Bird Pest Control in the Vegetable Garden

Bird pest control in the vegetable garden has been a challenge for me this season. I have been shocked this year to find birds attacking and eating plants in my garden. Here is what happened, what did not work, and the simple netting setup that finally stopped them.

At a glance

The culprits: a flock of blackbirds, feeding at dawn.
Did not work: mylar strips and noisy tin plates.
Worked: bird netting stretched tight over a frame of stakes, pinned to the ground.
Remember: most wild birds are protected by law, so stick to barriers.

Problem

Young seedling growing inside a round plastic mesh cage on dark soil, with straw mulch around it — A seedling surround, the small cage I use to keep birds from pulling up young plants.

In spite of the surrounds I put around my seedlings to stop birds from carrying away the small plants, trouble was afoot. This time, however, it was a different crisis. I looked out early in the morning two weeks ago to see my bean and beet plants decimated. All the blossoms had been pecked off my squash plants and were laying on the ground.

I was dumbstruck as to the identity of the culprit that was attacking my vegetables. I cleaned up the debris and woke up early the next morning to see if the predator would return. To my horror, I found a swarm of black birds hovering over my garden.

The culprits

I learned after some quick research that blackbirds, which include red-winged blackbirds, cowbirds, grackles, starlings and crows, were the offenders. Even with my surrounds, the birds had managed to strip the leaves off plants well over a foot high in addition to smaller plants. I needed to take immediate action to stop the early morning destruction before my entire crops would be gone.

What did not work

I immediately grabbed some mylar and tin plates. The mylar is meant to scare the birds and the tin plates to make such a racket that it discourages them from entering the garden. Unfortunately, the mylar was not effective and the noise from the plates was annoying to my family as well as my neighbors. Time for netting!

That matches what extension specialists report. Birds quickly become used to scare devices. If you try them, change the type and the location often, and combine something they see with something they hear. It is also much easier to prevent a feeding habit than to break one once the birds have settled into a routine.

Strategy: netting on a frame

Most garden centers and hardware stores carry bird netting. The best way to cover your plants with this netting is to use stakes or wood to support the netting above your plants without actually touching the plants. I stretched my netting tightly around the supports so as to prevent the birds from getting entangled in it.

The framework I created was inexpensive and easy to set up. I then anchored the mesh to the ground with landscape pins. Slits cut down the netting allow me to easily access the secured vegetables. In addition, I use twisty ties to close the netting where I made the cuts.

Leafy soybean plants inside black bird netting stretched around four wooden stakes, with straw mulch on the ground — Netting around the soybeans, held up by wooden stakes so it never rests on the leaves.

Squash vines and young leafy greens under black bird netting draped over stakes and a metal trellis, next to a straw path — Netting around the squash bed, stretched over stakes and a trellis.

Results

So far, so good. The morning after I set up the netting, the birds were back at dawn. They realized there was no entry to the beans, squash and beets and flew away. They have not returned since then. Close call, but I think I am safe from the birds attacking my vegetables and have succeeded in bird pest control in the garden.

Tips for netting that works

Keep it off the plants. Support netting on posts, stakes or a frame rather than resting it directly on the crop.
Close every side. Leaving one side open for easy access defeats the purpose, because birds quickly learn how to get in. Slits closed with ties, like mine, keep access easy without leaving a gap.
Seal the edges. Hold the edges tight to the ground, or pests can slip underneath.
Start early. Put barriers up before the birds form a feeding habit, not after.

Protecting seedlings

Young plants are the easiest target. Small cages like my seedling surrounds help, and lightweight row cover fabric is another option. University of Maryland Extension lists birds among the animals row covers keep out, as long as the edges are held down. More on how I use them in my spring garden.

Birds and the law

Most wild birds are protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act or by state laws. The act prohibits the take of protected species, which includes killing and capturing them, without authorization from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. That is one more reason to rely on netting, cages and row covers. If you think you need anything beyond a barrier, check with your state wildlife agency first.

FAQ

What is the best way to keep birds off vegetable plants?

Netting held up on stakes or a frame, so it does not rest on the plants, with the edges pinned to the ground. Extension specialists call netting the most effective protection.

Do shiny tape and pie plates scare birds away?

Only for a short time. Birds quickly get used to scare devices, so they work best when you move them often and combine sight and sound. In my garden, the mylar did nothing and the tin plates mostly annoyed the neighbors.

Is it legal to harm birds that eat my garden?

Most wild birds in the US are protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act or state laws. Stick to barriers like netting and row covers, and ask your state wildlife agency before doing anything else.