Green roofs can be a mixed bag when it comes to birds:
- Vegetation might attract more critters initially (bugs, worms, etc.), giving gulls a reason to hang around.
- But taller grasses or shrubs can discourage landing spots—birds prefer clear sightlines for safety.
- Seen some folks put up discreet netting or wires to deter them without ruining aesthetics.
Wondering if anyone's tried ultrasonic deterrents near the coast...do they even work on seagulls?
Tried ultrasonic deterrents a couple years back when gulls decided my roof was their new hangout spot. Honestly, results were pretty meh...maybe it annoyed them at first, but after a week or two they just ignored it completely. Ended up going with thin wires stretched across the roofline—barely noticeable from the ground and way more effective. Guess gulls just adapt too quickly to noise-based solutions, especially near the coast where they're used to constant racket anyway.
Yeah, ultrasonic stuff always seemed a bit gimmicky to me. My uncle tried something similar for pigeons at his beach house—same story. Worked for a couple days, then the birds just shrugged it off. Those thin wires you mentioned are pretty solid though; we installed them on a client's roof last summer and haven't heard any complaints yet. Guess gulls and pigeons are smarter (or maybe just more stubborn) than we give 'em credit for...
"Guess gulls and pigeons are smarter (or maybe just more stubborn) than we give 'em credit for..."
Ha, definitely leaning toward stubbornness myself. Speaking of those thin wires, any issues with corrosion from salt air yet? I've seen stainless steel hold up pretty well, but aluminum... not so much.
I've noticed stainless steel tends to hold up better overall, but it can still show some surface rust spots after a few seasons near the ocean. Aluminum, though... yeah, that's another story entirely. Had some aluminum flashing installed a while back to save costs, and it didn't take long before salt air started eating into it. Curious if anyone's experimented with protective coatings or treatments that actually hold up? Seems like a cheaper fix than replacing everything every few years.
