Why are the birds eating my lawn?

If you’ve noticed birds pecking away at your lawn, you’re not alone. Many homeowners find birds digging up and feeding on their grass, which can be frustrating and leave the yard looking ragged. But don’t despair – there are some simple steps you can take to humanely deter birds from treating your lawn like an all-you-can-eat buffet.

What types of birds eat lawn grass?

The birds most likely to dig up lawn grass include:

• Geese
• Ducks
• Crows
• Starlings
• Grackles
• Robins
• Sparrows
• Blackbirds

Geese and ducks do the most damage because of their large size and appetite for grass. But don’t underestimate the impact a flock of smaller birds can have. They may look harmless enough, but when dozens of birds descend on your yard day after day, your lawn will take a beating.

Why are birds attracted to my lawn?

Birds are attracted to lawns for several reasons:

• Food source – Grass provides birds with green foliage and seeds to eat. Areas of bare soil or very short grass allow easy access.
• Protein – Birds dig in the grass searching for protein-rich grubs, worms, and insects. Their sharp vision lets them spot signs of prey.
• Security – Low-growing lawns allow birds to detect approaching predators. Trees, fences and other cover provide quick escape routes.
• Flock mentality – Birds are social and often congregate in flocks. If they spot others feeding, they want to join in.

Lawns make an attractive dining spot for wild birds based on the abundant food, safety, and presence of fellow flock members. Once they discover your yard, regular buffet visits are likely.

How can I stop birds from digging up my grass?

You can make your lawn less appealing by taking these steps to deter birds:

Remove food sources

• Eliminate standing water and saturated areas where worms and grubs thrive.
• Reduce food sources like seed heads, berries, and lawn insects through proper mowing, raking, and pest management.
• Place bird feeders and water sources away from the lawn to discourage grazing.

Alter the lawn environment

• Allow grass to grow slightly taller, at least 3-4 inches.
• Thicken thin or bare spots by reseeding and improving soil nutrition.
• Plant buffers of taller native grasses, shrubs, or flowers to obstruct birds’ view.
• Install plastic or wire mesh barriers in heavily damaged areas.

Use repellents

• Apply bird repellent gels or granules made with methyl anthranilate, the non-toxic extract of grapes.
• Sprinkle or spray garlic, cayenne pepper, or chili oil-based products.
• Use predator decoys like owls, hawks, or rubber snakes to scare birds away.

Scare tactics

• Turn on sprinklers, bang pots, or make loud noises to startle birds.
• Use deterrent devices like ultrasonic, audible, or visual bird scarers.
• Let dogs patrol the yard on a leash or under supervision (check local leash laws).

Varying your hazing methods and using more than one together works best. Consistency is key when retraining birds to dine elsewhere.

When should I call a wildlife professional?

In some cases, birds cause extensive lawn damage or don’t respond to harassment techniques. Consulting a wildlife specialist may be the next step. They can assess the situation and apply special deterrents or trapping and relocation methods not available to the public. Hiring a pro is a good option if:

• No reduction in bird activity despite using multiple deterrents over several weeks.
• Extreme lawn damage covering over 50% of the yard.
• A large persistent flock of 30 or more birds.
• A dominant territorial bird leading others.
• Nesting or roosting birds on the property.
• A species protected from harassment like Canada geese.

Wildlife experts know how to legally and humanely remove problem birds. They can offer custom strategies not available as DIY options. Their fees are generally reasonable when you consider the savings in time, effort, and lawn reseeding.

Can I use bird netting over my entire lawn?

Covering your lawn with bird netting or mesh is not really a practical solution. Here are some of the downsides of this approach:

• Netting an entire lawn would be extremely expensive. Materials alone can cost over $1000 for an average yard.
• Installing posts, anchors and netting over many square feet of area would require major effort.
• Weighted edges or staking is needed so netting doesn’t blow around in wind storms.
• Netting must be raised high enough that it doesn’t interfere with mowing. Birds can sometimes get under ill-fitted edges.
• Taking netting on and off for lawn maintenance would be a chore.
• Plastic netting deteriorates over time becoming tangled and unsightly.
• Netting is less effective against small, persistent birds like sparrows or blackbirds.

For these reasons, fencing the entire lawn is rarely a good fix. Targeted netting over small sections of lawn can deter birds. But focus instead on altering habitat and deterrent techniques for a maintenance-free solution.

Should I get a dog or cat to scare away birds?

Dogs and cats can be effective bird deterrents thanks to their predatory nature. But there are pros and cons to consider before acquiring a pet just for lawn patrol.

