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How to Get Rid of Turkey Vultures (Buzzards)

how to get rid of turkey vultures

Do turkey buzzards ruin your life? No doubt, these large birds can be a true nuisance if they are roosting on your property. Although turkey buzzards’ feces can kill many of the bacteria found in other bird feces, having feces-covered homes and trees is really not a pleasant thing to deal with.

Problems with vultures come in all shapes and sizes and so do turkey buzzards control solutions. Let’s face it, there are many things you don’t know about these birds till the time they get on your property. This is why we decided to help you out. Here you will find out the most effective info on how to get rid of turkey buzzards as quickly as possible.

 

5 Steps on How to Get Rid of Turkey Vultures

Turkey Vultures are a protected species so you can't shoot them. I don't recommend trapping and killing them because these birds eat diseased animal carcasses and other dead animals, which is actually beneficial for the environment as they help to recycle nutrients back into the soil. They also eat insects that might otherwise be harmful to individual trees on your property as well as bird droppings - keeping your yard cleaner than it would be if there were no birds of prey here.

However, there are many other things you can do to make your home unattractive for Turkey Vultures besides just shooting them or having someone else do it for you!

  1. Remove Roosting Sites
    Step 1: Remove Roosting SitesThe more Turkey Vulture nests removed from your property, then the less likely they will use other places on your home or buildings to build new nests again next year.

    Check your roof for leaks and repair any that you find. Scrape out the turkey vulture nests, eggs, and droppings from under your eave or siding.

    You can use a long ladder with a brush attachment on a vacuum cleaner to clean eaves and soffits. Make sure you wear protective eyewear when cleaning around the nest area as there is a risk of being hurt by falling debris. Seal up any holes that you find in your roof, especially at the edge of roof overhangs if there are gaps there. Repair loose flashing and broken shingles immediately.

    Work quickly and do not let the Turkey Vultures see you coming! If they see you coming, then they will wait until you leave to return and lay eggs again in that area of your roof or on a flat surface like a patio roof or home deck - wherever there is an overhang.

    After cleaning the turkey vulture nests, seal all the holes around your home and repair any damaged areas where the birds were able to enter.

    Turkey Vultures readily use these entry points to build their homes and fly right back through them for access into attics! They will reuse those same points each year if it is not sealed off or repaired first. Many entry points can be used by these birds including under eaves, on corrugated metal roofs, through louvered vents, broken windows or chimneys, on roofs with overhangs or eaves.

  2. Remove Food Sources
    Step 2: Remove Food SourcesClean out all the dead leaves, brush piles, and other debris from around your house. Get rid of anything that smells like food - including garbage cans, pet dishes, and compost bins.

    Remove all food sources or any pet foods that might be accessible to birds. If you have an outdoor cat, then your cat should eat indoors at mealtimes. Turkey Vultures are especially attracted to cats!

    This means if there is no dog food outside for them to find then they will leave your property alone and go on looking elsewhere for a meal. If you cannot feed your cat inside, consider getting rid of it so that the Turkey Vultures do not see it as a prey item every time one flies by overhead.

    If you feed wild birds, make sure they can get into their birdhouses without flying over large open fields or lawns where turkey vultures could attack and kill them. They are opportunistic killers.

    Also, make sure there is no additional food in the area that might be attracting these birds like the remnants of a picnic or any open trash cans. Vultures are scavengers and will eat anything if they can get at it without having to move too far from their perch on your house or roof.

    This includes meat scraps, leftovers, or even pet food that is accessible to them. These vultures will also kill pets - especially cats!

  3. Install an Outdoor Motion Detector Light
    Step 3: Install an Outdoor Motion Detector LightInstall an outdoor motion detector light to scare away vultures at night. Install motion-detecting lights around your property, which will make it more difficult for them to roost or nest in trees near your home.

    Motion sensor lights are best for keeping Turkey Vultures off your house. Whenever you step outside, open the door from the inside first and turn on a light before opening the door to come outside again.

    If it is daylight when you go out, then close all blinds or curtains inside so that when they fly by overhead they do not see movement in your home and think there might be something worth attacking.

  4. Keep Birds Away From Your Outdoor Water Fountains and Ponds
    Step 4: Keep Birds Away From Your Outdoor Water Fountains and PondsTurkey Vultures are attracted to open water on your property so try to restrict access to your pond or birdbath.

    If you have a pond on your property, make sure it is free of algae or a dead fish floating in the pond, so it doesn't smell like rotting food to vultures!

