5 Ways to Keep Birds Away from Your Strawberries
Try any of these 5 ways to keep birds from eating your strawberries, but one of them is the absolute best way.
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Paint some rocks red and place them around the plants when the strawberries are still green. This will fool the birds into thinking the strawberries are ripe. When they swoop down to peck a berry, "Ouch!" Their beak will hurt and they will decide this is a bad patch of berries. Afterward, they will leave the patch of berries alone even when the actual strawberries are ripe and red!
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Set a life-like plastic owl near your berry patch. You can place it on a post or directly in the garden, but be sure to move it around frequently to fool the birds into thinking a predetor bird is nearby which could scare them away.
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Place a life-like rubber snake in the berry patch. Again, move the snake around every day, or the birds will get wise to it and not be scared off anymore.
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Hang shiny objects in and around the strawberry plants. Aluminum pie pans work well for this. Old CD's work, too. Attach them to string or fishing line tied to some sticks set in the ground and hang the shiny objects across the plants. When the sunlight reflects off the dangling objects, it baffles the birds, and may discourage them from landing anywhere near the berries.
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Drape a bird net over the strawberry patch. This is actually the most effective way to prevent birds from getting to your berries. Bird net can be purchased at most stores and garden centers. Make sure the holes in the net are at least 1/2 inch. We have had success at our house draping the netting over some metal hoops we made using a hoop bender. That way, the birds can't even get close enough to the berries to peck the sides out through the net. Plus, the hoops keep the net from crushing the plants.