Pros

• Dogs naturally bark, growl, and chase birds from yards.
• Cats will stalk birds and scare them off.
• Pets provide around-the-clock security against bird grazing.
• Having a dog motivates more walks for both you and the pet.
• Cats are lower maintenance than dogs.

Cons

• Dogs require a major commitment of time, care, training and expense.
• Cats may kill young birds and other wildlife unless kept indoors.
• Pets must be supervised outside and leashed per laws.
• Not all dogs have high prey drive towards chasing birds.
• Birds may become accustomed to a house pet over time.

Getting a dog or cat can be a big decision. Don’t rush into it just for help with a bird problem. Consider if you’re ready for the responsibility and expense of a pet. If so, then deterring birds can be a nice perk.

How can I fill in bare patches caused by birds?

Birds leave behind unsightly bare or thinning patches as they tear into your lawn. Fixing these areas involves renewing the grass roots and providing a protective barrier:

1. Remove any remaining grass or debris and loosen the top 1/4 inch of soil.
2. Apply a 2-3 inch layer of quality topsoil/compost blend. Level with a rake.
3. Sprinkle starter fertilizer and grass seed per label rates. Consider a seed mix with ryegrass for fast growth.
4. Cover seeded areas with protective netting pinned to the ground or install wire mesh just below the soil surface.
5. Water gently daily to keep soil moist for rapid germination. Remove netting once grass is 2-3 inches tall.
6. Let new grass grow to desired height before first mowing. Limit foot traffic until established.

With proper soil prep, seed selection and temporary barriers, you can successfully restore thin and bare lawn patches churned up by probing bird beaks. Your renewed lawn will be less inviting to hungry birds in search of easy meals.

How much does a lawn service charge for bird deterrents?

Hiring a professional lawn service to apply bird deterrents typically costs:

Cost will depend on the size of your property, the extent of damage, and the methods used. Professional application of quality bird repellents provides longer residual effects than DIY products. For serious bird problems, the investment can be worth it to reclaim your lawn.

Should I talk to my neighbors about the bird problem?

When tackling a bird issue, it’s a good idea to discuss it with adjacent neighbors. Here are some reasons why:

• Your neighbors might be having similar bird activity in their yard.
• Birds travel between nearby lawns in a shared area.
• Some deterrents like sounds or habitat changes are more effective done uniformly.
• Neighbors can allow access to their property to reach birds infesting the area.
• You can split the cost of deterrent devices or professional services.
• A coordinated community effort strengthens the message to birds.

By communicating with neighbors, you may discover the birds plaguing your lawn are part of a larger regional flock. Getting on the same page to take area-wide measures against the birds will often increase the chance of success.

How can I identify the bird species damaging my lawn?

Figuring out what birds are destroying your lawn allows you to research species-specific deterrents. Here are tips for identifying culprit birds:

• Take photos from your window for later examination.
• Study field guides and bird ID mobile apps to match visual characteristics.
• Note key traits like size, shape, color patterns, beak shape, tail shape, wing shape, and posture.
• Pay attention to behavior like flocking, feeding, burrowing, flight pattern.
• Listen for distinguishing calls and songs.
• Check footprints and tail drag marks left behind in soil.
• Observe what foods they are consuming in the lawn.

Consulting a knowledgeable birder can help accurately identify more difficult species. Proper ID of pest birds on your property allows you to select harassment methods proven to work best on that particular species.

What kind of damage do Canada Geese cause?

Canada geese can wreak havoc on a lawn. A few geese can rapidly degrade a yard into a denuded mess. Damage includes:

• Grazing – Geese rip up and consume grass blades, bulbs, seeds.
• Muddying – Their feet trample wet soil leaving tracks and bare earth.
• Droppings – Each goose can defecate up to 1-3 pounds daily.
• Destruction – They pull and uproot grass to create nests exposing bare dirt.
• Fouling – Geese litter lawn and water with feathers and seaweed nest debris.

Just a small flock of geese repeatedly visiting a yard can strip a lush lawn bare within weeks. Their large size and assertive flock mentality enables them to quickly overpower grass. Persuading geese to peacefully move on is key to recovering the lawn.

Table of Canada Goose facts

These large, grazing waterfowl travel in flocks and thrive around parks and urban waterways. Their year-round presence and destructive feeding habits make them challenging lawn pests.

Conclusion

Birds plucking away at your lawn can be incredibly frustrating, but don’t give up hope! With a combination of habitat modifications, repellents, harassment tactics, and professional help if needed, you can reclaim your yard. Pay attention to what bird species are involved and research the best strategies. With some persistence and innovation, you can cleverly outwit your feathered foes and send them looking elsewhere for dinner!