Bird Deterrents

Professional Mariner Forum
#1

Hello all,

I’m sure I will catch a lot of shit (pun intended) for this question, however,

Down in the Gulf Of Mexico, I am on a Drillship warmstacked in Grande Isle. Since going on anchor, we have been overridden by seagulls and pelicans, who sit on the helideck and drop presents down on the bow. Was hoping to get some help coming up with non lethal mitigation techniques, (Scarecrow, fake hawk? etc) as the deck crew is spending a lot of time pressure washing the deck. If the deposits are left on deck for more than a few days becomes tough to remove.

Any information will be much appreciated

Bow1

#2

Have used this very successfully on small boats, smaller vessels than yours, on the T-head of our dock, and at our community pool.

String some taut 400# monofilament fishing line over the area. Just a few will do. The birds see it as an impediment to taking off, and will not alight. You can attach some reflective streamers, as at the used car lot, to improve the effect.

1 Like
#3

How much manpower do you have? Sounds like a new roustabout dressed in a hawk costume slowly wandering the helipad could work.

4 Likes
#4

:rofl: No roustabouts but we have a sedentary medic

2 Likes
#5

This is very interesting, I believe we are going to try to rig something like this up

#6

Can always go with a DPO. haha

3 Likes
#7

This will do it; other types are available.

RC Flying Pterodactyl (coolthings.com)

#8

Do you have a PA system with a speaker near the problem area?

You could try playing ultrasonic audio all the time that will scare them away. The below video has ultrasonic sound which is said to scare birds, if it doesn’t work try different frequencies, you could have it on loop playing through the PA microphone.

But check you wouldn’t be breaking any local animal welfare rules by doing this.

1 Like
#9

Adopt a border collie and give him the run of the helipad. Airports use such methods and many others including sonic cannons to keep birds away. Don’t waste your time with plastic owls. It doesn’t take long for the birds to realize they are fake.

2 Likes
#10

Getting a ship’s dog could be a good idea, could keep it in a dog house with a caged area where it can run out and bark at the birds to scare them away.

#11

Here is proof of that:

P1070068
P10700683013×2930 1.32 MB

No, it is not because he doesn’t see it:
P1070069
P10700694584×3424 2.31 MB

2 Likes
#12

Looks like they’re best Buds.

#13

Tyvek osprey kite works pretty well.

#14

Good suggestion. Kites-on-a-rod are all the rage in Scandinavian yachting circles, and from what I can tell they work just fine.

#15

One in action near us:

P1110286
P11102862924×1720 621 KB

P1110288
P11102883075×2304 1.22 MB

P1110287
P11102871825×1495 391 KB

PS> Lots of Kittiwakes nesting on the roofs around here.

#16

You could ask what the company would suggest. At this point its just scrap stéel anyway. A little bird poo shouldn’t make much difference.

#17

Trouble with birds is that once they select a spot, they don’t give it up easily.
Had a bird problem on a yacht, and someone suggested snakes. What do seagulls know about snakes?
Saw some inflatable quasi-realistic inflatable snakes at some kind of Nat Geo store and bought a couple. Filled them with water to keep them in place and put them on the yacht. Like magic; birds gone. Even the big blue herons.
I moved them around to keep the game going, but I don’t know if it was really necessary.

#18

Set up a strong sprinkler system that can be turned on and off from the bridge. That’s the best non-lethal bird deterrent system that I’ve seen. If you use salt water you may induce some running rust on deck, so be prepared for some additional metal preservation and maintenance. Lasers are fun but not a realistic solution. Also DPO in eagle costume. :eagle: :eagle: :joy::rofl:

1 Like
#19

DPO in eagle costume WITH laser pointer device. We have seen the laser pointers work very well at getting the flying rats to take wing when it is pointed at them.

1 Like
#20

Do they have DPOs on warm stacked drillships? Would they face the birds even in costume? :rofl:

1 Like