Made for permanent outdoor use. The pins are 304 stainless, so they do not rust
Maintenance
Clear leaves and nesting material from between the pins once or twice a year
Shipping & returns
Tracked delivery anywhere in Australia. Free on orders of $75 or more; below that the only method offered is Express Delivery at $25, which is also available above the threshold as a paid upgrade. Allow 5 to 7 business days, after a 24 to 48 hour handling time.
We give you 15 days from delivery to change your mind on an unused item. That is our own policy, not an Australian statutory right, because there is no statutory cooling-off period for an online purchase here. Send it back unused, in its original packaging, and we refund what you paid for it less a $29 handling fee. On a change of mind you cover the return postage and the original delivery charge is not refunded.
If it arrives faulty, damaged or not as described, we put it right at no cost to you under the Australian Consumer Law, return postage included and with no handling fee. That is a statutory right and nothing on this page limits it.
On a coastal roof, rinse the run with fresh water whenever you next have safe access. Salt is what shortens the life of every exterior fixing near the sea, and the pins themselves are the part least affected by it.
A Protected NativeDeter crows, never harm them
304 Stainless PinsThey do not rust, even on the coast
Sold By The 50 cmNo minimum, buy the run you have
Treat Before NestingFit it before the season, not during
About this product
Crows want a lookout near the bins. Take the lookout away.
Stainless strips for the ridges, poles and sign tops crows use to watch for food. Crows are native here, so deter them, never harm them.
Australia's crows are the Torresian crow and the little crow, both native. The Torresian crow is the big, loud black bird of Brisbane, Darwin and the northern half of the country, and it has moved into towns and suburbs.
Native animals are protected under state and territory law in Australia, and that protection usually covers nests and eggs as well. Deterring an animal from a surface is fine. Harming it, trapping it or moving a nest that is in use is not, unless your state allows it under a permit.
The strip is 304 stainless steel pins on a clear polycarbonate base, 500 mm long, sold per 50 cm with no minimum order. Fit it with UV stabilised silicone, screws or cable ties.
Crows like high, open perches near food: roof ridges, light poles, aerials, school and shopping centre roofs, and the tops of signs.
Measure the whole run, divide by 50 cm and round up. A bare half metre at the end of a ledge is exactly where the birds will go.
In the north, the Torresian crow has learned to live off bins, takeaway scraps and pet food. Take away its lookout and lock up the food, and a busy corner goes quiet.
Spikes suit crows well. A crow needs a clear landing space and room to turn around, and a strip full of pins takes that away. Crows are clever, so cover the whole perch and both ends, or they will shuffle along to the bare bit.
Timing is the part people get wrong. If there is an active nest on the surface, leave it until the young have gone, then clean the surface and fit the strip before the next season. Fitting early is lawful and easy. Moving a nest that is in use is the bit the law cares about.
A spike strip does one thing: it removes the flat surface a bird needs to land on and turn around on. It is not a repellent, it makes no noise and there is nothing to top up.
Placement decides the result. Anything wider than about 150 mm takes two rows, and corners, the last half metre of a run and the gap behind a downpipe are the spots people leave open.
What it will not do: if there is food nearby, an open bin or standing water, the birds will stay in the area and use the next surface along. Spikes fix a surface, not a reason to be there.
Still deciding?
Not sure yet? That is fine.
You can change your mind. We give you 15 days from delivery on any unused item. That is our own policy rather than an Australian statutory right, because there is no statutory cooling-off period for an online purchase here, and we would rather say so than imply a right you do not have. Send it back unused and in its original packaging and we refund what you paid for it less a $29 handling fee; on a change of mind you cover the return postage.
If it turns up faulty, damaged or not as described, that is on us. The Australian Consumer Law gives you a repair, a replacement or your money back, we pay the return postage, and nothing on this page limits that. Read the detail on our refunds and returns page, or ask us anything before you order.
The Torresian crow, common across the north and in Brisbane, and the little crow of the inland. Further south, the big black bird is usually a raven.
How do I tell a crow from a raven?
Hard at a glance. Ravens have shaggy throat feathers and a slow, wailing call; Torresian crows have a sharper, staccato call and often shuffle their wings after landing. Where you live is the best clue.
Why are crows on my roof?
Height and a view of food: bins, pet bowls, outdoor tables. The ridge is their lookout.
Will spikes stop crows getting into my bins?
No. Spikes stop them perching. Use bins with lids that shut, and do not leave pet food or scraps out.
Are crows a problem at schools and shops?
Often, around food courts and bins. Spike the roof edges and sign tops near the food, and keep bins closed.
Will they work on a light pole?
Yes. Cable ties are the easy fixing on a round pole. Cover the top fully or they will sit on the cap.
Can I put them on an aerial or satellite dish?
On an aerial boom, yes, with cable ties. Keep pins off the face of a dish.
Do crows swoop?
