Attack of the birds

Aug 20, 2012
33
Catalina 25 Punta Gorda
After years of only occasional bird droppings our boat is now the target of what looks like a flock of pelicans. Mostly, they seem to attack the bimini and sail cover every night. I remember a discussion some time ago where someone said that hanging a dead bird from the rigging helped. The problem is that they are hard to catch. What has anyone done that works to convince them to go to another boat in the marina for their deposits?
 
  • Like
Likes: BlowMeAway
Nov 30, 2015
1,337
Hunter 1978 H30 Cherubini, Treman Marina, Ithaca, NY
Hi Stan,
I think the man for this job is @Kermit. I'll bet he has some photos to share with you and possibly a resolve...although his issue was with Osprey and not Pelicans. I'm unclear on which shitz more. I suspect he will respond shortly. We have a bird spike on our Windex wind vane. That seemed to work pretty well for the smaller birds (seagulls and pigeons) we have in our area.
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
It's hard to catch a dead bird? ;)
Some people have used fake snakes and owls. Flashy bling is supposed to work to. Time to pimp your boat :biggrin:
 

Kermit

.
Jul 31, 2010
5,657
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
Hi Stan,
I think the man for this job is @Kermit. I'll bet he has some photos to share with you and possibly a resolve...although his issue was with Osprey and not Pelicans. I'm unclear on which shitz more. I suspect he will respond shortly. We have a bird spike on our Windex wind vane. That seemed to work pretty well for the smaller birds (seagulls and pigeons) we have in our area.
We don’t have pelicans on Lake Murray but we do have ospreys. Rather than scare them I’ve done my best to not give them a place to perch. I added a god-awful metal spikey thing to the top of the mast light. I also added an angled line from each spreader to the shroud. So far that has kept them away. Or maybe they just haven’t been back. Either way I’m happy and it all looks normal to the casual observer. (Only those wearing formal attire will notice it.) I hope these pictures will help.
Oh, I know why they chose my boat. One evening I saw an osprey perch on @RobertLangdirect ’s mast and I was very grateful the bird chose his boat and not mine. The moral of the story is don’t ever be thankful for other people’s problems.
 

Attachments

  • Like
Likes: BlowMeAway
Aug 28, 2006
564
Bavaria 35E seattle
A "dead bird"..........of course, you could just buy a fryer at the super market.
 
Oct 1, 2007
1,856
Boston Whaler Super Sport Pt. Judith
Pelicans are different from Ospreys. A Pelican is like a huge duck. They do not have feet like the Osprey where they can sit on a masthead. I suspect that your pelicans are either sitting on your deck, bimini, or main boom. Guys on moorings in our anchorage run all sorts of lines and flags in their rigging to prevent cormorants (awful) from using their boats as "rest areas with facilities". Dead birds have not yet been introduced into our anchorage.
 

Tom J

.
Sep 30, 2008
2,301
Catalina 310 Quincy, MA
Bird spikes on the spreaders have worked well for both cormorants on Cape Cod, and ospreys at Charlotte Harbor.
 
  • Like
Likes: Rick486
Oct 1, 2007
1,856
Boston Whaler Super Sport Pt. Judith
Bird spikes on the spreaders have worked well for both cormorants on Cape Cod, and ospreys at Charlotte Harbor.
Yes I have "Bird Be Gone", plastic spikes on my spreaders. 100% effective. Then I have spikes at the masthead. Before I took a slip though I was totally vulnerable out in the anchorage to marauding cormorants sitting on my bimini. Aaaarrrgghhh!! However, no pelicans in New England.
 

capta

.
Jun 4, 2009
4,766
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
There are very effective audio bird deterrents on the market that airports use. They aren't cheap but neither is a bimini or gel coating. Perhaps you can get the marina and/or the slip holders to chip in.
 
Nov 30, 2015
1,337
Hunter 1978 H30 Cherubini, Treman Marina, Ithaca, NY
Besides the bird spike on the windex, we’ll be adding some “Bling” to the flag halyards. We’re gonna fly this one below the American Flag on starboard in support of my favorite sailing “Club”...
BE0CB361-2C95-491F-9809-F51E79FB9617.jpeg


...and this one on port side to help with keeping the birds, bees, spiders, and associated vermin away.

D77779C8-6550-4DEE-852C-CB2A7E09B6E5.jpeg