A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2005 Ficus Tree Birds

Hello, I am new to the forum from Arizona. I have five beautiful mature ficus trees which block the two-story house behind my lot. Each evening and morning, these trees are covered in black birds. I really enjoy the singing but the mess created by the blackbirds is concerning to me and my neighbors. Does anyone have an effective environmentally safe method to rid the trees of these black birds? They will fly away for a few minutes if I spray the umbrella with my water hose... but they are back very soon.

Thank yoU!

If you utilise the space below the trees in a way that the mess is not a problem, then the problem is resolved. Perhaps a garden of shadeloving annuals or shrubs. You would never need to fertilise. A chicken run is another possibility. A friend once told me never to plant a mulberry tree becuase the birds will eat them and stain my roof. I have so many trees in my yard, a bird doesn't need to sit on my roof. The mulberries are excellent. So maybe it's a need to turn the negative into a positive.