Hi all, a different kind of topic but I hope anyone has tips. I have had solar panels for years but since a few months there have been birds nesting under them. Does anyone have any experience with this? I've been googling a bit, do you think this is a good way of repelling birds on solar panels? Or do you have other tips? I could really use your feedback, because I am worried they might break something up there. Thanks in advance! 

Had the same issue last year.

When we installed the system a few years ago, we thought it was "cool" to provide some nesting options for birds. But then the large pigeons moved in. Their shyte and noise started becoming a problem. They nested under there and reared three sets of young.

We decided it was time for them to move on. But that took some effort to accomplish. First I hosed down under the panels to try and get rid of their mammoth nest. Then we had to try and get the new chicks out. They were fully fledged but refused to budge. Even spraying them directly with water did not make them move.

Then one day I was up on the roof having a think about what to do next when the two chicks flew out. Well, we initiated exercise Solar Panel Freedom. This operation involved me shouting and waving my arms around on top of the roof to prevent any of the birds returing to the site. It must have been a real site for the neighbours.

My wife then went and got some plastic bags and a couple of pool noodles that we forced into the gap between the panels and the roof.

It worked. But to make us feel bad, all the birds returned to the site and were strutting around looking for access to their nest. This went on for a couple of days with much cooing going on. We felt bad, but then that passed.

After that, I went to Builders and bought a roll of plastic mesh, the hardy type with about a 2cm square in it. I rolled these up into sausages and "stuffed" then in the gap between the panels and the roof. This worked perfectly and was very easy to install. Obviously I used plastic mesh so as to allow free flow of rain water under the panels.

Since then we have been bird free.

Hope this helps.

MdF

This story deserves to be turned into a movie!