The Popular Porch Colors That May Be Scaring Birds Away
Birds can fill your yard with endless entertainment, whether they are feasting on seeds at a freshly filled feeder or raising babies in an adorable DIY birdhouse you made. Beyond that, they bring practical benefits to your landscape as well. Many birds serve as garden helpers, assisting with plant pollination and insect control. That said, to keep your yard's avian population from dwindling, make sure to avoid bird-deterring paint colors the next time your porch is due for an upgrade. And the biggest offender tends to be white.
From a bird's perspective, a white structure equals danger, especially when it comes to predators. This is true whether it's a birdhouse or part of a human house. There are a few theories about why white makes birds flee. According to ornithologist Bob Mulvihill of The National Aviary, one reason involves the way this color stands out. Speaking to Martha Stewart, Mulvihill suggested that birds' fear "probably stems from the stark contrast between white and the surrounding environment," adding that birds in fight-or-flight mode "will sometimes flash white wings and tail patches." In other words, birds may feel shocked by white or associate this color with discomfort. Plus, some predators — raptors, for instance — have white undersides, which means seeing this color may remind a bird of being hunted.
White's brightness may also make birds feel more vulnerable to predators. Generally speaking, colors that don't allow birds to blend into their surroundings can increase risk. For instance, a white porch may make a black bird more visible to creatures it fears, including humans. The very thought of this may convince a bird to hightail it out of your yard.
Reflective and artificial colors that can deter birds
In addition to contrasting with the hues of many feathers, making them easier for predators to spot, white also reflects lots of light. Birds find this feature disturbing whether it's on your porch or elsewhere in your yard. Sparrows, starlings, and pigeons fear shiny surfaces for similar reasons. This is why people choose to humanely banish birds from fruit trees with shiny objects such as CDs and aluminum foil.
That's also why, if you're trying to welcome birds to your yard, you'll want to limit metallic colors, mirrored surfaces, and other glimmering items on your porch. Doing so not only prevents them from getting scared, but also saves lives. That's because reflective surfaces can convince some birds they're being attacked by doppelgängers, which can prove fatal if they try to fight back. Likewise, a surface that reflects an image of open space can make a bird think that it can fly straight into it. Unfortunately, perilous consequences are common.
Aside from white, there are a few other colors that certain birds dislike. To attract a diverse set of species to your yard, skip these hues when painting your porch. For example, although hummingbirds are big fans of red, a number of other birds associate this color with aggression and avoid it to stay safe. Many are also suspicious of colors that aren't found in the wild. This means they may circumvent porches featuring cobalt blue and other hues that feel unfamiliar and, by extension, threatening. Thankfully, if your current porch color isn't bird friendly, you can make it more inviting with landscaping. Planting a few shrubs nearby gives feathered friends more hiding places, which can help allay their fears of predators.