Owning a boat is incredibly rewarding, but along with the joy that comes with boat ownership there are also the maintenance challenges. When it comes to maintenance one of the common hassles boat owners face is bird droppings. Birds, especially seagulls, love boats and tend to “leave their mark” on surfaces. Besides being unsightly and difficult to clean, bird droppings can damage the boat’s surface over time due to their highly acidic composition.

Although using covers can protect your boat’s appearance and integrity, they don't prevent birds from perching on the boat while the cover is off or when the boat is in use. Therefore your best bet is to use marine bird scarers.

While you want to do everything you can to keep birds at bay, it’s also important to do it in a way that won’t harm the local avian community. Using a bird deterrent for boats is a safe and humane way to keep your vessel clean and protect it from potential damage without harming local wildlife.

Birds and Boats: A Match Made in Heaven

Before diving into bird deterrents, it’s important to realise why these feathered creatures are attracted to boat docks in the first place. Knowing this matter can help you choose effective and humane bird deterrent for boats.

Boats are a desirable area for birds to rest during harsh weather, because some features, such as awnings or covered sections, offer protection from the wind, rain, and sun, making them the perfect shelter and resting space.

Next, when on boats and docks birds feel safer from land-based predators as these spaces are typically isolated and surrounded by water. Compared to shorelines or trees, where land predators could reach them, a boat docked in the water provides a safer place to nest and relax.

Furthermore, vessels offer a consistent source of food for birds. They are often home to human activities like fishing and eating which can result in food scraps left behind. Unwanted guests quickly learn to associate boats with easy meals, especially in busy docks or marinas. Additionally, algae and small aquatic organisms may grow around docks, providing a natural food source for birds.

While removing food scraps and debris is a great first step in keeping birds away from your vessel, using bird deterrents can significantly help you reclaim your vessel without disturbing the birds too much. These devices are designed to make your boat less attractive to birds by discouraging them from landing or nesting, without harming them.

Different Types of Bird Deterrents

There are different types of bird deterrents you can use to keep birds away from your investment. Visual deterrents like reflective tapes and holographic decals are a popular option, especially for scaring birds sensitive to light and movement, such as gulls. These shiny, moving materials create flashes of light that disorient gulls, making them avoid the area.

While visual deterrents are simple bird control options, they can affect the boat's appearance and need to be replaced often, increasing the cost and effort of ongoing bird control. That's because the elements can wear down visual deterrents, causing them to fade, tear, or degrade which requires frequent maintenance.

Wind-driven devices like spinning rods, streamers, or flapping flags use the wind to create unpredictable movements that birds find alarming. These solutions are effective, easy to install, and maintain, ideal for boat owners who want to keep their investment in top condition. These are often installed on critical points on boats to deter gulls and shorebirds.

On the downside, wind-driven bird scarers for boats are ineffective on calm days. A certain amount of wind is necessary for wind-driven deterrents to function, meaning might not move at all on calm days or in protected marinas.

Ultrasonic bird repellents are another type of device you can use to keep unwanted guests at bay. They emit high-frequency sounds that are typically above the range of human hearing. These devices deter birds from landing or nesting in areas where the sound is present.

Ultrasonic repellents offer a nearly invisible bird deterrent alternative because they don't alter the boat's appearance like physical deterrents or visual scare devices do. However, the effectiveness of these sound devices is often confined to a specific area. You may need to place multiple units to cover a larger boat.

Last but not least, remember that not all bird species are equally affected by the same deterrents. What works for one type of bird might not work for others, especially for persistent species like pigeons or seagulls. These birds in particular are highly adaptable and quickly learn to ignore certain deterrents if they don’t perceive a real threat. Therefore tailoring your deterrents to specific bird behaviours can make a big difference. Finding the right solution for your boat usually requires testing various approaches.