Keeping birds away from your solar panels is crucial if you want to generate clean, renewable energy. If you find pigeons under solar panels, you may be worried. The droppings could short-circuit solar panels and cause them to stop working.
Thankfully, there are a few tricks you can use to prevent pigeons from nesting under your solar panels.
This article will introduce the five main strategies for keeping pigeons away from your solar panels, as well as explain why each one is effective in different situations.
Each of these strategies has its pros and cons, and some may be more suitable for your unique circumstances than others.
Evaluate each of these conditions on a case-by-case basis before implementing any of them at home.
- Put up a net
- Install a scarecrow
- Change your panels’ location
- Use bird-repellent paint
- Set up an ultrasonic alarm
Table of Contents
How to Make Your Solar Panels Less Attractive to Birds?
Before delving into ways to keep birds away from your solar panels, it helps to understand why they are drawn to them in the first place.
Birds have a variety of reasons that lead them to build nests under solar panels, and each of these reasons can be addressed with a different strategy.
First, solar panels generate warmth that can trick birds into thinking that they are a good place to nest.
Second, solar panels are dark, giving birds the visual impression that they are a good place to nest.
Birds also like areas that are secluded, as they make it easier to protect their young from predators.
Solar panels are often placed in secluded locations and are difficult to get to, making them an attractive nesting ground for birds.
Finally, solar panels are often on elevated ledges, which gives birds a great vantage point from which to spot predators and prey.
Can Guards and Screens Help Preventing Pigeons from Nesting under Solar Panels?
The first step in keeping birds away from your solar panels is to physically prevent pigeons from getting under your solar panels in the first place.
There are a variety of different types of guards that you can use to prevent birds from nesting under your solar panels.
One popular option is to use metal grids that can be mounted directly onto the ground underneath your solar panels.
Guards are metal bars that you can place under solar panels to keep pigeons from getting underneath them.
You can also place plastic, metal, and stainless steel screens under your solar panels, or even some simple fabrics that can help keep birds from entering and nesting under the panels.
Screens come in a variety of different fabrics, each of which may be better suited to your specific solar panel setup.
You can also use fine mesh fabric, which will likely be less effective for preventing birds from nesting underneath your solar panels.
Another option is to use netting, which can either be hung under your solar panels or attached directly to the ground.
Can I Repel Pigeons Using Chemicals?
If pigeons have already started to build a nest underneath your solar panels, you can use chemicals to repel them from staying there.
There are a variety of different chemicals that you can use to deter birds from nesting under your solar panels.
Bird pepper is one popular option that is an organic, non-toxic substance that can be placed in a feeder near your solar panels.
Once ingested, birds will experience an intense burning sensation in their mouth, discouraging them from building nests nearby.
Another popular option for repelling birds with chemicals is to use pepper sprays.
These sprays are typically made from cayenne peppers, and they give off a noxious smell that birds find intolerable.
It is important to note, though, that pepper spray will also irritate humans if it is applied directly to the skin.
Can I Discourage Pigeons from Nesting under Solar Panels through Noise?
Birds are sensitive to noise, so some solar panels are now being built with noise amplifiers.
Solar panels that are designed with noise amplifiers emit a low-frequency sound that nearby birds can hear.
Once the birds hear the sound, they will probably decide to build their nest elsewhere.
This strategy is only effective against birds that can hear the sound, though, so it is important to note which species are nearby.
If you are interested in using a noise amplifier to keep birds away from your solar panels, you can check with your solar energy company to see if they offer noise-based repellent systems.
Alternatively, you can purchase a noise amplifier device and attach it to your solar panels.
It is important to note, though, that noise amplifiers are costly.
They also do not work as effectively in the winter, when birds are less vocal.
Can I Install a Roost or Habitat to Prevent Pigeons from Nesting under Solar Panels?
It may be possible to prevent birds from nesting underneath your solar panels by building a roost nearby.
Roosts are platforms that are built for birds to rest on after flying long distances.
They are often installed in urban areas where birds may have trouble finding suitable places to land.
If you install a roost near your solar panels, birds may use them instead of building a nest underneath your solar panels.
This strategy may be most effective in urban settings, where birds may be less inclined to use your solar panels as a nesting ground.
It is also possible that building a habitat nearby will encourage birds to build a nest in the habitat and not under your solar panels.
Like roosts, habitats are structures that are built to provide birds with a suitable habitat. If you decide to build a habitat, it is important to ensure that it is in an area where it is safe from predators.
Final Thoughts
Keeping pigeons and other birds away from your solar panels is critical to maintaining the health of your solar energy system.
Fortunately, there are a variety of different strategies that you can use to prevent birds from nesting under your solar panels.
First, make your solar panels less attractive to birds by making solar panels appear less warm and make them less visible.
Next, install guards and screens to physically prevent birds from getting underneath your solar panels.
If birds have already started nesting underneath your panels, use chemicals to repel them from staying there.
Finally, you can also use a roost or habitat to prevent birds from nesting underneath your solar panels.
