How to Get Rid of Mockingbirds (Simple Methods That Work)

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Mockingbirds are very common in certain parts of the world, but that doesn’t mean that they’re welcome sights. If you have mockingbirds that are spending a lot of time on your property, you might be very annoyed by how noisy they are.

These birds are considered to be among the peskiest that you can find. They make a lot of noise that can disturb the peace and they’ll even attack people who get too close to their nests.

Knowing this, you’re likely going to want to do something to take care of them once and for all. Thankfully, there are things that you can do to try to get rid of them if they get too close to you or attack you.

Keep reading to learn about the most effective methods for getting rid of mockingbirds. This should help you to stay safe from the threat that they pose.

You Can’t Remove or Disturb Nests Legally

Before moving on, it’s important to know that you’re going to have restrictions to deal with when you’re in the midst of a mockingbird problem. Mockingbirds are among the many birds that are protected under The Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

What this means is that you aren’t allowed to kill them, and you can’t capture them, sell them, trade them, or transport them. You aren’t supposed to disturb a mockingbird’s nest at all or you could wind up getting into legal trouble.

However, it isn’t illegal to defend yourself against mockingbird attacks and you can take steps to make them less of an issue. Even if you can’t directly get rid of the mockingbirds in the area, you might be able to make the area less appealing to them in some ways.

The tips below will be about things that you can do to try to fend off mockingbirds to get them to leave you alone. You’ll also learn about some things that you can do to make them less likely to stick around your property if you’re so inclined.

For some, it might be disappointing to hear that mockingbirds are a protected species, but there isn’t anything you can do about that when living in America. You’ll just have to do what you can to make things as bearable as possible while they’re in the area.

Mockingbirds Can Detect Threats

Something to keep in mind is that mockingbirds have an uncanny ability to detect threats. They are good at picking out humans and animals that will present a threat to them, and they will have an instinct to attack those threats to protect themselves.

If you approach one with some type of deterrent method in your hand, you might just agitate the bird and cause it to attack you. The same thing can happen to animals such as dogs on the property.

This means that your best bet might be to not go near them at all. If these birds are so good at picking out threats, your attempts to do something about them could just make things worse.

Getting attacked by a mockingbird is unlikely to kill you, but that doesn’t mean that you couldn’t be hurt. It isn’t recommended to go near a mockingbird’s nesting area because of how territorial they are.

They can detect you as a threat and start attacking you much faster than you might realize. Many people are intimidated by these pesky little birds for a reason, and they definitely will fight you.

Water Guns

Water guns can be incredibly useful when you’re trying to scare mockingbirds away. These birds will attack people, and the attacks are more common during mating season.

From March until August, it’s going to be dangerous to get too close to them. If you notice them, it might be better to just run away or steer clear of the area they’re congregating in.

Should mockingbirds get too close to your home or if you are attacked by one, it’s going to be handy to have a strong water gun nearby. You can buy water guns that are very easy to use that will be able to launch water at an impressive velocity.

If you’re a halfway decent marksman, it shouldn’t be all that difficult to blast one with a stream of water. It should cause the bird to retreat, and you can use this to save yourself from dive bomb attacks in a pinch.

Some people also choose to utilize water hoses, but you might not always be near a water hose. You could simply carry a water gun around with you on your property if you know that mockingbirds are an issue.

As good as it is to have a method to fight back against these aggressive birds, it’s still important to note that you shouldn’t pick fights with them. They can potentially hurt people with their attacks, and the aggressive nature of the birds shouldn’t be underestimated.

Don’t think of using a water gun to fend off mockingbirds as a fun activity. This definitely isn’t a game and it’s possible that you or your loved ones could get hurt if you don’t stay away from the birds.

Lights Can Help Too

Lights are going to do a good job of keeping you safe in the event that a mockingbird attacks you. If carrying around a water gun sounds too silly to you, it might be best to keep a flashlight on you at all times.

You can utilize a flashlight to see where the mockingbird is located in the sky if it gets too dark. It also might be useful to try to scare the bird with the light if it attempts to harass you.

If you do decide to use a water gun, having a flashlight with you will make it easier to see what you’re trying to hit. Flashlights are inexpensive, and you should have one handy if you have a mockingbird problem on your property.

Installing outdoor lights on your property can help you to keep an eye out for them, too. You’re going to want to keep your eyes open when they’re nesting on your property because of how territorial they are.

It’d be very concerning to get dive bomb attacked by one of these birds and be caught unaware. Lights give you a much better chance of seeing the birds coming, and you’ll need to scan the sky regularly when walking the property at dusk.

Owl Decoys

Owl decoys can be very helpful when you want to keep them away from specific spots on your property. You might not be legally allowed to remove a mockingbird’s nest, but that doesn’t mean that you have to encourage them to nest in different spots.

Setting up owl decoys will likely keep mockingbirds from wanting to get near parts of your property. You might be able to use this to set up a sort of perimeter where you should be safe from them.

Those who live on a large plot of land will often use owl decoys to keep the area closest to the house free from mockingbirds. It’s a good idea to set a few up to try to keep them from nesting too close to your home or other areas of your property that you need to use.

If you have a barn, you’ll definitely want to use these decoys to keep birds from wanting to nest there. Owl decoys are inexpensive, and they’re also useful for scaring away many different pesky birds.

For example, an owl decoy will do a good job of keeping pigeons from wanting to come near areas. If you’ve been having issues with mockingbirds, you can use owl decoys to great effect.

