Bird damage to a thatched roof is an incredibly annoying – not to mention expensive – problem. Since lockdown in 2020 there has been a huge spike in reported damage to thatched roofs from birds.
Considering a thatched roof already takes more maintenance than other kinds, the last thing you want is to deal with bird damage.
Let’s look at why (and how) birds damage thatched roofs and what you can do to prevent this problem.
Do Birds Nest in a Thatched Roof?
Some birds nest in a thatched roof, particularly sparrows and house and pine martins. Of course, the birds rarely nest physically in the roof but instead nest in the eaves of the house.
They might create a small nest in the underside of the roof, but the eaves are more accessible.
Why Do Birds Cause Damage to a Thatched Roof?
The bigger and perhaps most common problem is birds removing thatch to make their nests elsewhere.
While they’ll focus on more exposed areas, such as the bottom of the roof and around chimneys, nothing is stopping them from pulling straws from anywhere on the roof, even if they’re secured by Thatching spars.
Another issue is birds looking for food in the thatch. Plenty of insects will use a thatched roof as a home, making them an easy hunting ground for birds.
Sure, seeing something like a green woodpecker is great, but not when it’s pecking at your roof!
To an extent, the reason why birds are plundering your thatched roof doesn’t matter. The result is the same: damage.
Small areas of lost straw aren’t the most expensive problem to fix, but they can give rise to larger problems, such as bigger holes and other pests. As such, it’s best to prevent the problem before it happens.
How Do I Keep Birds off my Thatched Roof?
There are numerous solutions for protecting a thatched roof from birds. The best solution will ultimately depend on your budget, but also on how you want your roof to look.
After all, some will detract from the specific vibe of a thatched roof.
Here are some of the most effective solutions for protecting a thatched roof from a bird.
Shoot them
Sure, this isn’t a great solution, but it’s not one we can overlook. It can only be done under license, though, and only against birds considered pests.
For example, you could hardly try popping off a green woodpecker because it’s an endangered species.
A slightly more humane solution is to hire a hawker. They’ll bring a bird of prey to your house and let it fly around the roof a few times.
While it won’t necessarily catch birds, its presence will be more than enough to scare them off. Repeat this a few times, and you won’t have a problem with birds.
However, this comes with the condition of scaring off all birds from your garden, too. You’ll have to weigh up the pros and cons of this option, although it’s pretty effective.
Dummy birds
A more humane option still is to use dummy birds. They’re plastic birds of prey and do a decent job of scaring off things like magpies, pigeons, and sparrows.
Something like a hawk or owl will work fine, and you can pick these up fairly cheaply like this one:
The main issue is that most birds will eventually realise it’s not real. While not always the case, a stationary bird of prey will be seen as non-threatening if it’s there long enough.
It’ll take a while for this to happen, and you can always try moving it to a different location to see if that works.
Distress call tape
One intelligent solution to protecting your roof from birds is to play a bird distress call near your home. You can buy these online and use a CD player or similar.
It should only take a week or so for the birds to decide your home isn’t worth being near.
There are two potential issues with this solution. First, you’ll need to know what kind of bird is damaging your roof.
It’s easy to identify something like a pigeon or magpie but slightly harder with something like a starling. If you plan to go down this route, you better get an ornithology book, too!
Second, it’ll only work against the type of bird whose distress call you’re playing. This won’t be a problem if there’s only one type of bird destroying your roof but won’t be effective against several types.
Therefore, a more viable solution is to use a bird repeller. These usually come with predator sounds and a mix of distress calls that play on a cycle.
Some include motion sensors, too, so they’re not playing all the time. These bird repellers are the best that I have found:
You simply install it on your house, wire it up, and let it do its thing. The only real downside is that they can be expensive, but they’re otherwise a very effective solution.
A quicker solution is this reflective bird tape. It works very well if you can get this up on your roof. Make sure to attach it to a stick or something long so the wind can help its movement.
Mesh or netting
A solution you might have seen on thatched roofs is mesh or netting. In theory, it only needs to be installed on the ridge and edges, as these are the easiest places to remove thatch.
However, if you have a straw-thatched roof, you might need a bit more coverage.
One option is plastic net. It’s usually made from something like nylon and looks very similar to other protective bird nets.
Although nylon isn’t massively durable, the holes are small enough to prevent birds from getting at the thatch.
Alternatively, you can use chicken wire or a similar type of mesh. Again, it should only need to go in the most accessible areas for birds, providing the rest of the roof is in good condition.
Done properly, it shouldn’t have a massive impact on the roof’s appearance. However, it will be noticeable and can detract from the traditional look of a thatched roof.
As such, it’s down to you to decide whether looks or maintenance are more important with this solution.
Final Thoughts on Bird Damage to Thatched Roofs
Hopefully, you’ve now got some solutions for how to prevent bird damage to a thatched roof. The most suitable option will largely depend on the extent of the problem and how quickly you need it solved.
Whichever you choose, make sure you get a professional involved to ensure it’s done correctly.