    Cover outdoor water fountains with wire mesh screens so that they are inaccessible for birds of prey or install a screen over the hole in your birdbath to allow smaller birds into the bowl while keeping out turkey buzzards.

  5. Contact Turkey Vulture Removal Experts
    Step 5: Contact Turkey Vulture Removal ExpertsIf you have small children, elderly family members, or pets in your home, then it is best to call a professional wildlife removal company that is familiar with these types of birds and how they behave so that the animals can be safely removed from your property.

    Do not approach any nesting areas yourself! Use protective eyewear when cleaning around the nest area as there is a risk of being hurt by falling debris - or an attacking adult bird if one sees you approaching their babies.

Turkey Buzzards: Distribution and Habitat

Turkey vultures in your yardAs a rule, these large scavenger birds are usually found throughout the America. Turkey vulture – also known as a vulture or simply a buzzard – is a permanent resident in the southern United States. However, northern birds may migrate as far south as South America.

Turkey vultures are widespread over open country, shrublands, subtropical forests, foothills, and desserts. They are also found in grasslands, pastures, and wetlands. Turkey vultures are common in relatively open areas – nearby woods – and they don’t like heavily forested areas.

Being gregarious, the turkey vulture roosts in large community groups. Several hundred vultures may roost in groups – on a dead, leafless trees – and nest in caves during the breeding season.

Turkey vultures are extremely communal birds.

There is a whole bunch of reasons, why many homeowners start thinking about ways of turkey vultures’ elimination. These birds can roost on telephone posts, fence posts, towers, and on your property. So, how to get rid of vultures?

Efficient, Humane Methods of Turkey Vulture Removal

When these birds are on your property, get ready to damage and bacteria-ridden droppings they bring with them. The best way to prevent this problem is by using different removal methods.

But before starting the removal you are to know – vultures are scavenger birds that perform the essential task of removing dead animals. Therefore, these birds are protected by law.

All turkey vultures are protected in the USA by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and may not be harmed by the law.
However, human control solutions for vultures’ removal from unwanted areas are allowed.

Remember, you cannot kill or harm buzzards and must use humane methods to deter or remove them. No matter, what type of vulture control problem you are having, we have the solution.

No-Fail Techniques

If you don’t want to make vultures’ control tactics less effective, you are to thoroughly clean all surfaces of vulture’s mess before treatment.  Consider the following removal techniques:

1. Electrified Bird-Shock Tracks

Bird shock tracks are flexible, electrified bird deterrents that can be installed on a variety of surfaces to repel all types of pest birds – vultures, seagulls, starlings, crows, etc. – regardless of infestation level. Just turn the power on and the vultures are gone!

Consider the following:

  • Bird-Zap Shock TrackBird-Zap Shock Track
    Cost: $205
    Where to buy: at Nixalite.com
    How does Bird-Zap shock work: Whena vulture lands or walks on the installed shock track, it receives a brief shock telling it the track is not a welcome place and should be avoided.
    Safety: The product is safe for birds, pets and people.
    Where to use: The product can be effectively used – as an ideal control – for roof peaks, sign letters, AC units, window sills, exposed trusses, ledges, parapets, beams, skylights, etc.
  • Avishock Bird TrackAvishock Bird Track
    Where to buy: at Bird-X
    Benefits: no sharp parts to avoid, snap connectors for faster installation, reduced risk of injury.

2. Bird Spikes

Want the cleanest property in the district? Get bird spikes. Turkey vultures cannot land on uneven surfaces due to the spikes. If you need an effective and humane solution for deterring turkey vultures, birds’ spikes are the best option.

We’ve decided to offer you the best-selling products to pick off:

  • Bird-B-Gone Enviro-Spike Bird-B-Gone Enviro-Spike Bird Spike, Ten-Feet

Cost: $15.00

Where to buy: available on Amazon

Benefits: Spikes do not require assembly and come with pre-drilled holes for easy and quick installation. Another benefit is that these spikes are easy to install in a multitude of settings: parapet walls, ledges, windowsills, rooflines, light posts, awnings signs, etc.

Installation: The following spikes are flexible to fit curved installations and designed with breakpoints to fit different lengths.

Effectiveness: These spikes are effective for vultures as well as for crows, gulls, raptors, and more.

Want to purchase bird spikes of the highest quality? Buy Bird-B-Gone spikes. All Bird-B-Gone products – made in the USA – go through an extensive quality control process.
To see the Bird-B-Gone difference you can compare their products with competitors’ products.