It’s also worth considering whether you should use owl decoys and other methods preemptively. You could keep owl decoys up so that when mockingbirds migrate to the area they will be less likely to choose your property as a good spot to call home.

Thinking ahead is a good way to get around the laws that require you to put up with these birds. If you know that it’s possible to encounter mockingbird problems in your area, do what you can to discourage them before they make a nest on your property.

Loud Sounds Can Scare Birds Away

If you’re being dive bomb attacked by mockingbirds, it’s going to be good to know that you can use loud noises as a weapon. Birds will get scared by very loud noises and this can give you time to get away from the attack.

Some people have used incredibly loud music to scare these birds away when they are being particularly aggressive. You could also bang on pots and pans to try to see if that will do the trick.

One dangerous method is to shoot a gun into the ground because the noise will be so loud. This would certainly frighten a mockingbird, but you need to be careful to aim far away from them or anything and anyone else.

It’s absolutely illegal to kill mockingbirds, and even accidentally killing one could get you into deep trouble. If you fire straight up in to the ground away from yourself and others, everything should be fine and you won’t have to worry too much.

Of course, it might not always be easy to find something to make noise with in the moment. Knowing that loud noises can help might be more effective if you’re trying to help one of your family members who is already being attacked by one of these birds.

If you are in the midst of an attack, you should try to get away. Yelling and being noisy could potentially make the bird want to leave you alone faster, but it’s hard to say whether it will work in the moment.

Remember not to try to fight the bird because you aren’t allowed to harm it. It’d be pretty normal to swat at the bird while you’re being dive bomb attacked, but you don’t want to strike it and accidentally kill it.

As annoying as the some birds can be, it’s still important to understand that they aren’t incredibly durable. These are fairly small birds that could be easily killed by a strong hit from a human.

Hold back from getting too angry and just try to get away if you get attacked. It’s really for the best not to fight back too much unless you truly feel that you can’t get away.

Keep Your Trees Pruned

Keeping your trees pruned will be a good idea when you want to keep these birds away. Pruning your trees really well should give them fewer spots to utilize when looking for nesting spots.

Some people try to remove specific branches that they’re worried about, but you could also remove trees ahead of time. This isn’t completely necessary, but mockingbirds won’t likely nest on your property if they don’t have good trees to call home.

It isn’t recommended to remove trees for such a petty reason, but you can at least keep them neatly trimmed. If you don’t have the time to do this yourself, you can always call a professional landscaping company that offers tree trimming services.

Be sure to pick up sticks and brush on the ground as well. Leave fewer things on the ground that birds can use when building nests.

This might not keep a mockingbird from taking up residence on your property, but it doesn’t hurt to try to discourage them in this way. Do your best to keep your trees trimmed and your yard clean of debris.

Ultrasonic Bird Deterrents

Ultrasonic bird deterrents might be illegal to use if a mockingbird is nesting on your property already. You might need to look into the specifics of what your laws say about mockingbirds.

However, it’s good to know that ultrasonic deterrent devices can work pretty well when you’re trying to keep birds away in general. People use devices like this to keep birds away from crops all the time, and you can use them preemptively to discourage mockingbirds from dropping by.

Thankfully, devices like this are priced very reasonably. You can buy one of these ultrasonic bird deterrent devices and then just place it in your yard without it being a big deal.

Most of the popular options on the market are powered by solar energy so you don’t have to worry about replacing batteries. If this sounds like a good option to you, you should definitely go for it.

Some People Have Used Magnets

There have been reports of some people using powerful magnets to fend off mockingbirds. The reason that this works is that mockingbirds supposedly use magnetism to figure out which direction to go.

If you use a strong magnet, it should make it tougher for the bird to attack you. The problem with this is that you might be able to consider using magnets on your property harassment, and you don’t want to run afoul of the law.

Regardless, it’s interesting to know that magnets can be helpful tools in the fight against mockingbirds. Keep everything in mind when you’re formulating a strategy to protect yourself and your home.

Earplugs Can Help You to Cope with Noisy Mockingbirds

Mockingbirds will be particularly noisy when they’re trying to find mates. If a single male nests on your property somewhere, it might call out day and night trying to find a mate.

You can’t begrudge the bird for following its biological imperative, but that doesn’t mean that this won’t be annoying. The law prevents you from disturbing or harassing them, and this means that you kind of just have to put up with the noise.

The best way to cope with noisy mockingbirds on your property is to buy a decent set of earplugs. You can just put them on when they’re are being noisy so that you can enjoy some peace and quiet.

Aside from standard earplugs, it’s also possible to just put some headphones on. Listen to music and try to relax so that you don’t get overly stressed about the situation.

It’s true that mockingbirds can be quite annoying, but you can’t get worked up over things that you aren’t allowed to change. Use earplugs, headphones, and noise-canceling headphones to get by until they are gone for the year.

Final Thoughts

Knowing what to do about mockingbirds isn’t going to be simple because of the legal circumstances you have to deal with. You can’t simply remove them from your property, but you can still do what you can to keep yourself safe.

The advice above should do a good job of giving you the right idea. You can take certain precautions while also using coping mechanisms to put up with the noise that the birds make.

This can be a very annoying situation, but it is something that you can get through just fine. So long as you try to stay away from these aggressive birds, it shouldn’t be too likely that you’ll get attacked often.

Be as careful as you can and tell your family members to do the same. By working together and keeping your wits about you, it’s going to be a lot easier to deal with a mockingbird issue.

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