Some will near a nest in spring. Give it space, and spike the likely perches once the young have gone.
Will they damage a Colorbond roof?
No. Use a UV stabilised silicone on a clean, dry surface, or the existing ridge cap screws.
How many strips for a 10 metre ridge?
Twenty, plus a spare if there is a join or a corner.
Are crows protected in Australia?
Native animals are protected under state and territory law in Australia, and that protection usually covers nests and eggs as well. Deterring an animal from a surface is fine. Harming it, trapping it or moving a nest that is in use is not, unless your state allows it under a permit. Check with the wildlife agency in your state if you are unsure.
Can I move a nest?
Not while it is in use. Wait until the young have left, then clean the surface and fit the strip so the birds do not come back to it.
Do the spikes hurt birds?
No. The pins are blunt at the tip. A bird finds nowhere to stand and goes elsewhere.
When is the best time to fit them?
Before the breeding season starts, which for most Australian birds is late winter into spring. Fitting an empty surface early is the easy, lawful way to do it.
Will one row be enough on a ridge?
On a capped ridge, usually. On a wide parapet, no. Over about 150 mm you need two rows.
Are they safe on a roof I walk on for maintenance?
The pins are blunt, but a run of spikes underfoot is a trip risk on a roof. Fit them where nobody needs to walk.
How do I fix them to a metal ridge cap?
Adhesive, in most cases. Screwing into a ridge cap makes a hole in the weatherproofing.
Which adhesive on a coastal roof?
A UV stabilised exterior silicone, applied to a surface you have cleaned and dried properly. Salt film is why adhesive fails near the sea.
Can I cut them to fit?
Yes, with a hacksaw through the polycarbonate base.
Are they visible from the ground?
On a ridge at roof height, hardly at all.
Will they rust and stain the roof?
The pins will not. Use stainless fixings or you will get streaks down the cladding.
Do you install them?
No, we supply only, and a roof edge on a coastal building is genuinely a job for someone with proper access equipment.
What is the strip made of?
304 stainless steel pins on a clear polycarbonate base.
How is it sold?
Per 50 cm strip, with no minimum order. Buy the run you have.
How many strips per metre?
Two. Round up rather than leaving a bare end.
What are the dimensions?
Each strip is 500 mm long and 23 mm wide at the base, with 115 mm pins giving about 70 mm of protected width.
Can I cut them?
Yes, with a hacksaw or snips through the polycarbonate base between pins.
How much is delivery?
Free on orders over $75. Below that the only method offered is Express Delivery at $25, and there is no minimum order. Express is also available above $75 as a paid upgrade.
Can I return it if I ordered the wrong number of strips?
Yes. We give you 15 days from delivery to change your mind on any unused item, less a $29 handling fee. That is our own policy rather than an Australian statutory right, and it sits on top of your Australian Consumer Law rights, which are not affected.
Who do I ask if my question is not answered here?
Email theteam@birdspikes.net.au. Tell us the bird, the surface and roughly how long the run is, and we can usually answer in one reply.
The complete guide
How to fit them, and when
6 min readBird Spikes Company
Know your crow
In Australia, the crows are the Torresian crow and the little crow. The Torresian crow is the one people mean in Brisbane, Darwin and across the north: big, black, loud, and very at home in town. Both are native and protected under state and territory law, so you deter them, never harm them.
It is about food
A crow on your roof is usually watching something: an open bin, a pet bowl, a café table. Spikes take away the lookout. Lids on bins and nothing left out takes away the reason to look.
Cover the whole perch
Crows are smart. Leave half a metre bare at the end of a ridge and that is where one will be tomorrow. Measure the run, divide by 50 cm and round up. Over about 150 mm wide, use two rows.
Timing
Fit before spring, when they nest. If a nest is in use, leave it until the young have flown, then clean up and fit the strip.
Tell us the bird, the surface and roughly how long the run is, and we will tell you what suits it before you buy. Free delivery across Australia on orders over $75.
Crow spikes page at birdspikes.net.au (Bird Spikes Company, Australia). Australia's crows are the Torresian crow and the little crow, both native. The Torresian crow is the big, loud black bird of Brisbane, Darwin and the northern half of the country, and it has moved into towns and suburbs. Native animals are protected under state and territory law in Australia, and that protection usually covers nests and eggs as well. Deterring an animal from a surface is fine. Harming it, trapping it or moving a nest that is in use is not, unless your state allows it under a permit. The product is the store's standard 304 stainless steel spike strip on a clear polycarbonate base, 500 mm long, 115 mm pins, 70 mm protected width, AUD 13.20 per 50 cm strip, no minimum order. Advice on the page: fit before the nesting season, never disturb an active nest, two rows on surfaces wider than about 150 mm. No effectiveness percentage, service life or warranty is claimed. Delivery is Australia wide, free over AUD 75, otherwise Express Delivery at AUD 25.
