Song birds are welcome on the windowsill or the front yard or even just hopping around the front yard. But when it comes to a garden, birds may not be as welcome. No matter how lovely they sound, birds can quickly strip a vegetable or fruit garden of its produce. When that begins to happen, bird control becomes a primary goal of gardeners around the world.

There is the tried-and-true scarecrow. But birds are smart animals. Once a scarecrow has stood on the same spot of ground for more than a few days, the birds figure out that it isn’t going to cause them any grief. They may even find that its head and shoulders provide perfect spots from which to consider what they’re going to have for breakfast every morning.

One bird control trick is to add some movement to that scarecrow. Add a child’s pinwheel to it. In fact, add several pinwheels. The movement will frighten the birds away. A little noise would help, too. Position the pinwheels close to each other so that their wheels clatter together as they move.

Anything that moves in the breeze can be attached in or near a garden. Strips of lightweight aluminum foil can positioned to flap in the wind. Their shiny surfaces will reflect movement of people and trees, too, and visual movement is another bird deterrent. Party streamers or flags will work in the same way and add bright ornamentation to the garden.

Buy or build garden ornamentation that is mounted on loose springs. Not only will these frighten away the birds, but these can be fun for the kids, too, as they bounce around. And if bells are hung from them, they will offer a double-whammy to those winged intruders.

Bird netting is helpful in fruit trees, but it can be a hassle to put up and take down. Placing a fake owl or snake in fruit trees could be just as effective, especially if they are moveable.

The trick is to keep trying different things until the birds get the message: move on!