25 Ways to Keep Ducks, Geese & Birds Out of Pool

Are you constantly finding ducks, geese, and birds not just in your backyard but in your pool? Fortunately, we have felt your pain, you are not alone in this bird battle, and we understand the frustration. That’s why we’ve come up with a list of ways to keep those feathered frenemies out of your pool.

Nobody likes birds in and around their pool area. Especially when you have to maintain and clean your pool on a more regular basis because of these pool invading beings. Read on to find out how to claim your pool back from the class Aves that have taken over. 

25 Ways to Keep Ducks, Geese, and Birds Out of the Pool 

1. Invest in a solar cover for your pool.

Not only will a solar pool cover keep your water slightly warmer, but it may also deter uninvited swimming guests such as ducks and birds from entering your pool. 

Here is a list of advantages to getting yourself a solar pool cover:

• Uses the sun’s energy to keep your pool warmer by trapping heat between the “bubble wrap” style of the cover and the water’s surface. 

• Cuts down on water and energy costs by naturally warming and stopping natural evaporation.

• Helps to prevent debris, algae, and rubbish from entering the pool. 

• Less pool maintenance is required. 

• Prevents chemical loss by preventing evaporation, keeping your pool cleaner for longer. 

• Inexpensive, easy to install, and lightweight. 

• Prevents wildlife from getting into the pool. 

If you’re thinking about purchasing a solar pool cover, we have a full blog post on this:
Solar Pool Blankets – Don’t get ripped off choosing a pool cover

2. Use a motion sensor sprinkler

I call this the animal repeller. Just like an insect repeller, but in a humane and environmentally friendly fashion. This battery-powered yard enforcer acts as a type of security guard for your lawn and your pool. 

When the sensor is activated, it emits a small amount of water, but enough water to spray as far as the animal (or unsuspecting person) that has set it off. 

Remember to turn off the sprinkler when you’re planning on using the pool or walking in the yard, otherwise beware of getting your clothes wet when you forget. 

Here’s why we like the motion sensor sprinkler:

• Repels and deters animals from using the pool.

• Simple battery-operated device. 

• Works in daylight and has nighttime sensor activators too.

• 24/7 activation.

• Conserves battery and water. 

• Detects up to 40 feet. 

3. Use pool toys to divert them

Most birds aren’t used to close human proximity. If they’re not hand-reared animals, moving objects and beings spook birds quite easily. Invest in a few floating toys that you don’t mind leaving in the pool to scare birds away. 

Here are a few options you might like to consider:

• Floating balls. 

• Pool volleyball net. 

• Colorful floating fish. Like this one:

• Small boats.

• Inflatable seats. 

The bonus of this solution is that you get plenty of fun things for you and your family and friends to enjoy in the pool. 

4. The pool guarding gator  

Depending on how you feel about gators, you might be interested in the pool guarding gator. He quietly floats around the pool, making eyes at the birds, and easily intimidates them away from the pool. No one wants to come up against a croc. 

There are some pros and some cons to this option:

• Check the sizes of the gator you want to purchase; some are too small to scare birds. 

• It may not work. Some ducks might not even realize what a gator is, making this floatable option good for a pool toy and scaring the neighbors but nothing more. 

• Some reviews are great, some reviews say it doesn’t work. It’s up to you whether you think a scary gator might do the trick.

• Great for pranks. 

5. Time to get the garden hose out

Please keep in mind, using a garden hose to shoo these guys away is not cruel and it is not inhumane. Spraying unwanted animals with the hose will not hurt them but it will deter them from going into the pool, on your deck, your lawn and discourage them from coming back. 

We do NOT recommend using a high-pressure hose as this will harm any animal that encounters the high pressure of the water. Use only a simple garden hose. You may not even have to hose the animals, rather try to hose beside them or around them to direct them out. 

6. Balloons aren’t just for Birthday parties

A cost-effective and colorful solution is to blow up some balloons and throw them in the pool. It’s basically like having a pool full of floating toys but with balloons. 

If you like to maintain your pool toys and want to keep them clean and out of the water, contemplate using balloons instead. 

Balloons come in all different shapes, sizes, and colors and can have various patterns and pictures on them too. When we think of balloons we think of birthday parties, maybe you’ll feel like it’s your birthday every day.

You’ll want to check on the balloons regularly and ensure you clean out any that might have popped while in the pool, so they don’t get caught in the filter. 

7. Install an automatic pool cleaner

I used to have one that I named creepy. I found the slowness and its ability to silently creep up behind me when I least expected it very creepy. Maybe it’ll creep the ducks and birds out too. Enough so that they leave your pool alone. 

As we all know that most ducks are easily scared, the sound and/or vibrations of the moving pool cleaner should do the trick. 

Advantages of using an automatic pool cleaner:

• Cleans dirt, algae, and debris while you’re working. 

• Can be set up on a timer so that the pool is clean and ready to use when you arrive home. 

• Energy efficient.

• Time efficient. 

• Self-navigate the pool. 

• Frighten wildlife and deter them from entering the pool. 

They can be pricey, but considering the list of advantages, they may be worth the dollars spent for a clean, hospitable pool for humans. 

8. Does your pool area have a fence?

Birds don’t feel comfortable when they’re fenced or closed in. With a higher fence around your pool, it might make them think twice about landing there or making their way in from however they usually get to your yard. 

