Bird Netting - Commercial & Residential Services
Nylon bird proofing netting is an extremely versatile bird proofing option and is often used to protect vertical, sloping and horizontal areas from on-going bird problems simply by stopping the birds from getting where you don’t want them. Commonly bird netting is used to protect the fascias of buildings, although is also highly effective in partly-covered situations where birds are a problem, such as under stadium or warehouse canopies, on in loading bays and high ceiling storage units open to the elements.
The idea with anti bird netting for buildings is simply to stop the birds getting to where they have been roosting or nesting, and one of the beauties is that large areas can be covered effectively. Fitting needs to be done by a qualified professional who is experienced in this specialist area. It frequently involves working at height in difficult-to-access areas where a cherry picker may be needed. Bird netting installation is also often by far the best bird deterrent for agriculture and aquaculture, and is DEFRA approved. We offer the installation of pigeon netting UK wide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why choose bird netting over other options?
There are a few reasons why bird netting may be the most appropriate solution to your bird control problem. If you need to stop birds from entering a large cavity area, such as the upper roof spaces of large buildings where birds often roost and nest in the supporting beams, netting is going to be the best and most cost effective solution.
It’s useful where you need to stop birds entering altogether, not just stop them landing. Another key use in town and city situations is where you need to protect the fascia of an area yet still maintain the aesthetic look. It’s not as discreet as post and wire proofing for instance, but it does blend in remarkably well once fitted, and will stop bird from getting to the area completely.
We also commonly fit netting solutions on the roofs of buildings, particularly when they are causing problems around air conditioning units and the like. In this situation we sometimes suspend the nets over the area on poles that act as a suspension system.
This can be highly effective when there is no other viable solution, and is a particularly useful bird proofing solution for the tops of hotels, shops and blocks of flats. In agricultural and aquaculture situations where there is a need to stop birds getting onto crops or at stocks altogether, netting is just about the only viable long term solution, although most of our customers working in these arenas combine netting with audible scaring devices.
Another of the advantages of bird netting is that it can be used to proof against any type of bird, large or small. It’s an effective and eco-friendly bird proofing solution not just for seagulls and pigeons, but also for birds like starlings, blackbirds and sparrows, all which carry disease and can be a real pest, but which are protected while nesting. The type of birds you have problems with will govern what size of mesh we use.
Why don’t you just use the smallest mesh all the time to stop all birds entering?
If only it were that simple. Bird proofing mesh does indeed come in many sizes. For pigeons a net with a mesh gauge of about 50mm is perfect. For seagulls you need a bigger mesh, of about 100mm. Starlings and blackbirds and other birds of that size require a mesh of around 28mm and if sparrows and tits are the issue, we are looking at a mesh of 28mm.
The idea is that the gauge is small enough to prevent any of the species entering through it, while still letting enough light through, but also when it’s fitted horizontally, you need to use the right mesh so that your target species can’t walk along the fitted netting or simply perch on it. The problems come where you have issues with multiple species.
For example, if we fit a 28mm mesh to preclude starlings and feral pigeons, the pigeons might still be able to roost on the finer mesh. That’s just one of the reasons we need to consult with you in full about the issue.
Are different types and colours of bird netting available?
Standard bird netting used in pest control is made from UV stabilised polythene which has been pre-stretched and then heat-set so that in maintains its form under tension on fitting. Standard colours are black, stone and see through, but there are other colour options available to suit specific applications so that they blend in, including white and green.
Note though that you don’t have to match the building or brickwork colour. It is remarkable how the netting blends in under tension, even from a few metres away – one of the reasons it’s so popular for proofing large areas and building fascias.
