Like the famous uwu-emitting koel birds that wake you up with their high-pitched repetitive screams in the morning, other birds like the mynah or house crow can become huge annoyances – especially when they enter your home. These little buggers are the ones that strut their stuff like peacocks near hawker centres and HDB void decks, scavenging for food.
If you’re one of the unlucky ones who has had some of these pests enter your apartment, here are six bird control trips to safely get back at these pesky birds and prevent them from coming into your home ever again. This guide also comes in handy if you live on a lower floor and are at a higher risk of birds swooping in. You never know when you’ll be getting an unwanted, winged visitor.
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Image credit: Vicious516
Although CDs are becoming a boomer item thanks to streaming services like Spotify, they aren’t all that redundant – you can still use them to scare away birds. If you’ve got some old discs lying around, put them to good use by hanging them by your windows. The reflective surface and strobes of light will bother the birds’ vision, annoying them without causing physical harm.
However, this may not be a permanent solution as birds are pretty darn smart and may come back after figuring out your light distraction tactic. They might even plan alternate routes to bypass your CD “obstacle course”. Use this method as your initial “revenge” strategy to test waters, before trying out the other methods listed below.
Cat-figured scarecrows from Daiso
Image credit: Debbie Ding
If you don’t have old CDs, you can buy “scarecrows”. From silhouettes of ravens to cat-figured cut-outs, these simple scarecrows cost anywhere from $2 at Daiso to $20 for more elaborate and sturdy designs from other stores. The aim is to fool birds with images or 3D figures of their natural predators, thus keeping them at bay.
Image credit: Singapore Magnetic Screens
For a more sure-fire way of keeping pests out, consider installing a window mesh. These mesh screens let fresh air into your home while keeping birds and insects out.
While it’s much more expensive than the first two options, window mesh screens are relatively invisible and won’t leave your home looking decked out for Halloween year-round, with spooky cut-outs and ratchet hanging CDs.
You can check out companies like InsectOut who provide installation services, or source for more budget-friendly mesh screens from Shopee and DIY.
Image credit: Removable Insect Screens
In the rare case that these birds still enter your home despite the mesh screens, opt for window grills with smaller patterns so that even the most slender of birds won’t be able to fit through. This method can cost hundreds of dollars, but will be the most effective and permanent way to prevent birds from terrorising your abode.
As they say, “prevention is better than cure”. If you don’t want birds to enter your home in search of food, you can target the root of the problem by keeping your food items properly and not leaving them lying around, tempting nearby avian visitors.
Covering your fruits with a simple food cover, for example, is not sufficient as birds can still see the food. You’ll have to keep all edible goodies in your fridge and ensure food items like cereals or drinks are kept hidden from sight. Of course, you’ll need to make this a habit and ensure that your entire household follows suit.
Image credit: Good Housekeeping
As scavengers, birds don’t just go for that fresh and piping hot meal that you’ve brought back from the hawker centre. They’ll go for anything edible, including food waste in your bins. While having food waste is inevitable, you can hide tempting scraps by having a food waste bin with a proper lid, i.e. bins that have a step-pedal.
For those of us who are a bit more kiasu and want to keep the food waste receptacle out of sight altogether, you can go for under-sink or pull-out kitchen bins.
Here are some bird control tips for Singaporeans residing in HDB flats, from quick DIY options to small investments for long-term results.
If you just can’t justify spending a cent on new home installations or furniture purchases and you’re really at your wit’s end, take matters into your own hands. Let the hate flow through you and scare the living hell out of the birds that enter your home. Run towards them, flail your arms, whatever works – become a madman.
After a few times, the birds will learn not to mess with your “territory” and won’t come back. With luck, they might spread the word among their bird brethren too.
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Cover image adapted from (L-R): Vicious516, Good Housekeeping
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