To some people, galahs are colorful, adorable, and are usually grey or pink. To others, the birds are harmful pests, and they will chase them away the moment they spot them, especially on the lawn.
5 Best-Selling Bird Traps
Have galahs become the worst enemy of your lawn? You have tried all the advice from less informed people on how to stop the birds from eating your lawn and nothing seems to work?
Methods You Can Use To Chase Galahs Away
1. Homemade Solutions
One of the most effective homemade repellents for galahs is the garlic repellent. It is easy to use and affordable. Crush garlic cloves and place them in a container.
Add olive oil to the crushed cloves, and mix it thoroughly. Let the mixture rest for one week, before spraying it on your lawn. Garlic usually has a strong scent, that keeps galahs away.
2. Use Shotguns
Shooting the birds using a shotgun is also an effective strategy to get rid of these birds. However, only use this method if it is allowed by the authority in your area. Still, be ready to dispose of the shot birds appropriately.
Leaving them on your lawn would create even more troubles. Shooting is not easy and will work for people with experience.
3. Use Bird Traps
Get bird traps and place them on strategic places on your lawn. Bird traps come in different sizes. Ensure you use the right size since too big or small ones will not be effective. Place seeds on the traps to attract the galahs.
4. Use Spikes
Place spikes all over your fence to deter galahs from getting into your lawn. Mostly, birds will land on the fence before getting into the ground. The spikes will make the birds uncomfortable and will avoid getting into your lawn.
5. Use Decoys
Decoys are statues of predators, used to scare birds away. One of the most common decoys is the owl statue. When you place it on your lawn, the birds will get scared when they approach it and will fly away.
Make sure you change the position of the decoy every day. If you let it stay in the same position, birds will stop getting scared of it. Use more than one decoy in your lawn. Decoys do not require any maintenance and will last for several years.
6. Use Ultrasonic Repellents
Birds are usually keen when it comes to sound. There are ultrasonic devices that imitate predator sounds that scare the birds away. Some can be set to operate at a certain time. The devices will scare galahs and other types of birds away from your lawn.
Galahs are usually intelligent and are not easily deterred. To succeed in preventing them from getting into your lawn, do not use only one method to deter them. Use a combination of methods. Still, do not use a method for too long as they will get familiar with it, and will no longer be scared.
Apart from grass, galahs also love tress. Where they nest in, they also love wood, which they use to trim their beaks.
Why Do Galahs Attack Lawns?
Surprisingly, galahs do not feed on grass blades. They feed on the rhizomes under the blades, and grass seeds. That is why they dig on the grass to reach the rhizomes. They are usually fond of some types of grass, like the Kikuyu grass.
How to Keep Birds from Digging Up Lawn
If you want to prevent your lawn from any damage caused by galahs or birds, then you will be needing to get rid of the insect pests by investing in a pesticide and we recommend that you choose a natural pesticide to avoid any harmful chemical especially if you have a pet of children. You can either chose to hire a professional to do this and you can do it yourself.
When applying pesticides, it is important that you time the application to avoid harming the birds. It is best to apply pesticides in the late afternoon so it will dry quickly by the next morning when the birds reappear on your lawn to search for food. If you have grubs then you will need to apply in late spring or early summer.
Other Pests That May Attack Your Lawn
Often, poorly maintained lawns are more susceptible to attack by pests and diseases. Always feed your lawn with the right fertilizers, avoid overwatering or underwatering. Ensure the grass does not get too long, as it may host dangerous insects such as mosquitoes, which spread diseases.
When you do these maintenance practices, your plants will rarely get attacked, and even if they are attacked, they will be able to fight off the pests.
Always get rid of weeds too. They make a lawn look unattractive, may act as a home for pests, and provide them with food.
If you notice some parts are turning brown, or some spots on the grass, it is a sign that pests have attacked it. To get rid of the pests, you have to identify them first.
Here are some of the most common lawn pests, and the best ways on how to deal with them.
1. Ants
Ants can live inside your house, and even outdoors. The presence of anthills on your lawn is one of the signs that ants have already attacked your lawn. Although they don’t feed on the grass, they can cause discomfort, especially to people who like spending time on the lawn. The ant hills also interfere with the appearance of the lawn. To prevent ants from attacking your lawn, always irrigate it. If they have already attacked it, use ant baits to get rid of them.
2. Ticks and Fleas
Although ticks and fleas will not damage the grass, they cause irritation to both humans and pets. They bite and may even spread dangerous diseases. Basic lawn maintenance practices will keep the pests away. Just mow the lawn regularly, aerate it and avoid overwatering. Use repellents to get rid of them.
3. Moles
Moles dig in a lawn in search of insects. You might never spot a mole in your lawn. The only sign of their presence is piled up soils on some parts of the lawn. The digging destroys the root system of grass, making them weak. Spread castor oil on your lawn to deter them.
4. Billbugs
Billbugs resemble weevils, and they usually have an elongated snout. They feed on a lawn and destroy the grass. To get rid of them, spray diazinon on your lawn.
5. White Grubs
Just like their name, white grubs are usually white and are the larval stages of various insects. They feed on grassroots and leave yellow patches on the lawn. To get rid of white grubs from your lawn, apply neem oil on the affected parts.
6. Dogs
We love dogs as pets, but they can be a nuisance in your lawn. If they keep on sneaking to your lawn, they will urinate on your lawn, and kill the grass within no time. They will also poop on your lawn and leave ugly spots. Fence your lawn well to prevent them from getting in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Galahs feed on rhizomes of grass. They usually dig in the lawn to get the rhizomes. In the process, the roots are damaged and are unable to absorb water and nutrients from the soil. Affected lawns will have brown patches of dead grass over time.
Galahs feed on grass seeds too. They dig into the grass in search of the seeds. They also feed on seeds from trees.
You can keep galahs as pets. Their intelligence is something you can never get tired of. Just learn how to maintain and take care of them.
Although some birds may transmit diseases, this happens rarely. To be on the safe side, try as much as possible not to come into contact with their droppings, or carcasses.
