What are Bird Spikes?

If you are looking for a cost effective, yet humane way to keep birds from roosting in inconvenient areas, bird spikes might be your best bet. Yet the name bird ‘spikes’ might not be the best descriptor for these deterrents, as they won’t be impaling our feathered friends. Rather, bird spikes are simply thin pieces of wire that protrude from a central strip, which will prevent birds from landing in the area in which the strip is placed.

Don’t get the wrong idea though; you don’t have to dislike birds to use a bird control device like bird spikes. While watching and feeding birds can be an incredibly peaceful form of therapy, a entertaining hobby, and a soothing way to pass your day, at times these avian creatures can become a nuisance. Whether they are nesting in your gutters, leaving droppings all over your home, porch, car, or worse, you, or driving you insane with their incessant chirping, squawking, or cooing, you might just not want them in close proximity to your home or place of business. Still, that doesn’t mean you want to do them any harm.

Birds can be incredibly persistent creatures when it comes to their roosting and territorial areas. This doesn’t mean you need to resort to drastic measures though. Rather than using inhumane methods such as noise or scare tactics that can interfere with a bird’s nesting practices, or repellent, poison, or other preventative strategies that might harm the bird or other animals in the process, bird spikes can be an effective means of keeping birds at bay in a more compassionate manner. Bird spikes are also a more permanent method of prevention and insure you can avoid the common issues and problems associated with birds, but avoid the guilt when doing so.

The design of the bird spike makes it perfect for lining ledges, window sills, railings, thin edging over doorways, roof ledges, gutters, awnings, and other areas that are coming nesting or gathering spots for birds. Typically, bird spikes come in small strips (usually sections of one to two feet in length), and can be attached to problem areas by using adhesive or clips. This can make for easy removal after birds have moved on or if the spikes need to be moved to a new location. Ensuring the area in which you plan to use the strips is cleaned from debris before beginning can make for a more secure attachment of the spikes when using adhesive. This will help to avoid elements such as wind, rain, snow, birds, squirrels, and other forces of nature from more easily detaching the spikes.

At times, the areas in which you find birds are causing problems can be dangerous or difficult to access. If this is the case, it may be advisable to contact a handyman to assist with installation or to install the bird spikes for you. It is also important to ensure that other professionals or repair people, such as roofers, gutter or chimney cleaners, window cleaners, etc. are aware of the location of bird spikes. This can avoid workers unknowingly detaching or bending the spikes during the course of their work through the use of ladders, by stepping on them, placing tools and equipment on them, or by other means.

Bird Spike Adhesive

Bird spike adhesive is used to attach bird spikes to areas of a building where there is a desire to keep birds from roosting. Bird spikes are non-harmful plastic or metal barbs that keep birds from landing along edges, windows, roofing, or other areas of a building which might otherwise invite nesting. These spikes help protect property from mess and damage that might be caused by birds.

Bird spike adhesive can be used to install such spikes in place of screwing the spikes down. Adhesive can be a better choice than screws for areas where property owners do not want to alter or penetrate the surface. Since gluing the spikes down will not cause any break in the surface, there will be no possibility of water seeping through.

Adhesive is also a good choice for those who find hardware installation a challenge. Gluing the spikes into place may be easier for users who are not handy with a tool box or when the area where the spikes are being deployed is awkward to reach.

Bird spike adhesive is a bonding element much like the silicon used to caulk windows and doors. The glue is applied to the underside of a row of bird spikes which are then pressed firmly in place. The adhesive pushes through holes in the spikes, hardens as it drys, and bonds to the spike and the surface it is resting on.

The adhesive is most often applied using a gun-style applicator. This applicator is almost identical to most caulk guns on the market, so anyone having worked on home construction or maintenance should be familiar with using one.

When buying bird spike adhesive, individuals should be certain the glue will bond to the surface intended. The best adhesives are made to bond to metal, cement, glass, wood, tile, and other common construction surfaces. Most adhesives require the surface be clean and free from moisture prior to installation. Following all directions for the adhesive will ensure a complete and long lasting bond.

Bird Spikes For Gutters

Birds are one of Mother Nature’s creations that everyone loves to see, as long as it’s from a distance. Unfortunately there are situations when our feathered friends decide to make their nest and flutter through life in your gutter or on your window sill. This is when the birdie is no longer scenic and becomes a pest bird.

Their noise levels may be disrupting and bird odors are many times intolerable, just the sight of bird droppings everywhere is unappealing. The feces can corrode metals, damage plastics and discolor paint. It is likely the first noticeable hindrance is that the bird nests block your gutters making them nonfunctional.

The mess nesting birds make of your home is only part of the problem, they carry diseases that are transmittable to humans. Some diseases that birds carry are West Nile virus and influenza; the passing of mites and ticks poses the threat of Lyme disease. Although everyone is susceptible to contracting a disease, young children and the elderly are more likely to be affected. Anyone with a weakened immune system because of another existing illness is also at higher risk.

Acting quickly is a skillful suggestion to eliminate the common problem of birds nesting in your gutters, eaves, and roof tops. Deterring pest birds before they become a huge problem is both economical and less toil. If the situation is not dealt with early, a professional clean-up is necessary to avoid the spread of disease, along with the fact that many of these birds are under federal protection and it is against the law to demolish an active nest.

The easiest and most effective way to handle a pest bird problem in your gutter is to install bird spikes. This is a proven method that does not deface the gutter and allows it to function with the spikes in place. Gutter spikes come in 2 foot long strips with three thumbscrews to each strip; an easy twist of each “c” clamp secures these stainless steel spikes in place to do their job. The spikes are not a distasteful sight, but successful in deterring pest birds as they do not want to nest in a bed of spikes. Bird spikes are removed from the gutter as quickly and easily as they are installed, and also aid with pest birds on docks, ledges, and canopies.

Birds have every right to be on our planet as does the human being; the idea is to discourage the bird without harm. A gutter spike does this while being a prompt resolution and portable product. A bothersome problem solved, the homeowner is content while following federal law and the beautiful bird lives on.

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