10 Ways to Keep Ducks Out of Your Pool
We’re not the only ones who like to take a dip in the swimming pool! Ducks also love a backyard pool gravitating to the warmer water and looking for a place to swim, feed and nest! While they might look cute bobbing along in your pool, they can be an inconvenient visitor disrupting your pool chemistry and leaving a mess. If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, its shouldn’t be swimming in your pool.
Why You Should Keep Ducks Out of Your Pool?
They poop……a lot. Wherever they land. And like most birds, ducks can carry parasites in their faeces which can spread through contact and even be harmful to humans. So, it’s a good idea to not encourage ducks to consider permanent residency.
10 tips to discourage ducks from frequenting your backyard;
Invest in a Pool Cover – while it may not prevent them from landing on your pool, it will protect your pool water and the balance of your water chemistry. If they leave residual on your cover, hose off away from the pool. Pool covers don’t only keep the heat in your pool but also protect your pool from debris like leaves and dust that can impact your water balance.
Turn Your Pool Cleaner On – ducks like calm water so when your pool cleaner is running and constantly moving around the pool it will help to keep ducks at bay. There’s plenty of other benefits to turning your pool cleaner on – they will collect debris and turn over your water improving circulation, keeping your water looking crystal clear.
Put Floaties and Noodles in the pool – inflatables that have a weight at the base and stand out of the pool can double up as a scarecrow. Also adding floaties or noodles to the pool can appear as a predator from the sky.
Keep Your Pool Clean – a clean pool will be less attractive to ducks who are typically attracted to a pond style environment with algae. Learn more about keeping your pool in tip top condition here.
Liquid Duck Repellent – is harmless to wildlife and humans and works by altering the surface tension of your water, making it difficult for ducks to float. Simply add it to your water, run your filter, and you’re good to go. Ask your local pool store or your service technician which product they recommend.
Paw Patrol – Ducks will see a dog as a natural predator so getting your pooch out in the backyard is an effective and easy solution to send the ducks flying off in the opposite direction!
Motion Activated Sprinklers – while ducks love to cool off in water, a sudden spray of water positioned in the right direction might be enough to give them a nudge away from your pool.
Remove Food Sources – while bird feeders can attract an array of birdlife to your backyard, they can also encourage ducks and other creatures that can spoil your pool area. Fruit bearing trees that produce nuts, berries or any sort of food source that ducks like feasting on should also be avoided.
Wind Activated Garden Features or Wind Chimes – carefully positioned garden features and chimes can act as an effective deterrent.
Keep your Backyard Tidy and Trimmed – Ducks will look for a place to nest near water so it’s a good idea to keep grass trimmed and shrubs to a minimum so they don’t find places to hide out and lay their eggs.