Magpies And Bird Feeders: 8 Easy Solutions
Achieving success in keeping magpies out of particular garden areas may be difficult because they are often too cunning for their own good. However, by knowing their nature, you will be able to learn some of your own techniques, and you will soon be able to keep magpies distant from your birdfeeders as well.
Keeping your birdfeeders secure from magpies may be accomplished in a number of ways:
Utilize bird feeders that are squirrel resistant.
Your birdbath should be taken out of the picture.
holographic pinwheels may be used as a decorative element
Reflective CDs should be hung on the walls.
- Scarecrow construction
- Observe with a wide gaze
- Spiral reflectors are a good option to consider.
- Reflective tape should be placed on the roof.
- Plastic water bottles may be hung from the ceiling.
- A predator decoy should be purchased and placed in strategic locations.
- Pet food should be kept indoors.
- Maintain a neat and orderly yard.
Educating yourself on how to think like one of these shrewd little fighters of survival is the most effective method for keeping magpies away from bird feeders. You can keep magpies away from your bird feeders if you prepare ahead of time. They aren’t the most attractive of birds, and they have a reputation for being bullies, but their sheer drive is something to be admired.
Methods for Keeping Magpies Away from Birdfeeders
Having a birdfeeder in a visible location enhances the visual appeal of any garden by adding color and intrigue. Those adorable young birds are flying about, busying themselves with the feast that you have made for them.
Although it is possible that the tiny birds at your bird feeder are being harassed by a few bully magpies that are making their life tough, there are a few practical steps you can do to reduce noise in the area around your house.
Magpies are highly clever birds that are linked to crows and jays in their behavior and intelligence levels. The booming chatter and boisterous behaviors of these birds are appealing in their own way, yet they often outnumber other species. In order to appreciate the little birds that your feeder was designed to attract, it may be necessary to persuade them to go.
In order to keep magpies away from your bird feeder without scaring away the smaller birds, you must capitalize on their size and the fact that they are more intelligent than many smaller birds.
Magpies are drawn to shiny stuff, as you’ve surely heard before. The scientific evidence, on the other hand, indicates the inverse conclusion. Shimmering objects seem to be a source of great anxiety for magpies.
You should keep in mind that magpies are very bright birds that will quickly recognize if a threatening item hasn’t moved for a few days, regardless of the strategy you choose to keep them away from your bird feeder. Creating movement and moving deterrents around on a regular basis are essential to success in this endeavor.
Despite the fact that magpies may be irritating you, it is vital to remember that they are simply doing what comes naturally to them: looking for food and a safe place to live.
Because magpies are a protected species of migratory bird, they are unable to be killed by deadly techniques such as poisoning or shooting. Outsmarting their bird brains, on the other hand, will make them less likely to use your bird feeder.
1.Utilize Bird Feeders That Are Squirrel-Proof
Magpies are much bigger than the majority of the birds that you would want to attract to your bird feeder. a. They frighten other birds by using their size and their loud calls.
However, when it comes to reaching into tight spaces, their stature might be a disadvantage for them. Special bird feeders have been created to keep squirrels from emptying the food supply in your bird feeder.
Additionally, squirrel-proof feeders may be used to keep larger birds, such as magpies, out of the garden. While they may still be hovering about, hoping for a free snack, they will soon get annoyed with their inability to reach inside the container to obtain the food.
Squirrel-proof feeders are especially designed to stop squirrels and chipmunks from entering, but bigger bird species such as magpies are unable to get through the protective wire cage on the outside of the feeder.
There should be some care when it comes to the base of particularly thin squirrel-proof feeders: The feet of birds may get trapped in narrow gaps, particularly at the bottom, where the gap may be smaller. This has been seen by a few birders. The base of the feeder may be secured with a piece of broad tape if it is a source of worry.
2.Take the Birdbath out of the picture
Despite the fact that a birdbath and a bird feeder seem to be two completely different things, magpies are huge fans of birdbaths! If you have a birdbath in your yard, these loud birds are more likely to congregate there and attempt to take control.
However, although it may seem like an extreme measure to remove your friendly little birds’ favorite bathing location, you may only need to do it for a few of weeks at most. You may re-display it after the magpies in your area have migrated.
3.Make use of holographic pinwheels in your designs
Pinwheels were a favorite toy among all of us as children. It looked as if those cute tiny spiky windmills could spin indefinitely with just a mild breeze.
Magpies are constantly on the lookout for anything strange, maybe as a consequence of their evolution into the tiny villains of the avian world.
Their keen eyes are always on the lookout for anything unusual. It is possible to employ the wind’s force to generate flickering motion that will dissuade magpies.
Make use of a variety of different-sized kids’ pinwheels that can be found at any toy shop and hang them in areas where your local magpies prefer to perch. For this purpose, the holographic ones are the most effective since they provide a reflecting flickering reflection.
Always remember that the pinwheels will be exposed to the elements, so if you want to use them for a long length of time, you may want to invest in a more durable, weather-resistant kind.
4. Display CDs that are reflective of the environment
Use outdated CDs to confuse magpies and keep them away from certain regions. This is a simple and effective method of keeping magpies away from specific areas. Old CDs may be attached at various heights and in locations where they would reflect sunlight with the help of fishing line and hooks.
Using CDs for other purposes is a terrific method to reuse them, and it will cost you nothing to do so. There’s also the option of attaching more than one glossy disc lengthwise and separating them with nylon strips. The CDs’ swirling, shimmering reflection will keep magpies on their toes for a while.
