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Niagara

(12,031 posts)
Thu Apr 23, 2026, 11:01 AM Apr 23

🪶 Niagara's DIY Robin deterrents

Disclaimer: I don't hate birds or Robins, I feed my local neighborhood Baltimore Orioles and Hummingbirds but I've never had an issue with either of these birds leaving uric acid all over our vehicles. I have a separate area where I feed my feathered friends anyway and it's not by the driveway.


My issues with territorial Robins attacking our vehicle windows and mirrors and leaving their uric acid down the side of a vehicle on the daily. Uric acid droppings will and can destroy the paint on any vehicle. Also, Robins can unintentional injure or kill themselves from attacking their reflections.



Getting on with my DIY bird deterrents.


I purchased several 3 packs of foil pans with lids from the Dollar Tree for $1.75 each. Yes, one can use disposable pie tins as well which I've done before. I couldn't find foil disposable pie tins at the Dollar Tree. I decade or so ago Walmart sold these as a 3 pack but today it's a 2 pack I believe for the same price.



I took the "work scissors" and cut the edging off the foil pans. I punched holes in the foil pans with scissors on the top and bottom. I took the edging that I cut off as used it as a "connecter" if one will. I figured the more foil material, the more reflecting material. I used the sticky bar coded sticker and cut it about three times and stuck it on the back on the "connecters" to help keep it in place. I bent the foil pans into flower shapes. I don't know why I just did.





I also took the lids that came with the foil pans and punched holes with a paper puncher on the top and bottom of two lids. I connected them using cheap dental floss. The lids are white on one side and foil on the other. The third lid I cut in half and glued to the back on the white sides so there's some foil on the back as well. It does spin in the wind. I hung it on a tall garden hook.



All of my DIY bird deterrents seem to be working. They are by the driveway. Yes, the reflectors are away from my Oriole and Hummingbird feeding stations just in case someone skipped over that part while reading my ramblings.

I hope this OP helps someone that needs the help with territorial Robins. I'm off to the "races" today.



28 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
🪶 Niagara's DIY Robin deterrents (Original Post) Niagara Apr 23 OP
Thank you very much for the great ideas, Niagara. Have a great day. debm55 Apr 23 #1
Always my pleasure, Deb. Have a beautiful day! Niagara Apr 23 #7
I was not aware of that being a problem. 1WorldHope Apr 23 #2
It's a problem where I live too. LuckyCharms Apr 23 #5
Lucky you. I've been dealing with this shit for the last decade 💩 Niagara Apr 23 #8
LITERALLY! True Dough Apr 23 #13
oH, crap Niagara Apr 23 #18
That's some True Dough Apr 23 #20
caca Niagara Apr 24 #22
What does True Dough Apr 24 #24
I imagine those would deter wombats, too, Aggie. Harker Apr 23 #3
lol, Harker Niagara Apr 23 #9
Woodchucks are pretty determined, and the ones I've met have been unfriendly. Harker Apr 23 #12
If you ever need a woodchuck, there's plenty in my neighborhood, Harker Niagara Apr 23 #19
Thanks, Niagara... I'll pass. Harker Apr 24 #21
If you ever change your mind, Harker Niagara Apr 24 #23
Right-o, Niagara, thanks! Harker Apr 24 #26
Absolutely, Harker Niagara Apr 24 #27
Did Harker call you "Aggie"? True Dough Apr 24 #25
Yes, Harker blessed me with a new nickname Niagara Apr 24 #28
That's a hell of a nice job you did, Niagara. LuckyCharms Apr 23 #4
Thank you, Lucky Niagara Apr 23 #10
Hey, True Dough Apr 23 #14
Hey, True Dough Apr 23 #15
It doesn't seem to be working ... sl8 Apr 23 #6
Holy Bee Gee's, Batman Niagara Apr 23 #11
When I had robins attacking their reflections in my car mirrors, I took Walmart bags (the gray ones) Sogo Apr 23 #16
New York state has a ban on single use plastic bags since 2020 Niagara Apr 23 #17

LuckyCharms

(23,016 posts)
5. It's a problem where I live too.
Thu Apr 23, 2026, 03:01 PM
Apr 23

The cars in the driveway get absolutely massacred with bird shit.

It's like they use the cars for target practice.

Niagara

(12,031 posts)
9. lol, Harker
Thu Apr 23, 2026, 04:02 PM
Apr 23

I have a neighbor that lives behind me and he has a woodchuck living under his shed and that dines in his yard.


I always tell him to keep his pets in his own yard.

Harker

(18,064 posts)
12. Woodchucks are pretty determined, and the ones I've met have been unfriendly.
Thu Apr 23, 2026, 04:17 PM
Apr 23

Haven't seen one for a couple of years now. They remind me of fur covered water balloons.

I've seen some monstrous fishers, though, which might explain the reduction in the woodchuck sightings.



Harker

(18,064 posts)
21. Thanks, Niagara... I'll pass.
Fri Apr 24, 2026, 08:49 AM
Apr 24

I would welcome any wombats that might brave your defenses, though!

Niagara

(12,031 posts)
28. Yes, Harker blessed me with a new nickname
Fri Apr 24, 2026, 09:40 PM
Apr 24

I can't remember how it started but Harker gave me a choice between two nicknames.

I choose Aggie because it's actually a marble.

And when I do or say silly stuff, people can say, "It's official, Aggie has lost her marbles!"

LuckyCharms

(23,016 posts)
4. That's a hell of a nice job you did, Niagara.
Thu Apr 23, 2026, 02:49 PM
Apr 23

You are very creative!

I'd like you to meet "Moe Green". Moe is a plastic hawk that I named after a character in The Godfather movie.

We had robins building a nest in the exhaust vent for a bathroom fan that is in an upstairs dormer.

I bought Moe, and then took the aluminum pole from a roof rake and mounted Moe to the
pole. Then, I stuck the pole into the ground. Moe is about 10 feet in the air. This deterred the robins.

I wish I was as creative as you! I get frustrated when I try to make things like you did.

Pic below.




Niagara

(12,031 posts)
10. Thank you, Lucky
Thu Apr 23, 2026, 04:12 PM
Apr 23

I do have a "Moe", I've just never displayed Moe. Nicely done by the way!


I don't want to scare all my feathered friends away. I want to keep the Robins away from the vehicles. As you know it's super annoying and who has the money to go to the car wash every single day?


One year the siding came off the garage and it was hanging there, not really off or on. Some House Sparrows made a mansion off the hanging piece of siding. The Robins came in and destroyed the nest and ate the eggs. It was brutal. The House Sparrow came back and rebuilt without being terrorized.

The siding got put back on after nesting season.





sl8

(17,143 posts)
6. It doesn't seem to be working ...
Thu Apr 23, 2026, 03:13 PM
Apr 23

3:14 min.


Robin Gibb Live “Massachusetts” 1971 Bee Gees & Full Orchestra
YouTube/The Jivetalkin Show



Sogo

(7,291 posts)
16. When I had robins attacking their reflections in my car mirrors, I took Walmart bags (the gray ones)
Thu Apr 23, 2026, 09:16 PM
Apr 23

and tied them over the mirrors. Problem solved.

It was super easy to slip the WM bags off the mirrors when I needed to use the car....

Niagara

(12,031 posts)
17. New York state has a ban on single use plastic bags since 2020
Thu Apr 23, 2026, 09:35 PM
Apr 23

It doesn't bother me those bags are banned either because once I got of those buggers stuck to my exhaust underneath my vehicle. That exhaust stunk for a long time!

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