Protecting Blueberries from Birds

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Protecting Blueberries from Birds

Birds are delightful creatures. They sing, tend to their little ones, and flutter around…. until they get into your berry bushes. Then it’s war!

We have five thriving blueberry bushes in our backyard, and one that’s doing its best but keeps getting involved in mishaps. (Once someone tripped over it, another time it was flattened by a runaway sap tank, and on yet another occasion it was cut down by the lawnmower. Accidentally.) We also have a number of raspberry and wild blackberry bushes scattered around.

Unfortunately, little birdies like to come and snatch the ripe berries whenever we turn our backs. Already this year our blueberry crops have been devastated by a turkey family and a gang of European Starlings. We put blueberry nets around them every year, but the bushes have outgrown our very old and badly frayed nets.

So how can we stop them? Thankfully, there are a few methods for protecting blueberries from birds. These tips all work well for other berries, like blackberries and raspberries, as well!

Shiny Objects

Birds, flighty things that they are, are easily put off by strange items. If you want to keep your blueberry patch looking neat, you can buy cheap shiny pinwheels and other flashy decorative items to place in and around the bushes.

If you don’t mind a little work and don’t care how it looks, you can also create your own! Cut pieces of tin foil or shiny trash, and hang them around the berries. You can hang scratched up old CDs around or tie reflective tape nearby if you have it. If you have leftover tins from graham cracker crusts, they can be especially effective when strung near something they will bang against, like a metal post or stake. 

Whatever you decide to use, only display them during the months when the berries are ripe, or the birds will get used to them and start eating your berries again. It may also help to move the sparkly stuff around each week or so to prevent the birds from learning where they’re located and deciding they’re harmless. 

Turning your backyard into a disco may also be effective, but we haven’t gone that far yet.

Scary Creatures

Like most of us, birds don’t want to hang out near things that might eat them. Adding some fake predators near your bushes during the picking season can go a long way to keep birds out, especially if they’re moved frequently. 

Naturally colored snakes and owls are always good options, as long as you don’t accidentally scare yourself or a family member with them.

You can also try making a scarecrow, the original anti-bird device! Results are often mixed when it comes scarecrows, but at the very least you can have fun making it. 

And of course, a real predator or two doesn’t hurt. The birds often know when predators are nearby and stay away. If you’ve got a pond or stream with fish on your property, eagles may be lurking nearby already.

Make Some Noise

Similar to the last two, birds can be frightened off by loud noises. A string of strange sounds at odd intervals can keep them on their toes and out of your berries. 

They tend to dislike anything loud and unexpected. The cheapest method is to watch out your window and go yell at them when they try to land, but that’s not exactly ideal.

You can also hang loud wind chimes or other items that bang around in the wind. 

If you want to go above and beyond, you can get bird repelling animatronics. I’d be scared, too. 

Spray the Plants

Spraying your blueberry plants with a liquid bird repellent is another option for your crop.

Birds don’t like grape kool-aid. Mixing four packets with a gallon of water and spraying it on the ripening berries can keep birds at bay. 

The kool-aid contains a substance that tastes bad to birds, but doesn’t hurt them. Of course, they sometimes have to eat a few berries to realize they don’t like the taste.

Unfortunately, this method requires frequent resprays after heavy dews and rain, and it’s not very cost (or time) effective if you have large bushes. Which leads us to…

Netting

This is a more expensive option, but it tends to be one of the most effective at protecting blueberries from birds. There are many different ways to arrange bird netting for your berries depending on their variety and shape (netting a leafy 6 foot bush is very different from a sparser 1 or 2 foot one). Research your options based on berry type and bush size for the best results. 

No matter how you choose to net them, make sure there’s a 3/4″ weave or less on the netting so the birds can’t get through. Use poles or sticks as stakes to prop the netting up 8 inches or more away from the berries on every side, and make sure the netting reaches all the way to the ground.

Without some space between the berries and the netting, the birds can peck through the netting and ruin the berries. You’ll have to unravel the netting when it’s time to pick, too, which is also much easier if it hasn’t gotten tangled up in the leaves and branches of the blueberry bush.

Here’s a good all-purpose netting, similar to what we use on our bushes.

Another simple solution that may last longer is using a netting tent, which also prevents pests like Japanese beetles with a fine enough mesh. It works similarly to the wire enclosure method listed below.

With any kind of flexible netting, you’ll need to keep an eye out for trapped visitors. We’ve had butterflies get caught in the folds of the blueberry netting on several occasions. Snakes and even the birds themselves can get tangled up as well. 

Wire Enclosure

The best protection of all is a wire enclosure or crop cage with a fine mesh size. This provides a hard physical barrier that sun and rain can get through, but not birds. Plus, this prevents not only birds, but deer and other pests from getting into your berry patch.

While it’s the most effective way to prevent bird damage without risking harm to the birds themselves, it’s by far the most expensive. You’ll have to choose and build it knowing exactly how large the berries will eventually get. For highbush blueberries, that can be up to 12 feet tall. Plan ahead and know what you’ll need when building it.

FAQs About Protecting Blueberries from Birds

How can I keep birds from eating my blueberries?

You can keep birds from eating blueberries by putting out scare devices and other objects that frighten them away and by enclosing the bushes in netting or wire. 

Do I need to cover my blueberry bushes from birds?

You may not need to, but it’s one of the easiest ways to keep birds at bay, and you’re almost guaranteed to improve your yield for the year if you do.

How do commercial blueberry growers keep birds away?

Blueberry farmers normally use a large-scale version of the past examples – using scary devices like laser systems, a repellent spray, netting, and more.

What birds will eat my blueberries?

Many different species of birds eat blueberries – blue jays, cedar waxwings, orioles, bluebirds, and woodpeckers are just a few birds you may find in your blueberry bushes.

What is the best netting for blueberries?

The best netting for blueberries is 3/4″ mesh or smaller to keep out as many birds and pests as possible.

How do I keep birds and squirrels from eating my blueberries?

Anything that frightens them or creates a physical barrier between hungry birds and squirrels and your berries will help prevent them from eating your blueberries. A fine mesh wire crop cage is the most effective squirrel and bird control method.

What can I use to cover blueberry bushes?

Wire and nylon-like meshes are both great for covering blueberry bushes to prevent birds. Don’t use anything like plastic or a sheet that blocks sun, or the fruits may not ripen properly. 

How do you install bird netting over blueberries?

The best method is to set up four or more stakes (that are all taller than the bush) at least 8 inches away from the branches on every side. Then wrap the netting around the stakes, making sure it reaches all the way to the ground. Wrap it twice if you want for extra protection.

When you finish, check to make sure the stakes are keeping the netting from sitting directly on any part of the blueberry bushes. Keeping the netting off the blueberry bush itself cuts down on the number of birds that can peck through the netting and still reach the berries.

What is the best fence for blueberries?

The best fence for blueberries is a wire mesh fence that goes all the way around and covers the top of the blueberry bushes.

Do coffee grounds repel birds?

Not really – and the grounds could actually hurt them if they do eat any, which isn’t good. If you want to use coffee grounds to enrich the soil around your blueberries, that’s fine, but don’t use it as part of your bird deterrence plans.

Does reflective tape deter birds?

Reflective tape can help deter birds when used near blueberry bushes. Move it frequently to keep the birds from becoming too used to it.

Enjoy Your Blueberries!

One final tip: pick blueberries early and often. If you regularly pick them every day or every other day, there will be less opportunity for the birds to get them. In addition, try one, two, or all of these ideas for protecting blueberries from birds, and your feathered “frenemies” will begin looking for food elsewhere.

For more berry tips, check out a full list of blueberry planting companions.