Grass seeds are a tasty treat for birds, and once they get their beaks in, this may result in a patchy lawn. Birds can take away seeds quickly, and your seeds may not get enough time to reach the sprout stage. So it is essential to spend time trying out multiple tips and tricks so the birds can remain away from your lawn.
If you are also looking for how to keep birds from eating grass seed, then you are at the right place. In this guide, we will share different tips and tricks to help keep the birds away from your lawn. Use these tips so that they can leave alone your grass seeds for growth.
Why Are Birds Eating My Grass Seeds
Before taking any step to prevent the birds from eating grass seeds, it is good to understand why they eat them. Mostly, the granivorous species visit your lawn for grass seeds. Birds like finches, parakeets, sparrows, buntings, pigeons, and sparrows visit your garden, and you can watch out for them, searching your garden for grass seeds.
The late summer is the best time to sow your grass seeds, and you can also do it in mid-autumn because birds have different options for their feast, like berries and wild seeds. Due to this, they are less likely to search your garden. But the question is if the birds have eating options, why do they rush for grass seeds?
The answer is that it is easy to get the grass seeds, and they attract them like an inviting buffet. It is not polite for them if they don’t touch this easy treat. But no one wants to see their freshly sown grass seeds disappear due to these innocent birds. But don’t worry, it’s a natural thing, and various ways can help you treat birds in a good way without harming them.
Ways to Stop Birds From Eating Grass Seeds
You can use several ways to save your freshly sown seeds from birds. These methods are detailed below, so let’s look at them.
1. Use Coated Seeds
Most seeds have an unpleasant coating that repels the birds from eating. However, this coating will not harm the birds and only stop birds from eating these grass seeds. But remember that these grass seeds take a long time to germinate, and your grass will come out after a wait of a few days.
To overcome the issue of slow growth, you can mix average grass seeds with coated seeds. This way, you will get help to increase the germination rate and establish your lawn more quickly.
2. Try Special Absorption Seeds
There is another option of absorption seeds, which have a remarkable ability to absorb moisture and give the fastest germination. These seeds will start germinating before the hungry birds get your grass seeds and eat them like a feast.
However, these seeds are more expensive than the others, so mixing them with regular grass seeds is a good idea. When the absorption seeds germinate faster, they cover the average seeds and save regular grass seeds from becoming food for birds.
3. Cover the Seed With Straw
The best grass seed option is to rake it into the soil. This cover will shield grass seeds against the birds, provide them a proper contact with soil, and make the germination process faster. But it may not be possible for a more extensive lawn. Due to this issue, you may consider another grass seed protection alternative. Cover your seeds to make their discovery difficult for the birds.
For this, straws are the best option to cover the grass seeds. It is a light material that can allow sunlight and moisture to reach the seeds and help them germinate efficiently. When the seeds start to sprout, you can take off the straw cover so the new seeds can grow better. But there is a problem with this straw cover as they can blow off due to high wind.
4. Sheets of Burlap for Covering the Seeded Area
The burlap sheets are also a viable option for covering the seed area. Due to the loose design, burlap sheets allow water and sun to go through the soil and provide enough help for germination. Remember to tie these burlap sheets from both ends so that they will not blow out due to wind.
These sheets act like a protective shield over the grass seeds, and due to them, birds cannot see through the cover, and they will not be able to find the grass seeds.
5. Netting Over the Seeding Area
If your selected area is too large, consider installing some bird netting. However, ensure the net covering remains secure and can hold up against the wind. Raise the netting above the surface area of the seeds. For this purpose, use some short garden stakes around the perimeter and drip the net over these perimeters. The moisture and sunlight quickly pass through the netting. But it is good to remove it when your grass seeds start to grow so they can grow under proper sunlight.
6. Add Some Fake Bird Repellent Decoys
Most birds fear predators, and you can use them for your benefit. Moreover, predators like eagles and owls are a good choice and are the best fake bird-repellent decoys in your seeded areas. The rubber snakes are also a good option in this scenario.
But it is essential to keep changing the position of the decoys; otherwise, birds will understand that these decoys are fake. You can use fake owls with flashing eyes or rotating heads because they give a realistic look and keep the birds away from your garden.
