How To Keep Birds Away From Your Pool

Written by Above Ground Pool Builder in Pool Equipment and Accessories

birds in pools

Pools attract birds. Our feathered friends love your pool for the same reason you do: it’s a cool, refreshing environment. A bird, however, leaves behind its feathers and feces, making a pool toxic. Luckily, there are many easy deterrents you can use to keep birds away from the water safely.

Here are ten tips to keep birds away from your pool:

  1. Hang reflective objects.
  2. Set up deterrents outside of the pool.
  3. Offer a wet, cool alternative.
  4. Scare them away with pool toys and accessories.
  5. Make a fishing line grid about your pool.
  6. Clear out potential food temptations.
  7. Keep branches and shrubs trimmed.
  8. Make their perches uncomfortable.
  9. Cover your pool.
  10. Hang wind chimes.

We’ll discuss each option and suggest the best way to deploy each one.

1. Hang Reflective Objects

Reflective objects catch the sunlight and hurt birds’ eyes without permanently blinding them. Hanging strips of aluminum foil or shiny streamers flashes the sun into birds’ eyes, repelling them from the area. Aluminum pie plates have the same effect. Anything that catches light reflects the sun and deters birds.

Amazon.com sells reflective bird deterrents you can hang in your yard. These Hausse Bird Repellent Spiral Reflectors are an appealing and affordable option. They’re made of non-toxic plastic material which will not harm the birds. However, the reflecting visual lights will scare them away. Amazon also sells “Scare tape” which you can use in creative ways.

Reflective hangers

2. Set Up Deterrents Outside of the Pool

Birds react to visual stimuli. Basic lawn decorations frighten them away. You can set up a scarecrow near the pool to scare away feathered invaders. A scarecrow doesn’t have to be an autumn decoration. These repellents are anything that fulfills the name; they literally scare the bird.  

If you don’t want to use the classic straw option, fake predators terrify birds. Consider the following scarecrow options:

  • Falcon
  • Hawk
  • Snake
  • Owl

These decoys scare small birds more than large ones. Hawks are particularly effective because they hunt during the day. Owls are nocturnal, so they are less recognizable to daytime birds. This Bird B Gone Hawk Decoy is durable, practical, and reasonably priced on Amazon.com. 

If your scarecrow remains in the exact location too long, birds will adjust and stop being frightened. Change the site periodically to prevent birds from getting too comfortable. 

3. Offer a Wet, Cool Alternative

Start a Flower garden

Offer birds an alternative to your pool if you don’t mind having feathered visitors in your backyard. Birds are pretty good neighbors and can help keep your yard pleasant. Beyond singing you songs, birds do the following in their natural environments:

  • Birds regulate bugs. Their diets are built around insects, such as mosquitoes, aphids, and spiders, which can ruin your pool experience.
  • Birds make beautiful gardens by pollinating your flowers. 
  • Some birds prefer to eat weeds. These birds help maintain lawns. 

Reap the many benefits of sharing space with birds by installing a birdbath. Birdbaths come in a variety of styles and designs. You can pick one that matches your aesthetic while providing a place for birds to cool off and groom their feathers. 

4. Scare Them Away With Pool Toys and Accessories

Birds think that inflatable pool toys are predators. Our winged friends can’t discern the difference between a floaty or pool noodle and something that wants to devour them. Additionally, water obscures pool accessories, making it impossible for birds to tell if they are threats or not. 

5. Make a Fishing Line Grid Above Your Pool

Stringing fishing lines from tree branches makes mesh birds can’t fly through. Tie fishing line to eaves and trees far above your pool. Birds won’t be able to see the net the line creates, but their wings will snag against it. The web of lines impedes flight and irritates birds, keeping them away from your pool.

6. Clear Out Potential Food Temptations

Like all animals, birds will frequently go where they know they can easily find food. A bird feeder near your pool will draw feathered companions. Move your feeder away from the pool. Also, clear any plants that may grow berries, fruits, or nuts from your yard. Plus, you shouldn’t leave human food lying around, either.

7. Keep Branches and Shrubs Trimmed

Birds have the exact basic needs humans do. Removing food sources is an excellent start to clearing out birds, but you also want to eliminate potential roosting locations. Trim your branches and shrubs, eliminating possible nesting places. If the birds have nowhere near to perch and nest, they won’t drop by as often.

8. Make Their Perches Uncomfortable

Your backyard birds pick favorite spots to perch. If those areas are near your pool, birds will drop their feathers and waste into the water. Put baking soda or double-stick tape on the surface. These materials will make the perch uncomfortable, discouraging the birds’ continued presence. 

9. Cover Your Pool

Solar Cover

A cover is the simplest way to protect your pool. A lid will keep bird detritus from falling into it, preventing birds from floating or swimming in the water. Above ground pools come in a variety of sizes and shapes. This labworkauto Solar Pool Cover is available on Amazon.com in many sizes and formations and warms your pool’s water.

10. Hang Wind Chimes

Wind chimes irritate birds in two different ways. First, wind chimes are reflective. The sun hits pieces of glass or metal and temporarily blinds birds. Additionally, wind chimes make a sound that repels birds. Use chimes made of heavier metals, steel, and alloys to make the maximum annoying sound. 

Why Should I Worry About Birds Near My Pool?

Birds are cute and mostly harmless. People put bird baths in their backyards. Why worry about birds taking a splash in the pool? 

You should worry about birds near your pool for three primary reasons. First of all, they make a mess, and you don’t want to have to clean it up every time you want to swim. Additionally, swimmers could contract infections from bird droppings in the pool. And finally, pools are dangerous for birds.

Let’s look at each of these reasons in a bit more detail:

  • Birds make a mess. They leave feathers and feces wherever they go. After a bird’s visit, cleaning your pool takes patience and eats up time you’d rather spend swimming. 
  • There’s a potential for transmittable diseases. Bird droppings are rife with bacteria. The Center for Disease Control cites e. Coli, cryptosporidium, salmonella, and campylobacter as germs transmitted by avian feces. These germs are dangerous to humans.
  • Pools are dangerous for the birds. Young birds are still refining their motor and flying skills. These baby birds may fall into a pool and be unable to fly out, drowning in the process. 

Key Takeaways

You can quickly and mercifully keep birds out of your pool with a few tricks and a little know-how. Small, aesthetically pleasing items can complement your backyard while keeping your pool bird-free. 

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