Bird Netting and Crop Protection

Which crops need bird protection?

Birds go after soft, sweet fruit as it ripens: strawberries, blueberries, cherries, grapes, raspberries and some other small fruits, and sometimes newly sown seed and young seedlings. Pressure varies from year to year and place to place. If wild food is scarce or the season is dry, birds turn to gardens sooner.

Watch your own planting. Note which birds visit, when they arrive and what they take, so you know when protection must be in place. Ask your extension office whether any of the birds you see are protected species, since that affects what you may do.

Keep a simple log of ripening dates and bird arrival. Within a year or two you can set a firm date to put the net up for each crop.

When should you put netting on?

Put the net up before fruit begins to color, not after the first losses. Birds learn a food source quickly, and once they are used to a patch they come back. For seedlings, cover them at sowing or transplanting and keep the cover on until they are established.

Plan the removal as well. Leave the net on until harvest is done and then take it down for storage, since long exposure to sun and weather wears it out and a net left on over winter can trap birds and collect snow load.

What types of netting and mesh work?

Bird netting comes in a range of mesh sizes and materials. Choose a mesh small enough to keep birds from passing through or getting their heads and wings caught. Larger openings can entangle birds, so ask your extension office or supplier which size is recommended for the species in your area. Fine mesh may also exclude some insects and pollinators, which matters for crops that are still flowering.

Heavier woven netting lasts longer and is easier to handle than thin plastic, which tears easily and tangles. Check for ultraviolet resistance and buy enough to overlap and secure the edges.

• Pick a mesh size recommended for your birds.
• Use netting only after bloom for crops that need pollination.
• Choose durable, sun-resistant material.
• Measure the planting plus the overlap to the ground.

How should you support the net?

Lay-over netting that rests directly on plants invites trouble: birds peck through it, fruit grows into it and branches snag it. A frame of posts, hoops or a simple wood or pipe structure keeps the net above the plants and gives birds nowhere to perch and reach through.

Make the frame strong enough for wind and wet snow, and tall enough that you can walk in to pick. Build in a door or a zipper-style opening so you can harvest without lifting the whole net.

Think about access for pollinators. Install netting after bloom on crops that need insect visits, so that flowers can be pollinated before the barrier goes on.

How do you close the edges?

Birds find gaps. Gather the net to the ground and secure it all around with staples, soil, boards or weights so there is no opening at the bottom, at corners or at gates. Check where the net meets posts, fences and buildings.

Walk the net each day while it is up. Look for tears, lifted edges and, most important, any trapped animal. Fix problems immediately.

What about trapped birds and wildlife safety?

Loose, large-mesh netting is a danger to birds, snakes and other wildlife that can become tangled. Keep the net tight and supported, and check it often. If an animal is caught, handle it carefully. Wear gloves, and for a bird of any size, call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or your state wildlife agency for advice, since many wild birds are protected by law and rules vary by state.

Do not use sticky or poisoned products to deter birds. These can harm non-target animals and may be illegal.

Are scare devices worth trying?

Reflective tape, decoys and noise devices can reduce bird visits for a short time, but birds learn to ignore them. Move or change them often if you try them, and treat them as a supplement to physical protection, not a replacement.

Count the cost against the crop. Netting, posts and labor add up, so match the investment to the value of the planting and the pressure you face. Store the net clean and dry so it lasts several seasons. Keep a record of which crops needed netting, the dates it went up and came down, and how much fruit you saved, so that the next season's plan rests on your own numbers.

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Homestead & Small Farm Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.