The Pros and Cons of Bird Netting

Bird Netting is one of the most popular methods of preventing pest urban birds from entering buildings and structures. It’s a simple, low maintenance and long lasting solution that offers complete protection. However, like all pest control methods it has its pros and cons and as such is best used in consultation with an experienced pest bird specialist.

Nylon Bird Netting in jaipur (also known as pigeon netting) is a physical exclusion device often used in urban bird proofing applications to prevent damage to buildings and other structures. It is available in a range of different gauges each designed to exclude specific species of birds and can be a highly effective method for a variety of situations.

As the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) points out: ‘Nylon bird netting and pigeon netting should be inspected regularly to ensure that flightless birds are not trapped. The responsibility for ensuring that this happens lies with the property owner.’

It is not uncommon for DEFRA to receive complaints about the use of netting in situations where birds have become trapped within the netting itself or have died on structures behind the netting. It is also not uncommon for flightless birds to become trapped during the installation of the netting itself.

When properly installed, netting is extremely discreet and can be barely seen from a few metres away. It’s not only effective against pest bird species but can also be used to protect buildings, gardens and even trees from a wide range of other pests including rodents.

During the installation process it is very important to always take time to stretch out the net and find all of the corners. This will minimize tangles and make the whole process much quicker and more manageable. Also, if you are protecting fruit or vegetables that need to be harvested it is a good idea to leave an access hole in the net large enough for hand harvesting.

The netting is installed on either the stems of stand-alone fruit trees or espaliers like peaches, pears, apples and grapes or on the side ventilation windows of grow tunnels for berries. In each case it is secured with expanding eye bolts every metre for pigeons and gulls, every 0.5 metres (in the case of sparrows) or on the netting frame itself for all other species.
Once the netting is in place it should be securely fixed to the retaining wire with intermediate fixings, these are provided every metre (3 feet) for pigeons and gulls and every 0.5 metres (12 inches) for starlings, to stop the netting from bowing or leaving gaps through which pest birds can enter. It is also a good idea to provide some sort of bird spike at the top of each net to help discourage any roosting birds from taking up perching positions on the netting itself.

Nylon bird netting and pigeon nets are an incredibly effective, discreet and long lasting solution to a wide range of nuisance bird problems. It can be used in conjunction with other exclusion and scaring devices but it’s important to fully explore the options before deciding on the best course of action for your particular situation.