How to keep Black birds out of your garden ??

Joined
Aug 10, 2021
Messages
4,223
Reaction score
1,493
Location
California
Country
United States
Which species of black bird are you referring to and what type of damage are they doing?
The European Blackbird (Turdus merula) is introduced in Australia. Is that the bird you mean?
 
Joined
Aug 10, 2021
Messages
4,223
Reaction score
1,493
Location
California
Country
United States
I see, of course, I need to protect seedling pots and beds from bird pecking too. The answer is to set up some type of netting or wire mesh as a barrier. Depending on the situation you might use bird netting, or chicken-wire/grid wire, either laid flat over a raised bed or else variously shaped into a dome, cone, or box. I have several grid wire boxes that I set over flats of seeds. I weigh them down with glass plates at the corners. Also, various types of storage bin and wire container can be turned upside down to form ready-made cages that will exclude birds, also rodents if the grid spaces are small enough.
 
Joined
Jan 31, 2018
Messages
3,517
Reaction score
3,875
Location
"The Tropic of Trafford"
Hardiness Zone
Keir Hardy
Country
United Kingdom
We have always had blackbirds in our garden. At the moment we have two pairs that visit it. As we put enough food out for them and other birds, they don't do much digging except in the lawn, where they must find grubs etc., no real damage, which is a benefit to us.
 
Joined
Dec 15, 2021
Messages
42
Reaction score
13
Location
australia
Country
Australia
Also it helps because all your plants are either trees or bushes - thats why admin said if u have seedling to protect them with a net.

What puzzles me is thats its only the Blackbirds that act like pigs , all other including starlings, Indian minors are super gently around seedlings , even my Raven that sits on my shoulder never goes near them .
 
Joined
Feb 13, 2021
Messages
3,880
Reaction score
2,470
Country
United Kingdom
It is typical black bird behaviour, I see them throwing dead leaves in the air searching through them. They don't seem to be a problem once the plants have got past the seedling stage, and a lot of what they pick up is going to be insects you don't want around. If you don't want a net I find a couple of thin lines stretched above the ground will work. When they land their wing touches them and they don't like it and take off straight away. There are also lines which catch the slightest breeze and hum, never tried them but it sounds good.

The bird in your avatar looks like a jackdaw, ravens are blooming huge things.
 
Joined
Aug 8, 2020
Messages
33
Reaction score
21
Hardiness Zone
8b/9a (right on the border between two)
Country
United Kingdom
As others have said, netting can work. Although a crude solution (and possibly not ideal), I might also suggest cats. For some animals, the mere scent of a cat in the area is enough to keep them away from that area. Even if not affected by the scent, birds will fly away at the sight of a cat.

It should be noted however, there are ways animals can have their fear of cats overriden. This is due to a certain mind controlling parasite. For example, any mouse which is infected with toxaplasma gondii will have its fear of cats "removed", so to speak. This is because the parasite can only sexually reproduce inside the body of cats and so it controls the brain of the mouse so that the mouse is attracted to feline fecal material. When the animal is eaten by the cat, the parasite can then reproduce in the gut of the cat and the cycle continues.

In humans, this infection is called toxoplamosis and it appears some studies have linked the parasite to certain psychological conditions. However, most people will experience no noticeable symptoms. Brief video explanation:

 
Joined
Aug 8, 2020
Messages
33
Reaction score
21
Hardiness Zone
8b/9a (right on the border between two)
Country
United Kingdom

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
27,874
Messages
264,667
Members
14,611
Latest member
Yashsawant

Latest Threads

Top