Any vehicle owner knows that birds can be a real nuisance. They roost on cars, dirt them up, and even worse, leave behind unsightly and potentially damaging droppings. There’s always a time of the year when these birds congregate in parking lots and cars, making it a real challenge to keep your vehicle clean. This leaves us thinking, is there any way to keep birds off our cars?
Birds are attracted to vehicles for a variety of reasons. The first is that they mistake the reflective surface for water. This is especially common with gulls, who often land on boats or cars searching for a drink. Additionally, these birds might be looking for shelter or a safe space to stay, away from lurking predators and the elements.
The best way to keep birds off your car is to make your parking space and vehicles less attractive to these flying creatures. This article will discuss the potential damages birds can bring to your car and various methods you can try to keep them away from your car.
What Kind of Damage Can Birds Leave to Your Car?
I’m sure we’ve all looked out the window to see a bird perched atop our car. Unfortunately, while they may look harmless, those little creatures can actually cause a surprising amount of damage. For starters, their droppings are highly acidic and can eat away at the paint on your car.
Moreover, if they build a nest on your car, it can block airflow to the engine and cause it to overheat. And if you live in an area with a lot of birds, their droppings can also attract insects like ants and termites.
Effective Methods to Keep Birds Off Your Car
Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to keep birds off your car and protect your vehicle from these feathered creatures.
CD-Roms
Despite what you might think, birds are actually afraid of shiny objects. Although curious, most of them are pretty cautious about their surroundings. Anything that reflects or shines brightly will usually startle them.
This is where those old CD-Roms come in handy. Hang them in your car port, garage, or parking space. These will reflect light and movement, keeping the birds at bay.
Use a Car Cover
While this method doesn’t necessarily deter birds, it surely keeps your car clean and droppings-free. If you know, you won’t be driving your car for a while; just cover it up. This will also protect it from the sun, rain, snow, and other elements.
Fake Birds of Prey
This method is a little more extreme, but if you’re desperate to keep birds off your car, it just might work.
There are fake birds of prey that you can buy, or you can make your own. These should be life-size and placed strategically around your carport or garage. The idea is that the birds will think there’s a predator in the area and stay away. Wooden or plastic bird predators usually do the trick.
DIY Repellent
Essential oils are known to be effective at repelling birds. You can make your own bird repellent spray using a combination of oils like lemon, eucalyptus, peppermint, and cloves.
Simply mix these oils with water in a spray bottle and spritz around your parking space. Alternatively, you can also soak a cotton ball in the mixture and place it under your car’s wiper blades.
The best thing about these is they won’t harm birds, but the scent will be strong enough to keep them away.
Install a Sound Emitter
Birds are also afraid of loud noises. You can find sound emitters that produce high-frequency sounds that send birds flying. These are usually used in agricultural areas to keep birds away from crops, but they can also be effective in deterring birds from residential areas.
If you’re worried about the noise, the sound these machines emit is actually inaudible to humans.
Keep Your Car Clean
This one might seem obvious, but it’s worth mentioning. Aside from the warmth and idea of using your car for shelter, birds are also attracted to food. If you have food or crumbs on your car, they will be more likely to land and stay.
You may also want to close windows and doors properly so birds don’t mistake your car for a potential nesting spot.
How to Keep Birds Off Car: Final Thoughts
Birds can cause a lot of damage to your car, from paint erosion to blocked airflow and overheating. Thankfully, there are several methods you can use to keep them away from your vehicle.
From CD-Roms and car covers to fake birds of prey and essential oil repellents, we’ve covered a variety of ways that you can protect your car from these feathered friends. Many of these techniques can also be used to keep chipmunks out of your garden.