Do not light fires or BBQs in the countryside

Wildfire risk. Check safety advice.

Non-lethal methods for managing problems caused by birds

All birds are protected by law.

You must try to manage problems caused by birds without causing them harm.

Anyone applying for a licence to harm birds must have tried alternatives methods before they apply. In their application they must tell us:

  • what methods they tried
  • when they tried them and how frequently
  • how effective the methods were
  • why they didn't use some methods

Visual deterrents

Visual deterrents work by causing the birds to see something that scares them away. Examples include:

  • visual presence of humans and/or dogs
  • mannequins or scarecrows - which can be static or moving, including mechanical or inflatable models
  • models or effigies of the birds’ main predator species
  • corpses of the target bird species, or models that look like corpses
  • kites or helium balloons
  • radio-controlled model aircraft or drones
  • dazzling devices such mirrors, reflectors, or reflective tape
  • flags, rags, streamers, or windmills
  • flashing lights or lasers
  • high-pressure water jets - which might also act as a physical deterrent
  • dyes, colourants, and turbidity (to deter birds from bodies of water)
  • falconry - where a trained bird of prey is used to scare other birds away

Effectiveness of visual deterrents

Deterrents that mimic possible dangers to life that the birds naturally encounter are usually more effective than more artificial devices.

The visual presence of humans, especially if accompanied by dogs, is generally regarded as one of the most effective visual deterrents.

Target birds can get used to the visual deterrent. Change your method at regular intervals, or use a combination of approaches.

Making a scarecrow as real as possible is likely to have greater effect, such as by giving it high-visibility clothing and moving it regularly.

Fixed visual deterrents are generally thought to have an effective range of up to about 200 metres, depending on the species.

Using sounds

Auditory deterrents work by creating sounds that the birds find frightening or unpleasant. Examples include:

  • gas cannons
  • fireworks, which may also provide a degree of visual disturbance
  • shooting to scare using firearms with blank ammunition
  • bioacoustics, which include mimicking the sounds made by predators or mimicking the distress/alarm call of the target species of bird
  • other simple sound-producing objects such as windmills or tapes which ‘hum’ in the wind

Effectiveness of sounds

Moving the sound-producing devices can extend their period of effectiveness. As with all methods, using them in combination with other measures can help.

Where you can use sounds

Auditory deterrents are not suitable where artificially creating significant extra noise risks disturbance to other wildlife or a nuisance to people, for example gas cannons, pyrotechnics and shooting of firearms should not generally be used as deterrents near residential areas.

Auditory deterrents should also not be used in or near any Site of Special Scientific Interest where increased artificial noise levels could cause significant disturbance to sensitive species.

Preventing access

Preventing access or 'exclusion techniques' works by preventing birds from accessing the site concerned. They keep birds away from potential food sources or sites they may wish to use for nesting, resting, or roosting. Exclusion methods include installing:

  • netting
  • suspended ropes
  • tapes
  • wires

There are potential animal welfare concerns with the risk of animals or birds becoming entangled. You must ensure they are correctly installed, and regularly inspected and maintained. Use the correct gauge of netting. 

Nest enclosures or cages

For bird conservation purposes, you can use nest enclosures or cages. These are placed over a nest containing eggs or chicks of a vulnerable species, in particular ground nesting species.

You will need a specific licence to disturb the birds at or near the nest of any species listed on Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. 

Habitat modification

It may be possible to change the habitat available to birds in or around the site where they are causing the problem, to make it less attractive to them. Any form of habitat modification is likely to be more effective if alternative habitats elsewhere are available to the birds. 

Removing potential food sources

In urban areas this can include removing or reducing the amount of food waste, food packaging and other litter that is left in the open. Discourage bird feeding by the public. 

Livestock farmers may be able to take lambing, calving or farrowing indoors to reduce the risk of attacks by corvids on new-born or young livestock.

Reducing the availability of perching, breeding or roosting sites

You can consider installing:

  • wire coils
  • blunt spikes so they do not cause the birds an injury
  • other obstructions on otherwise attractive rooves and ledges

A longer-term approach could be to incorporate bird deterrent features into the design of buildings.

Coppicing or pruning trees

To deter starlings in urban settings trees, you can prune trees to make them less attractive to roosting birds. It may also be possible to remove perches used by corvids or birds of prey close to sensitive bird nesting sites.

Chemical repellents

Chemical taste repellents are used for deterring birds in agriculture and forestry, as well as from perching on buildings. They generally have limited effectiveness as the chemicals do not last long on treated surfaces and can be washed away by rain.

It is unlawful in the UK to use fertility control chemicals to manage wild birds.

Diversionary feeding

Diversionary feeding is designed to distract or divert the birds from foraging at the site where they are causing the problem, for example a nearby area of a sacrificial or decoy crop, such as kale, can encourage the target birds away from valuable agricultural crops.

Diversionary feeding is also used for conservation, to reduce the impact of predation by birds of prey on other vulnerable bird species.

It is important that diversionary feeding does not have the unintended effect of simply increasing the amount of food available to the target species. This could encourage more birds into an area rather deterring them.

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