Birds often build their nests in hanging plants on patios, balconies, and porches. At first, baby birds may look cute, but their poop can quickly become a bother. You might want to take down an active nest, but that’s against the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The best way to stop birds from nesting in hanging plants is to stop them from doing it in the first place.
Why Birds Nest in Hanging Plants
Birds are opportunistic nesters that build nests in protected spots with available materials. Hanging plants offer an appealing nesting site with built-in camouflage and shelter. Common culprits include house finches, mourning doves, robins, and wrens. They frequently reuse nests or rebuild in the same site. Without deterrents, you’re likely to battle nesting birds annually.
Dangers of Nest Removal
Relocating or destroying active nests kills hatchlings and separates parents from their young. It’s also illegal with penalties up to $15000 and six months jail time per nest. The law allows removing old nests after young fledge. Identify fledglings by their downy feathers, begging calls, and clumsy flying as parents continue to feed them.
How to Keep Birds Out of Hanging Plants
Here are 10 tips to make hanging plants inhospitable nesting sites:
Provide Alternative Nesting Sites
- Hang birdhouses and nesting boxes around your yard to give birds better options. Place them away from high traffic areas.
Use Protective Barriers
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Cover soil with chicken wire or netting, Skewers or sticks also deter nest building,
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Hang reflective ribbons or old CDs around plants to scare birds away.
Use Predator Decoys
- Place fake owls, hawks, or snakes nearby to frighten birds. Move decoys occasionally so they don’t become ignored.
Use Repellents
- Hang bags of human hair, which birds avoid.
- Place mothballs on top of the soil, checking that plants are not sensitive to fumes.
- Soak cotton balls in citrus oil or pepper sauce as an unpleasant odor. Reapply after watering.
- Sprinkle cayenne pepper or chili powder lightly on plants.
- Spray hanging plants with bird repellent spray made with essential oils. Avoid plant leaves to prevent damage.
Use Noisemakers
- Wind chimes or bells create sounds that deter birds.
- Ultrasonic devices emit high-frequency sounds only birds hear. Place them close to plants.
Alter Nesting Sites
- Remove old nests and materials birds may reuse.
- Add obstacles like wire mesh or bamboo spikes to make planting areas uncomfortable.
Scare with Devices
- Shiny pinwheels or mylar tape blow in the wind to frighten birds.
- Battery-operated sonic bird repellers sporadically emit distress calls.
Keep Cats Around
- Let your cat patrol areas near hanging plants to scare birds away. Supervise to prevent bird kills.
Accept a Seasonal Loss
Let the birds build their nest in a hanging plant if you can’t stop them. After the chicks leave, clean out the nest to stop it from being used again.
With several barriers in place, you can enjoy plants without birds all season. Hang plants every day and take action as soon as you see a nest. Persistence is key to reclaim your space. For big problems, you might need to get rid of plants that are causing trouble for a season. With an eviction notice, the birds will soon look for another place to raise their young.
Summary
Birds commonly nest in hanging patio plants, creating messy droppings. Relocating active nests is illegal and harmful. The solution is preventing nesting before it starts. Put up nest boxes, move plants, use deterrents and repellents, and scare birds away. If a nest shows up, wait it out, take it down when it’s empty, and don’t let it build again. Using more than one method greatly lowers the chances that birds will return to live in your hanging plants.
Bird Proofing Hanging Baskets
The first line of defense is prevention. Here are some steps you can take to prevent birds from taking up residence in your potted plants:
- Provide plenty of other nesting sites in your garden. Erect birdhouses and nesting boxes.
- When you plant, cover the basket or container with light wire mesh so birds can’t get in and make nests.
- Use fake predators to discourage them from your planting zone. These might include rubber snakes or a fake owl.
- Place streamers around the outside of your house or where you hang baskets. This will scare birds away from hanging baskets, where they shouldn’t be nesting, so they don’t do it.
How to Keep Bird Nests Out of Hanging Baskets – Hack
FAQ
How to stop birds from nesting in hanging baskets?
To prevent birds from nesting in hanging baskets, you can use physical barriers like wire mesh, skewers, or reflective materials, or deter them with visual or auditory deterrents like fake predators or wind chimes.
What to do when a bird makes a nest in your hanging plant?
The Problem With Birds in Hanging Baskets I check my basket daily for nesting debris, and if I find a nest, I remove it and take down the basket for a day or two to discourage the birds. Sometimes this works quickly; other times it takes several tries.
What kind of birds nest in hanging baskets?
Several bird species commonly nest in hanging baskets, including house finches, Carolina wrens, and chipping sparrows. Birds like these are drawn to hanging baskets because they offer safety and shelter, especially ones with lots of leaves like ferns.
Can I move a hanging plant with a bird nest in it?
Moving a hanging plant that has a bird nest in it is usually not a good idea because the parents may leave the nest.
Are birds nesting in hanging plants?
Even with some prevention, you can find yourself in the possession of birds nesting in hanging plants. Contrary to some early research, you can move a nest and the parents will still take care of it, provided you don’t move it where they cannot find it.
Are hanging basket planters bad for birds?
It isn’t hard to water plants or keep them healthy when you’re able to use hanging planters. That being said, there are problems that can arise with your hanging basket planters. For example, you might wind up having birds start messing with them. You see, a hanging basket is going to be a very appealing nesting spot for local birds.
How do you keep birds from nesting in a hanging basket?
Remove nesting material as it appears. There may be a nest in your hanging basket if you wait too long. You will have to wait for the birds to leave. Despite the mess, you may enjoy watching the family grow. And you can still care for your plant. Just water the basket slowly and from an angle that won’t soak the nest.
Do hanging flower pots attract birds?
Hanging flower pots are a beautiful addition to any garden or outdoor space. However, they can also attract unwanted guests – birds! If you are tired of birds nesting in your hanging baskets, eating your plants, or leaving droppings all over your patio or deck, then you’re in luck.
How do you prevent birds from building nests in hanging plants?
Preventing birds from building nests in hanging plants involves a mix of physical barriers and careful plant selection. Here’s how to go about it. Use physical barriers to deter birds from nesting in your hanging plants. Netting: Cover plants with lightweight bird netting to block access while allowing light and air.
How do you make a bird nest in a garden?
1. Create other nesting sites by hanging up birdhouses or nesting boxes elsewhere in the garden. 2. Lay chicken wire or a similar material over the soil in the hanging basket. 3. Insert short skewers in the soil of the basket; not so sharp that they might harm a bird, but to create an inhospitable building site. 4.