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How to Keep Doves off the Deck

Birds often hang around on decks and other areas that humans frequent, looking for food scraps and other possible food. They can create a mess with their droppings, however, and may even attract predators. There are a number of proactive things you can do to discourage birds like doves from congregating on your deck and to encourage them to go elsewhere on your property.

Things You'll Need

Fake owl
Bird feeder
Electronic squawker
Bird spikes

Instructions

- 1
  Install bird spikes along awnings, gutters and similar places where doves might perch in and around the deck. Bird spikes are strips of small, pointy spikes that will discourage birds from landing.
- 2
  Install a fake owl somewhere near the deck in a highly visible spot. Owls are predators of many other birds, and even a fake one will be enough to scare away many birds.
- 3
  Install an electronic squawker, which is an electronic device that periodically emits distress calls or predator calls. A squawker installed in the vicinity of your deck will help scare away doves congregating in the area.
- 4
  Install a bird feeder somewhere else on your property. The bird feeder will attract the doves, and the doves will congregate there instead of on your deck.
- 5
  Clean the deck of any food scraps and other debris that might be on it. Food scraps will attract birds, and debris allowed to gather may make an ideal home for insects and other small animals that doves may prey upon.

Animals & Science