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How to use a bird scarer

Updated: 22 October 2026

The scarer is in the shed, the strip is still in the packet, and the birds are back on the rail or the seed. How to use a bird scarer, on a UK fence or a UK lawn, is mostly a nest check, then one of two routines: move a visual before it becomes furniture, or cover the whole perch and warn people about the spikes. Peter F., editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk, wrote this from public UK guidance and from the amazon.co.uk listings in the [bird deterrent comparison](/hub/pest-control/bird-deterrent), saved on 20 October 2026. It is not a field trial. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices and model picks live on the main table. This page is the fitting.

The scarer is in the shed, the strip is still in the packet, and the birds are back on the rail or the seed.

Our top picks

EarlyGrow EarlyGrow fence spikes, 10-pack

Best overall

EarlyGrow EarlyGrow fence spikes, 10-pack
8.3/10about £6.95
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KOKMEYA KOKMEYA bird scare rods, 6-pack

Best value

KOKMEYA KOKMEYA bird scare rods, 6-pack
6.1/10about £6.29
View offer
The Big Cheese The Big Cheese wind-action owl

Alternative

The Big Cheese The Big Cheese wind-action owl
6.5/10about £12.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Before you fix or fly anything
  2. 2.Place a moving scarer where it can still be new
  3. 3.Move it before the birds sit on it
  4. 4.Fit a fence strip so the perch is actually gone

Before you fix or fly anything

Walk the fence, the eaves, the balcony ledge, and any flat roof you can see safely. A nest being built or in use is protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. You do not drill through it, spike over it, or hang a kite so the line crosses it. Some pigeons breed through the year, so a winter date is not permission by itself. The species detail is on the pigeon deterrent page. If the nest is at height, stop and call a proofing firm. Once the nest check is clear, pick the routine that matches the object in your hand. Rods, owls, and 4 m kites are visuals you move. The EarlyGrow strips are the thing you fix and leave, provided the whole perch is covered. If you own a SLAJMNZH ultrasonic box, do not treat it as maintenance-free. The buying guide explains that skip.

Place a moving scarer where it can still be new

Give a kite wind and a clear swing. Laptony and flyonte on this shelf are 4 m poles, not 7 m trade kits. A Laptony reviewer had the cord around the pole within about a day. Bring the kite down before it can hit glass, and keep it out of a small garden. Hang the KOKMEYA rods from the loop, on an eave, a branch, or a rail, where sun and wind reach them. They are about 11.6 inches long, so they do not cover the timber. Defra says reflectors do nothing useful before sunrise. If the flash lands in a bedroom, move it the same day.
EarlyGrow EarlyGrow fence spikes, 10-pack

Testsieger

EarlyGrow EarlyGrow fence spikes, 10-pack
8.3/10about £6.95
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Move it before the birds sit on it

GOV.UK's WML-GU01 note says scarecrows should be moved ideally once a day, and at least every two or three days. A garden owl is a local tool, not a farm system. Change the place, and the height if you can. If a wind-action head is not actually turning, you have a statue, and statues get sat on. GOV.UK says habituation is expected, so vary the method.

Fit a fence strip so the perch is actually gone

EarlyGrow's ten strips are 50 cm by 4.5 cm with 1.8 cm spikes. Screws are not in the box. Buy screws that suit the timber, and run the long rail and the short return. A bird that hops onto the bare return has not been proofed. The pack includes two anti-climb warning signs. Fit them. The Occupiers' Liability Act 1984 can require a reasonable warning. If the topping beside a road could injure a passer-by, Highways Act 1980 section 164 is the nuisance point. Natural Resources Wales says sharpened tips are not the lawful pattern. Look at the tips you received. Historic England warns that a spike row can leave a nesting pocket behind it. After about a fortnight, droppings on the covered timber mean a gap.

Common questions

How do I put up a bird scarer kite without it wrapping the pole or hitting a window?
Use the 4 m pole these listings actually include, on open ground, angled so the line can fly without meeting glass. A courtyard or a balcony is the wrong site.
How often should I move a fake owl or a pinwheel?
WML-GU01 says ideally once a day, and at least every two or three days. A still owl in the reviews became a perch until it was moved.
Where do hanging reflective rods actually go?
Hang them from the top loop on an eave, a branch, or a rail where sun and wind can turn them. They are about 29 cm long, so they do not blanket a fence cap.
How do I fix plastic fence spikes if the screws are not in the box?
Buy screws for your timber and fix every 50 cm strip, including the return. These are fence strips with 1.8 cm spikes, not a stainless ledge system.
Do I need the warning signs that come with an anti-climb strip?
Yes. The ten-pack includes two anti-climb signs. A warning is one way of meeting a duty under the Occupiers' Liability Act 1984.
What do I do if I find a nest while I am fitting the strip?
Stop. Leave a nest that is being built or in use. Wait until it is finished and the young have gone. Some pigeons nest through the year.

Related pages

Bird spikes or a scarer

Bird deterrent

Best bird deterrents for a fence, lawn, or balcony

Bird deterrent UK: choosing a perch cover or scarer

Pigeon deterrent for a balcony rail or timber fence

Sources

Public UK sources used for this comparison. Shelf prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures captured for these 11 listings. Last checked 20 October 2026.

  1. Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, protection of birds (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  2. GOV.UK, prevent wild birds damaging land (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  3. Natural England GL41 (2026) (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  4. Natural England GL42 (2026) (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  5. WML-GU01, legal methods (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  6. Defra annex on non-lethal alternatives (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  7. Natural Resources Wales, deterring birds (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  8. RSPCA, pigeons in the garden (retrieved 20 October 2026)