How to Scare Away Magpies
Magpies are birds that are recognizable by their black and white feathers. Many gardeners consider magpies a nuisance, especially when the birds eat garden fruits and vegetables, or when they become aggressive during the summer in an attempt to protect their nests and other areas used for roosting. When roosting magpies become a nuisance, one of the more effective non-lethal methods of dealing with the birds on your property is to try and scare them away. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Fruit and vegetable netting
- Mylar balloons
- CDs
- Aluminum pie tins
- Bird-scare tape
Instructions
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Cover all fruits and vegetables with protective netting to cut the magpies off from potential sources of food. Empty any bird feeders and water sources such as birdbaths as well. Eliminating food and water sources from the area will make your home and garden less appealing to the magpies.
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Hang inflated Mylar balloons, CDs and aluminum pie tins approximately three feet above the ground near your garden. As the wind blows, sunlight will reflect off the metallic surfaces and scare the magpies.
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Attach material known as "bird-scare tape" to stakes and string it approximately 18 inches above potential food sources, twisting the tape several times while stringing it and allowing it enough slack to hang loosely. The bird-scare tape alternates patches of red and metallic silver, creating reflections similar to those of Mylar balloons when it blows in the wind.
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Play recordings of rooks or crows in distress at periodic intervals. The sound can alarm the magpies and cause them to leave due to the possibility of a predator or other hazard in the area.
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Move any balloons or other items you've placed to scare away magpies every week to prevent the birds from becoming used to the position of the deterrents.
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Tips & Warnings
Do not attempt to hit or otherwise assault magpies as this can cause them to become more aggressive, resulting in possible bird attacks that could leave you with scratches and bites.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Tom Brakefield/Stockbyte/Getty Images
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Comments
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These birds are a pest and are worse this year than I have ever seen them. My yard and those surrounding it are like a scene from Hitchcock's "The Birds" and they are becoming intolerable. They not only make the most irritating squawking sounds but they are trashing my house. So many of them sit on my gutters that in spots they have bent under the strain plus they are pulling wood out of my eaves and stripping paint with their beaks. This is not to mention the mountains of poop left all over the property and their habit of swooping at anyone including myself. On top of that they attack and chase away the other birds. I cannot see why they are protected when they seem to be in almost plague proportions this year.
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Sheila Fillingham yep u do have to but wish they were toilet trained.
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The cheek of them - can't believe they will come into the house when you have dogs and cats around. I know they are really naughty but you have to admire their smartness.
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we shot them with blu-Tac but it bounced off, then they ate the blu-tac
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I hung up Cd's on fishing line all around my deck but the next day all the magpies where playing with them, they come inside the house now even through the cat flap. these birds are smart and I hate them. there is bird poop everywhere and it stains the deck.
