterrent. It’s designed to physically exclude birds from damaging your home, garden and trees. The netting is easy to use and can be readily cut to size.

Most plastic bird netting is sold in two roll sizes: 14 x 100 feet and 14 x 200 feet. It also typically comes in three mesh sizes, depending on the bird species you wish to exclude. There’s a 1/4-inch mesh, a 1/2-inch mesh and a 3/4-inch mesh—to exclude pigeons, sparrows, starlings, swallows and other birds. The best plastic bird netting is made of durable, U.V.-protected polypropylene. This netting comes with a 1-year guarantee. It’s strong, light and virtually invisible. Today’s bird netting is even available in various colors to blend in with your trees, garden or home.

There are a number of ways to use plastic bird netting. It all depends on the type of bird and where they’ve become a nuisance. Here are some guidelines to help you from professional bird control experts:

To exclude eave-nesting birds

To prevent pest birds from building nests over your eaves, drape the plastic bird netting at a 45-degree angle over the eave.  Use a 1/4- to 1/2-inch mesh size to block out most eave-nesting birds. Make sure you have enough netting to run from the outer edge of the roof to the side of your house. Install the netting using tape, a staple-gun or hooks. Keep the netting taut and don’t leave any gaps for birds to work their way through.

To save your small fruit and nut trees

To protect small fruit and nut trees (no more than 8 feet tall), tie bird netting at the bottom to prevent birds from becoming tangled in the netting. Leave a space between the fruit and the netting to keep birds from sitting on the branch and eating your fruit through the holes in the netting. To properly install the netting, measure the circumference of the tree and cut the net to size, leaving at least one foot extra around the circumference. Secure the netting with twine, zip ties or hog rings. One manufacturer offers a bird netting kit for fast, easy installation. The kits include perimeter cable, cable crimps, turnbuckles, intermediate attachments, hog rings, and accessories and tools.

To save your bushes, vines and vegetable gardens

To protect your berry bushes, grape vines and vegetable gardens, suspend the plastic netting over these plants by at least 6 inches. This will prevent birds from sitting on the net and eating your fruit through the netting. One effective method of suspending the netting is by using a series of poles planted around the perimeter of the garden area to be protected. To exclude pest birds from your vegetable gardens, wrap each plant or group of plants in netting.