The holiday season is here, which means the decorative wreath is now out and hanging on the front door. It is beautiful to look at until you see birds building nest out of it. This might not present any problems until bird poop is scattered on your doorstep.
How to keep birds from nesting in wreaths? If calling the professionals is out of the question, you can go DIY. Here are some tricks to keep the bird away from dampening your holiday spirits.
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Ways to Keep Birds From Nesting in Wreaths
Small, nest-dwelling birds are fond of making their nests on wreaths. This includes Carolina wrens, finches, juncos, robins, and sometimes house swallows.
To avoid unwanted visitors to your wreath, take these steps before hanging your holiday wreaths.
1. Hang Shiny Objects
Birds hate anything shiny and will not come anywhere near them. This could be because they don’t like seeing their reflection on these objects. Use this knowledge to stop birds from building nests on your wreath.
You can use reflective tapes or old CDs placed around your door. If you want to make them work with your decoration and place them closer or on the wreath, consider metallic beads, silver tinsel, metallic baubles, and tiny mirrors.
Aluminum wind chimes also work since they double as a sound deterrent that will startle and scare away the birds.
2. Put Up Fake Predators
Decoys of bird predators such as owls, hawks, and falcons are great ways to repel birds from making a nest on your wreath and around your property.
Birds are intelligent creatures, and this method takes advantage of their natural fear of being in danger. If they see a hawk near your front door, they will never think twice about coming near.
Just make sure to move the faux predators every day to mimic movement. Otherwise, the birds will catch up on it and completely disregard them.
3. Non-Toxic Bird Repellent Spray
I don’t want to ruin my decorations with a faux animal or shiny objects. What can I spray on front door wreath? There are many bird-safe spray repellents sold in the market. If you want to make your own, make use of the following to craft your bird spray:
What to prepare:
- Lemon
- Chili
- Cayenne pepper
- Garlic
- Citronella
- Peppermint
Smells That Repel Birds – Top Repellents
Spray the solution directly on the wreath and repeat as needed when the smell disappears. Spritz some on the door, too.
If it is too late to keep birds away and a nest already sits on your wreath, observe the situation before making a move. Reach out to the nearest wildlife rehabilitation center in your area and let them figure out how to handle the situation if you are unsure how to proceed.
Remember that these birds are protected by federal law; thus, interfering with their nest or killing them is not an option.
Conclusion
Learning how to keep birds from nesting in wreaths will give you the best tips to avoid the headache that comes with your feathered neighbors invading your wreath. These preventative measures will save you so much trouble from calling the professionals and waiting out for the bird to leave on their own.
Have you tried any of our suggestions? How did it work for you? We’d love to know if you have more tips and tricks to deter birds from our front door wreath!
Related tips & tricks:
- How to Keep Birds From Nesting on Porch
- How to Keep Birds From Pooping on My Porch
- How to Keep Birds Off Outdoor Lights
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