What Smell Do Birds Hate – 8 Scents to Repel Birds

Clinton-Atkins-thayer

Written by

Clinton Atkins

George-Dukes-thayer

FACT-CHECKED BY

George Dukes

what smell do birds hate

Bird hobbyists from all over the world do everything to attract avians to their properties. But sometimes, these beautiful flying creatures can bring havoc to your home. The good news is that you can keep the birds away by using scents.

So, what smell do birds hate?

There are certain essential oils, homemade bird repellent sprays, and natural solutions that birds hate to smell. The trick is to find those effective solutions to repel avians. The best thing is that the scents that offend birds are pleasant for humans.

what-smells-will-keep-birds-away

Reasons for Keeping Birds Away

To keep birds away from your property is a decision that is born out of your concern for your home, and not from evil intentions. If birds nest in your garage, porch, or other parts of your property, then damages can be done. That’s why it is viral to find what smells will keep birds away.

Let’s take a look at what harm the birds can do in your home.

  • Messy droppings – They can get on top of your car, pavement, roof, mailbox, ground, deck floor, and all over your property.
  • Plant damage – Birds love to peck and eat seeds from plants. And as long as there are fowls in your garden, your flowers and vegetables might suffer greatly.
  • Clogged gutters – Avians can fly to your gutters and drop their wastes there. And the poop can cause clogging to your gutter.
  • Messy nests – During the nesting season, birds favor garages and porches with holes or crevices to build their nests. More importantly, and once they settle, they will be aggressive towards those whom they consider as threats to the nest.

Cleaning avian droppings takes time, and they are hazardous to your health. The good news is, you can do something about this. There are smells that birds hate and you can use those scents to repel them away from your property.

Scents That Birds Hate

Kindly keep in mind that harming the birds is illegal in the country. These flying creatures are mostly migratory, and the law protects them from harm.

Let us get to know a couple of scents that are tested and proven to repel birds. Avians hate these smells, and they are pretty easy to concoct, find, and purchase.

Scent #1: Peppermint

smells-that-repel-birds

Peppermint is one of the essential oils to keep birds from building nests on your property. Simply spray the peppermint oil on your porch, plants, garage, gutter, and other structural areas of your home. This method is not harmful to the birds, though it is highly efficient in deterring them.

And though the scent of peppermint is irritating for the birds, this essential oil smells good to humans.

Scent #2: Garlic

what-smells-will-keep-birds-away

Garlic is an organic spice with “allicin”, a chemical that deters birds but does no harm to people. The spray solution is simple to create. Just mix plain garlic with water. But for a more effective solution, mix garlic with water and vinegar. Sprinkle the mixture on any part of your property where birds usually visit.

Spray the garlic solution to the nesting areas, especially under holes and crevices. You can also apply it to the leaves of your plants since it does not harm flowers and veggies.

Scent #3: Cayenne Pepper

what-scent-do-birds-hate

If you’re looking for what scent do birds hate, then know that cayenne pepper is a perfect solution. It repulses birds, and their olfactory glands are irritated by the scent of cayenne pepper. What you need to do is cut a generous amount of cayenne pepper and mix it with water.

Spray the cayenne pepper solution in fences, around the garden ground, and in the corners of your garage. This solution deters birds, but it can irritate your eyes, too, so be careful in applying the cayenne pepper mixture.

Scent #4: Vinegar

smells-that-repel-woodpeckers

Vinegar, in its natural state, is super effective in repelling birds. To prevent them from nesting in your porch or garage, spray pure vinegar on areas where nests can be made. And to repel avians from your garden and yard, spray vinegar in selected areas. However, avoid directly putting vinegar on your plants.

For a more potent agent, combine vinegar with crushed lemon or crushed garlic. Mix them in a spray bottle and apply the solution to areas where birds frequently come to your property.

Scent #5: Chili

Chili is one of the smells that repel woodpeckers and other bird species. It comes in different forms, such as chili salt, chili powder, and chili pepper. And all kinds of chili can irritate the bird’s nasal cavity. For best results, combine chili with vinegar. You can also use water instead of vinegar, and it will work efficiently.

Scent #6: Lemon

The natural and fresh scent of lemon is one of the smells that repel birds. Just squeeze lemons and use their juice to spray on areas where you don’t want the birds to visit and nest. But if you don’t have time to keep on squeezing lemons, then you have an option to purchase lemon oil.

Simply mix the lemon oil with water, and spray the solution in different areas of your property.

Scent #7: Bird Gel

Aside from natural bird repellent solutions, you can also buy over-the-counter products that repel birds but are not harmful to them. And so, in driving the birds away, use a bird gel.

Birds hate the smell of this product and how it feels sticky when stepped on. Bird gels are safe for birds and your plants, so there is nothing to worry about.

Scent #8: Mothballs

smells-that-repel-woodpeckers

A mothball or ammonia is a chemical product that repulses the bird species. Simply put a few mothballs in the corners of your garage, porch, and selected spots in your garden and yard. The smell of mothballs will drive the avians away from your property. And once the scent fades, replace the mothballs immediately.

Conclusion

Knowing what smell do birds hate is essential to your peace of mind. And now that you have a bigger picture of what you need to repel avians from your home, you can rest well knowing that your garden, yard, and porch are once again safe from birds. Plus, you can keep the birds away without hurting them.

We do hope that you enjoy reading this post. Kindly share this on your social media so others may learn from it as well. And please feel free to leave your comments. We’d love to hear from you.

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