You can effectively prevent Turkey vultures from landing on ledges, rooflines, or railing with Plastic Bird Spikes or Mega Spikes. Want to know how Plastic, Stainless Steel, and Mega Spikes can resolve your vultures’ problem? Read this to know.

3. BroadBand PRO by Bird-X

BroadBand PROPrice:

  • $699.36 at SmartHome
  • $895.00 at Bird-X

Details: The product emits a combination of high-frequency sound waves and audible noises that are silent-to-most-humans.

Effectiveness: Uses naturally recorded bird predator cries and distress calls.

Benefits: Protect buildings from corrosive bird droppings, save yards, parks, pools, ponds from bird damage, prevent the spread of diseases.

Turkey Vulture Florida Problems: Effective Solutions You Need to Know

Vultures attack your carMany people living in Florida are demanding help in getting rid of troublesome vultures. The birds are chewing rubber lining of car doors and windows, ripping shingles off rooftops, and leaving behind an overwhelming nasty smell from their droppings.

Up to 50% of turkey vultures’ diet consists of vegetation.

Turkey vultures on carAs it was said by Florida officials, little can be done about the hundreds of these birds as they are federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. However, some solutions can help you to crack vultures’ problem.

How to Protect Apartment Building From Vulture Droppings

Most people living in apartment buildings in Florida know – vultures enjoy the view from the balcony hand rails.

Problem – Vultures droppings clearly staining the glass balcony walls and ruin the balconies themselves.

Solution – Eliminate the birds using the following products:

  1. Bird Shock Flex TrackBird Shock Flex Track – that can be installed on the railings – is a low-profile ledge deterrent system that is really effective against turkey vultures using the principle of fear and flight, teaching birds to stay away.

    Cost: $191.55

    Where to buy: available at Bird Barrier

    Benefits: Flex Trap is virtually invisible, long lasting product that is available in a vide variety of colors to match the structure.

    Vultures are heavy, aggressive birds that can destroy many control products.
    Electrified heavy-duty wire systems like Bird-Shock, electrical track products, or Bird Fence systems are the most effective methods of turkey vultures control.
  2. Bird Barrier Solar ChargerBird Barrier Solar Charger – this powerful charger supports up to 1,000 feet of track, provides plenty of shock and can be installed in any place that gets several hours of sunlight every day.
    Cost: $267.50
    Where to buy: available at Bird Barrier
    A tip to consider: The solar charger is easily connected to the track with the lead-out wire.

How to Make Your Trees Less Inviting For Vultures

Turkey vultures on treeSteel spike strips are the best solution to prevent buzzards from roosting on many surfaces. But, what if trees are the preferred roosting area?

Just imagine your trees full of mess-making vultures. Very often, the problem is so pervasive that people cover trees in bird netting or chop them down.

We recommend a much more effective, attractive, and long-lasting solution that conditions the vultures to leave the protected tree for good. The name of the solution, most property owners have been asking for, is The Tree-Shock™ system.

Tree-Shock™ system information

Tree-Shock systemDetails: The product was designed to have a unique, esthetically-pleasing appearance.

Cost:

  • $100 for Tree Shock – 25 ft
  • $248 for Tree Shock – 50 ft
  • $1,225.00 for Tree Shock – 250 ft
  • $2,440.00 for Tree Shock – 500 ft

Where to buy: available at Bird Barrier

Benefits: The product is easy to mount and connect, fast and easy to install, has flexible, tubular construction that conforms to all branch configurations.

Installation: Attach to branches with cable ties; connect to charger unit with lead-out wire.

Effectiveness: Effective against all bird species.

A tip to consider: Mount to branches to form an outer shield.

Every year vultures cause millions of dollars of damage to homes, boats, small businesses, corporate and professional buildings. In addition to property damage, there are serious health hazards caused by the droppings of these big birds. Use our effective tips and keep vultures in check by using efficient products and installing bird control systems.

The Final Word on How to Deal With These Nuisance Birds Once And For All

You have all the information you need now about how to get rid of turkey vultures for good to have a safe and enjoyable environment on your property.

Also, if you have any useful information to add about how to get rid of them in the comments below, please share! I want this to be a place where everyone can come for help with this problem – and help others at the same time. Now that most people know how to get rid of turkey buzzards, they never need to suffer from them again! Please pass this information on to anyone who might find it useful.

Happy Turkey Buzzards removal!

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