An open carport has many advantages over a closed garage. Open carports are easy to get in and out of, their construction and maintenance costs are lower, and they can be built in just a few days. With all of these positives, it’s easy to see why so many people have open carports on their properties. However, one minor disadvantage is that it is easier for birds to make their way into this kind of structure. Luckily, we have a few simple solutions and tips on how to keep birds out of your carport!
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Main Attractors
There are two primary motivations that are likely to bring birds into your carport—food and a place to build a nest. If either of these attractions are in place, it’s likely that a few birds will hang around. If you want to prevent them from coming in, you need to both identify and adjust these two elements.
Food Sources
Removing the availability of food is simple—it essentially comes down to keeping your carport clean. But, you should keep in mind that what looks like food to a bird doesn’t look like food to you.
It might not be obvious that a feeding opportunity is present. Birds like to pick through leaves and debris to find little bites, so sweeping out your carport regularly is a good step. This is particularly important in the fall season when leaves are falling from trees. A clean carport won’t offer much of anything in the way of food, so that issue will be instantly eliminated.
Protect Your Rafters
Any bird hoping to build a nest in your carport will likely move into the rafters. The points where structural pieces come together often provide a nice landing spot for a nest. To keep birds from setting up shop under your roof, consider the following two options:
- Bird netting. To create a physical barrier between the rafters and the birds, you will want to use netting. It should be easy to find this netting at a hardware or home goods store. The netting is also pretty easy to install. You will need to get up to the height of the rafters to put it in place, so hire a contractor to do the job if you are not comfortable with heights.
- Methyl Anthranilate. As an alternative, you can also use a substance called methyl anthranilate to keep the birds away. This is not a chemical, but rather a derivative of grapes that just happens to repel birds. Unlike harsh chemical pest control agents, this option smells good and is kind to the environment. Just like bird netting, it should be easy to find methyl anthranilate, as it is stocked at many garden stores.
Additional Preventative Measures
Once you’ve adjusted or eliminated the main bird attractors, there are a few other ways that you can repel birds from your carport:
Get a Fake Predator
If you don’t yet have a problem with birds in your carport, and you would like to keep it that way, consider purchasing a fake predator to scare them off. An artificial owl is a great choice for this job. Place the owl somewhere on or near the carport, and move it every few days. The sight of the owl should be enough to scare off the birds.
Show Them a Reflection
Another option for keeping birds away is to use something that will show them their reflection. That could be a mirror, or even just some strips of foil tape. When the bird sees itself in the reflection, it may think that the carport is already occupied, so it will move on.
In addition, the reflective surface will bounce light around the area, which is also a repellent for birds. Using reflective materials in a couple of strategic places around the carport could solve the problem for good.
Purchase a New Carport
American Carports, Inc. is proud to offer high-quality steel carports that come in many shapes and sizes. Now that you know how to keep birds out of your carport, use our Build & Price tool to create a new carport you’ll love. Whether you need an open carport or a more traditional enclosed metal structure, we have you covered. Shop with us today!
