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.
Mynas carry a lot of material and are famously untidy with it, so expect this run to need clearing annually. Anything packed between the pins is a surface they can stand on.
An Introduced BirdThe common starling is not native
304 Stainless PinsThey do not rust, even on the coast
For Narrow SurfacesWhere the pins fill the width
Close The Gaps TooSpikes for ledges, netting for spaces
About this product
Starlings arrive in hundreds. Take away the ledge they line up on.
Stainless strips for the ledges, beams and fence tops starlings use. The common starling is introduced here, so the job is practical rather than legal.
The common starling is an introduced bird in Australia. It is glossy black with a purple and green sheen, speckled in winter, with a pointed yellow bill in spring.
Starlings are medium-sized birds. Spikes work well where the pins fill the surface, such as sills, beams, gutter lips and sign tops. On a wide ledge, use two rows or think about netting.
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.
Starlings roost in big flocks on ledges, beams, signs and gutters, and nest in any gap they can get into: roof spaces, eaves and wall cavities.
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.
Starlings are flock birds. One ledge can hold dozens at dusk, and they will squeeze into any gap in a roof or wall to nest. Spikes deal with the ledges; closing gaps deals with the nests.
Check the bird before you start. The common starling is introduced, but plenty of native birds share the same ledges, and native birds and their nests are protected under state and territory law. If you are not sure, wait until any nest is finished with.
A spike strip removes the flat surface a starling needs to land 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.
If starlings are nesting in a gap in the roof or wall, spikes will not help. Close the gap once the nest is empty, or net the space.
What it will not do: if food is nearby, the birds 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 common starling is an introduced species, not a protected native. Native birds and their nests are protected under state and territory law, so make sure of the bird before you act.
How do I identify a starling?
The common starling is an introduced bird in Australia. It is glossy black with a purple and green sheen, speckled in winter, with a pointed yellow bill in spring.
Where do starlings sit on a house?
Starlings roost in big flocks on ledges, beams, signs and gutters, and nest in any gap they can get into: roof spaces, eaves and wall cavities.
Will spikes stop starlings?
On surfaces where the pins fill the width, yes. On a wide ledge use two rows, and for a gap or a roof space use netting or close it off.
What if starlings are nesting in my roof?
Spikes will not help there. Wait until the nest is empty, then close the gap. Our netting suits larger openings.
Do the spikes hurt birds?
No. The pins are blunt at the tip. A bird finds nowhere to stand and goes elsewhere.
Is one row enough?
Up to about 150 mm wide, yes. Wider than that, run two rows near the front and back edges.
What about native birds on the same ledge?
A spike does not pick and choose. If a native bird is nesting there, leave it until the nest is finished with, then fit the strip.
When should I fit them?
Before the breeding season, which runs from late winter into summer. Fitting an empty surface is the easy way to do it.
Do I need to clean the ledge first?
Yes. Scrape off droppings and nesting material and let it dry. Old mess is why a strip lifts a year later.
Why are there so many starlings?
They roost together in big flocks, especially in autumn and winter. A ledge or sign that suits one suits a hundred.
Are starlings in Western Australia?
They are kept out of WA by a long-running control program, and any sighting there should be reported to the state agriculture department.
Starlings are nesting in my roof. What now?
Spikes will not help inside a roof. Once the nest is empty, block the gap with mesh or flashing. Starlings raise two broods a year, so act between them.
Do starlings damage fruit crops?
Yes, in orchards and vineyards they can. Netting is the answer there, not spikes.
Will spikes stop a starling roost on a sign?
Yes, if the whole top edge is covered. Starlings will use any gap, so leave none.
How many strips per metre?
Two, because each is half a metre. Round up.
Can I cut a strip?
Yes, with a hacksaw through the polycarbonate base.
What fixing on a painted steel gutter?
Clean it back to a sound surface and use UV stabilised silicone. Self tappers work but they put a hole in a water carrying part.
Do I need two rows?
Over about 150 mm of width, yes.
Will they rust?
The pins are 304 stainless and will not. Use stainless fixings too.
Are they visible?
The base is clear. On a gutter line or a beam at height they disappear from a few metres away.
Do they need maintenance?
Once a year on a myna run. They carry more material than most birds.
Do you install them?
No, we supply only.
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.
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
5 min readBird Spikes Company
Check the bird first
The common starling is an introduced bird in Australia. It is glossy black with a purple and green sheen, speckled in winter, with a pointed yellow bill in spring. It is not a protected native, but native birds use the same ledges and they are protected under state and territory law, nests included. If you are not sure what you have, leave any active nest alone until it is finished with.
Spikes for ledges, netting for spaces
A spike strip takes away the flat surface a starling lands on. That works on sills, beams, gutter lips, fence tops and sign tops, where the pins fill the width. It does not work on a gap or a roof space. For those, close the gap once it is empty or put up netting.
Get the coverage right
Measure the full run, divide by 50 cm and round up. Anything wider than about 150 mm takes two rows. Cover the corners and the very ends, because that is where the birds go next.
Fix the reason they are there
If there is food about (spilt seed, pet food, fruit trees) the birds will stay in the area. Clean that up and the spikes do the rest.
Flocks and roof cavities
Starlings roost in big flocks and nest in cavities. Spike the ledges, beams and sign tops where they line up. For nests in the roof or eaves, wait until the nest is empty and then close the gap. They often raise a second brood, so the window between broods is the time to do it.
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.
Starling spikes page at birdspikes.net.au (Bird Spikes Company, Australia). The common starling is an introduced bird in Australia. It is glossy black with a purple and green sheen, speckled in winter, with a pointed yellow bill in spring. 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: spikes for narrow surfaces, two rows over about 150 mm, close gaps or net spaces where the birds nest, leave any active nest of a native bird alone. No effectiveness percentage, service life or warranty is claimed. Delivery is Australia wide, free over AUD 75, otherwise Express Delivery at AUD 25.