7. Use Reflective Tape
Reflective tape is another option that can work to keep birds away from the seeding area. These tapes shine when the sun’s light hits them and hurt the eyes of birds; in this way, they know to stay away from the garden. You can also attach these tapes to some plots, which will work as the safety cover for your seeding area against the birds.
But it will give a good result when these tapes freely move in the breeze. Aluminum foil and old CDs are also better options for consideration, and it is an inexpensive idea.
8. Hang Some Wind Chimes
Producing noise around the seeded area is also effective in keeping birds away from your seeds. Wind chimes are a great option as they can move in the air. The movement and sound will help to keep the birds away from your freshly sown seeds. In addition, these wind chimes produce a pleasant sound.
9. Old Tin Cans to Create Noise
Use old tin cans to keep birds from your grass seeds. For this, string some old tins together and hang them around the freshly seeded area. When these tins move due to wind, they produce enough noise to repel the birds from your garden.
10. Use an Ultrasonic Bird Repellent
The ultrasonic bird repellents are also a great option as they produce a high-frequency noise that is not audible to humans, but the birds cannot bear it. This ultrasonic repellent comes with a stake, and you can use it by just inserting it into the ground and see the magic of how effectively it can repel the birds from your seeding area.
11. Plant Extra Seeds
It is one of the most effective tips to get a better growth rate. So plant as much as extra seeds as you can. This idea will work for excellent germination and decrease the possibility of less growth due to the blow of seeds. But the most significant advantage of this method is that if the birds eat some grass seeds, you will have plenty of seeds that can cover your lawn with grass with better growth possibility.
12. Feed the Birds
It may sound obvious but trust me it will prove effective. Provide alternative food options for birds from bird feeds so that they will be less likely to be attracted to the grass seeds and use food from the feeder for eating.
However, place the bird feeders away from the newly seeded area and provide lots of yummy alternatives for birds to enjoy as a feast. When birds quickly get their food, they will not dig your garden in search of grass seeds. But birds may take time to understand that the feeders are a food source, so installing them before planting in your area is good.
13. Install a Motion Sprinkler
Use motion sprinklers to keep away the birds from your garden. Installing water sprinkles not only keeps the grass seeds moist and helps them germinate but also scares birds from your yard. Moreover, these motion sprinkles produce noise which is another way to keep away the birds.
14. Decorate the Garden With Some Shiny Spiral Swirls
Use shiny spiral swirls for your garden. They will not only decorate your garden but also work to scare the birds. You can quickly get them from any garden center or local market. When the sunlight hits them, they will start to shine, with wind swirls consistently, giving birds a repellent look.
15. Install a Small Decorative Windmill
The decorative windmill is another option for keeping away the birds. These are readily available in local markets and garden stores. Place a small windmill near your seeding area and get results. Any whirligig ornament will prove great for your garden. It is good to know that consider the things that will not only move but also make a noise, and it Is good to place shiny things all over your garden.
Final Thoughts
Nothing is more interesting than seeing the birds visit your garden and hearing their beautiful singing voices in the morning. But the problem starts when they steal new grass seeds from your lawn, destroy the grass’s growth, and make it patchy. However, there are a lot of things you can do to discourage these birds without harming them. These things will provide enough help and save your seeds from birds. We have discussed 15 effective tips to discourage birds from harming your newly seeded garden. So, follow these tips and have a thriving lawn!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Will Birds Eat Coated Grass Seed?
The coated grass seeds have an unpleasant taste and will not harm birds. But they have a slower germination process than regular seeds. However, removing the birds from your garden is an excellent effort.
2. What Deters Birds From Eating Grass Seed?
Providing a net cover, burlap sheets, and raking in the seeds will save grass seeds from birds. Due to these covers, birds cannot see the seeds and leave them alone for germination.
3. What Do birds hate the most?
Birds hate shiny objects and stay away from things. So you can use these things for your benefit. Strong smells and predators are also good things that birds hate most. Keep them in your garden and save your grass seeds.
4. Are there Any Grass Seeds That Birds Will Not Eat?
No, there are not any seeds that the birds cannot eat. All grass seeds tempt the birds, and they eat them like a feast. From tall fescue to ryegrass, they love every seed. However, only bird repellent coating prevents the birds, but they are slow in germination.