5. Create a scarecrow out of newspaper.
Since the beginning of recorded history, crows and their relatives, the magpies, have been a source of irritation. We may learn from our forefathers who coped with this problem by strategically planting scarecrows in the center of the fields they were attempting to protect.
In humans, magpies do not have faith.
Certainly, when they are nesting or putting on a show to defend their young in the vicinity, they may seem brave and even swoop from time to time. Magpies, on the other hand, will often avoid coming too near to any creature that is much bigger than they.
Consider placing the scarecrow near your bird feeder and making it a fun activity for the whole family to participate in.. Using old clothing or dressing your scarecrow according to the seasons are also options.
Change the clothing and caps of your scarecrow on a frequent basis to keep the intelligent little magpies on their toes and wary of the terrifying ‘person’ who is standing in the vicinity of your bird feeder.
The use of frightening eyes is number six.
You may have heard that magpies are terrified of their own eyes, however there does not seem to be any convincing proof that magpies are afraid of their own eyes on their own accord. Combining reflected light with large eyeballs, on the other hand, is a winning combination that is hard to beat!
Inflatable balloons that are pest-proof are available for purchase and may be placed near your bird feeder. Other birds will get used to the large reflected eye placed against a bright yellow backdrop, but the cunning magpies will stay wary and avoid the area.
Guard’n Eyes bird-scaring balloons are a safe and compassionate technique to keep magpies away from all of the locations you wish to keep them away from. Your birdfeeder may once again be used as a calm sanctuary of serenity thanks to the distinctive ‘horror eyes’ function that scares away magpies.
Using bird scare balloons to keep magpies away from your bird feeder is not only effective, but it can also be used to deter magpies from feeding on the fruit from your fruit trees.
Make use of Spiral Reflectors (number seven).
Even the most determined magpie will be frightened away by a dazzling wall of twisting holographic spirals. Scare rods and bird blinders may be found at almost any garden center.
Bird feeders may be illuminated by spiral reflectors that are strung from the edge of the roof or from the limb of a tree nearby. Other smaller birds will not be bothered by the flashing lights, however magpies will avoid the area.
You may pick colors that complement your holiday décor by purchasing hanging spirals and bird blinders in a variety of styles and glossy metallic colours.
8. Reflective tape should be used.
It is possible to dissuade magpies from your bird feeders by using reflective tape or fright tape. The adaptable reflective tape may be applied in strips near to the birdfeeder or hung to hang and twist in the wind, depending on the application.
Magpie deterrent tape is a simple and efficient method of keeping magpies away from a particular location or building. Following their landing patterns, you may pinpoint exact locations to install bird tape, which can drive away bothersome magpies while leaving smaller birds at your bird feeder unaffected.
In the past, bird tape has been used to keep nuisance birds off porches and to protect crops from fruit-eating birds.
9.Plastic water bottles should be used.
You might try hanging some half-filled plastic water bottles from your birdfeeder if you need a fast remedy to dissuade a magpie that has just begun using your feeder.
Water bottles hung from the ceiling may not be the most visually appealing long term solution. A magpie-repelling alternative, however, may urge a newbie to the region to continue on their journey.. The movement caused by half-filled water bottles as they swing in the air is upsetting to magpies, who are attracted to the reflection of the sun.
10.Use an Owl Decoy to your advantage.
To deter magpies from visiting your bird feeder, one of the most effective strategies is to confuse them into believing that there is a predator in the area. After all, they don’t want to find themselves on the wrong end of a hasty supper!
Magpies will not feel at ease in an atmosphere where realistic-looking horned owl decoys with a revolving head have been set up in. In a location where magpies are causing problems, try putting a decoy scare-owl in a tree near your bird feeder.
Some scare owl decoys are solar-powered, which means they don’t need batteries to carry on scaring the magpies. This is yet another ingenious approach to outwit the tiny bullies at your birdfeeder.
Keeping pet food in the house is number eleven.
In addition to being clever, magpies have also evolved to eating a broad range of foods, making them a thriving species. Magpies, on the other hand, are less specialized than certain birds, who may only consume fruit, seeds, or bugs.
If you discover that bully magpies are congregating around your bird feeder, it is advised that you remove anything tasty from the area. Otherwise, they will continue to congregate despite your best attempts to magpie-proof your bird feeder.
Prevent magpies from getting to your pet’s food by keeping it indoors or out of sight. Those nasty little birds can quickly take pellets from open bowls and may even swoop down to try to bully your dog out of its meal if you leave the dish open.
12. Maintain the cleanliness and orderliness of your property.
Unlike other birds, magpies are inquisitive and will investigate any place where they believe they may be in position to get a simple meal. Making your bird feeder an unattractive spot for magpies will be made easier if you keep the area surrounding it clean of junk.
Keep the yard clean and tidy, but also make sure that the trees are properly pruned and maintained. Magpies like to nest in dense vegetation, and once they have established a breeding colony in a particular place, it will be more difficult to keep them away from a nearby bird feeder or food source.
Magpies are constantly on the lookout for insects and worms, so make sure your home rain gutters are free of trash. The gutters that are clogged with leaves are easily examined. A bird feeder in close proximity will rapidly draw their attention and cause them to take over the territory.
Magpies are incredibly intelligent birds that take advantage of readily available food sources such as bird feeders in a short period of time.. It might be difficult to keep them away.
Squirrel-proof feeders will stop magpies from attacking the seed since they will not be able to get at it. Other strategies for thwarting the cunning birds include creating a scarecrow, utilizing reflecting items, predator decoys, and making the surroundings as hostile to magpies as possible.
