Hanging Bird Deterrent
What a hanging deterrent needs in order to work, and what it will not do.
A hanging deterrent works on movement and glare. Wind turns it, daylight flashes off it, and a bird that was about to settle thinks better of it. It is the right answer for open ground where there is nothing to fix a spike strip to: a fruit tree, a vegetable bed, a boat, a pergola, a balcony rail.
Three conditions, and people usually only meet two
- Wind. No air movement, no movement, no effect. A sheltered courtyard is the wrong place.
- Daylight. It reflects light. It does nothing at night and little on a very dull day.
- Relocation. This is the one people skip. Every bird we deal with habituates: something that has hung in the same spot for a month has become part of the scenery.
Move them every week or two, change the height, add one somewhere new. That single habit is the difference between a season of usefulness and a fortnight of it.
Discs or tape?
Discs cover a point. One tree, one corner, one mast. 53 cm across, ฿150 each with no minimum, which makes them one of the cheapest things on this site to experiment with.
Tape covers a line. A row of soft fruit, a run of fence, the length of a pergola, a boat rail. Single roll ฿600, three rolls ฿1,500, ten rolls ฿4,000, and the packs exist so you can run several lines and swap them about.
Hang tape with a little slack. Pulled drum tight it cannot twist, and twisting is most of the effect.
The decoy owl
We also sell a plastic owl decoy at ฿1,700 with a spring loaded head that rotates in the wind. The rotation is the point: a static decoy is worked out within days and becomes a perch. It carries the same relocation caveat as everything else on this page.
What these are not
They are not a permanent, unattended answer. If you want something you can fit and forget, a spike strip on the perch or netting over the opening is the honest recommendation, and we would rather make it than sell you a disc that disappoints you.
They are also not species selective, so while they are up they make an area less attractive to everything. That is another reason to treat them as a short campaign rather than an installation.
Frequently asked questions
How does a hanging deterrent work?
By movement and glare. Wind turns it, daylight flashes off it, and a bird that was about to settle thinks better of it.
What does it need in order to work at all?
Wind and daylight. In a sheltered corner on a dull day it does nothing, and we would rather say so before you buy.
What is the condition most people skip?
Moving it. Every bird we deal with habituates, and something that has hung in one spot for a month has become part of the scenery.
How often should I move it?
Every week or two. Change the position, the height and the orientation.
Discs or tape?
Discs cover a point, such as one tree or one corner. Tape covers a line, such as a row of soft fruit or a run of fence.
How big are the discs?
About 53 cm across, and they are ฿150 each with no minimum.
What pack sizes does the tape come in?
A single roll at ฿600, three rolls at ฿1,500 or ten rolls at ฿4,000.
Why buy the multi packs?
So you can run several lines and swap them about. Three moved around beat one left alone.
Should the tape be tight?
No, leave a little slack. Pulled drum tight it cannot twist, and twisting is most of the effect.
Where should I hang a disc?
Somewhere it can spin freely and catch the light. Against a wall or inside a canopy it does neither.
Do they need power or batteries?
No. Wind and daylight, nothing else.
Do they work at night?
No. They need light. A night problem wants a physical barrier.
Will they scare my garden birds too?
They are not species selective, so while they are up the area is less attractive to everything. That is another reason to treat them as a short campaign.
Are they noisy?
The discs are quiet. Tape rustles a little in strong wind, which is worth thinking about outside a bedroom window.
What about the decoy owl?
฿1,700, with a spring loaded head that turns in the wind. The rotation is the point: a static decoy is worked out within days.
Will a decoy move birds that are already nesting?
No. Anything that trades on suggestion works on birds that are prospecting, not on birds that are committed.
Can I use these on a boat?
They suit a boat particularly well: plenty of wind, plenty of light, and nothing to fix a spike strip to.
Will they protect a fruit crop?
They help during the weeks that matter if you move them. If the crop genuinely has to be protected, netting over a frame is the answer.
Do they work on crows?
Less well than on smaller birds, and a crow on a roof is a spike or a netting problem.
Do they fade?
The reflective face dulls with weathering over a season or two. A dull disc or a dull length of tape has stopped working.
Can I leave them up all year?
You can, and the birds will stop noticing. Taking them down between seasons makes them work better when they go back up.
What is the cheapest way to try this?
One disc at ฿150. It is one of the cheapest things on this site and it will tell you quickly whether your birds respond.
How much is delivery and how long does it take?
Free on every order, anywhere in Thailand. Please allow 5 to 7 days, tracked from dispatch.
Which payment methods do you take?
Card and PayPal, and those are the only two. Both go through the checkout on this site.
Can I change my mind after ordering?
Yes. You can return any item within 15 days of delivery for an exchange or a full refund, as long as it is uncut, unused and in its original packaging.
What if it arrives damaged or faulty?
Tell us and we will replace or refund it, at no cost to you. That is separate from changing your mind.
Is there a minimum order?
No. One strip, one disc, one roll: whatever the job needs.
Do you sell to trade?
Yes. There is a wholesale page with a quote form. Tell us the run length or the quantity.
Do you install?
No. Everything here is DIY, which is why the pages carry the fitting detail rather than a sales pitch.
How do I get hold of a person?
Email theteam@birdspikes.asia with a photograph of the surface. We answer this kind of question all day.