Some benefits of constructing a pool safety fence include:

• Keeps children safe.

• Keeps pets safe.

• Peace of mind.

• Can be designed to your taste and specifications. 

• Prevents uninvited “guests”. 

9. Ultrasonic animal repeller

This motion detecting weapon uses intense ultrasonic sounds that human ears can’t hear to try and stop birds from coming too close to your yard. 

The ultrasonic waves can only be heard by animal ears, so if a family member claims to hear it then you might want to have them checked out at the vet… all jokes aside, this is a purely humane way of deterring birds from landing in your pool. 

The benefits other than deterring various kinds of animals include:

• Solar powered makes for easy-to-use installation.

• Cordless and rechargeable. 

• Waterproof and weatherproof. 

• Only switches on with motion.

The cons are that your dog may not like it.

10. Solar light owls and other solar garden objects

It doesn’t have to be an owl! There are so many different types of solar lights, from owls and butterflies to cats and dogs and cows. Your choices here are endless. 

Although not as effective in the daylight, solar lights can be a great addition to the garden because they look nice and quirky, add character, and in most cases, scare away unwanted pests. Almost like a scarecrow. 

Some solar garden ornaments can also make noises and move slightly in the wind which might also help to get rid of the birds. 

11. Speaking of scarecrows, have you tried a scarecrow?

Designed to scare all kinds of wildlife away and out of farmers’ yards and fields, scarecrows have also been known to be an effective way of scaring birds away from your backyard and pool area. 

Obviously, if you’re not too keen on having a scarecrow in your backyard this is not the option for you. On the other hand, these brainless scarecrows can be a fun family project and you can even make the whole family into a scarecrow family.

12. Windchimes

Wind chimes can be relaxing and birds don’t like noises they don’t understand, so wind chimes could come in handy to keep the ducks at bay.  quite magical to listen to, especially if you’re enjoying a quiet day out by the pool. Ducks and other birds aren’t particularly fond of noises.

The downside of wind chimes as an option? They only work when it’s windy.

13. A blow-up snake

I don’t know how you feel about snakes but I’m not that keen on them. Turns out, neither are birds. Just like the blow-up alligator, you can have an inflatable snake or a few floating around the pool to literally frighten the feathers off the birds. I doubt they’ll come back once they’ve seen the snakes. 

14. Hang some shiny objects

Some birds love shiny, sparkly objects and will steal what they can when they can if it’s shiny and able to fit in their little pockets. Some birds are scared of shiny things. 

Shiny, sparkly, reflectors have helped some people deter ducks. As ducks and birds are quite skittish, reflections can make them jump and hop right out of the pool. 

This doesn’t mean you put glitter in the pool though, please don’t do that. Instead, try putting shiny metallic objects, like CD discs and mirrors, around the pool. In trees, on the fence, wherever you can. Again, the only downside of this option is that it won’t often work at night. 

15. Get yourself a dog, or a cat, whichever you prefer

If it’s a dog that you choose, make sure there’s a gate around the pool so the dog is always safe. If it’s a cat, they won’t go near the water, but they do like to feast on birds and bring them inside to show off their prize to their humans. You might put a bell collar on the cat to stop this from happening though. 

The birds are frustrating, but that doesn’t mean you want them hurt or injured by an always hungry cat. 

The benefits?

• You have a dog. 

• You have a cat. 

The end.

16. Bright colors

Birds like ducks and geese are naturally drawn to water and pond surroundings. 

Ponds and wetlands that are surrounded by green, lots and lots of green and brown. Add some color to your yard, it might stop them from entering all together because brighter colors are unnatural to them. 

Here are some ideas you might consider:

• Deck chairs.

• Cushions. 

• Towels.

• Garden ornaments and spinning pinwheels.

• Pool toys. 

• Sculptures and statues. 

• Water features. 

17. Don’t leave any type of food outside

If you’re positive you haven’t left any food outside for the birds to get, ask everyone else that lives in the house. Triple check the kids aren’t feeding them. Feeding animals, birds especially, is basically a “welcome, make yourself at home” invitation.

And once you start that, they’ll keep coming back.

18. Loud noises, leave the radio on. 

As mentioned before, we all know how skittish birds can be the majority of the time. It’s rare to find a bird that doesn’t immediately fly away when you show up or shoo them away. 

Try leaving your radio on to see if it keeps the birds away. If they think humans are around, that means the enemy is around and they might think again about being in your backyard or your pool. 

If the radio isn’t working, try some heavy metal. The loud drums and cymbals might do the trick. Probably best to warn the neighbors though. 

19. Mission impossible wiring

It’s a hassle, and you have to remember to take it down when you want to use the pool but think about using wire across the top of the pool to deter the ducks from landing. If they try, they’ll get a rude shock when their feet touch wire instead of water and off they go again. 

The fishing line acts like an invisible roof over your pool. When the ducks try to land and find they can’t because of this invisible barrier, they have no reason to be there. Farewell ducks, have a lovely day in the lake down the road. 

The downside?

• It’s time-consuming.

• You have to remember to take it off. 

• You need to find somewhere to tie all the fishing lines to, around the pool. 

• The birds may get caught in the fishing line which isn’t a good thing. 

20. Flashing lights

Is your duck problem happening in the middle of the night when you and your household are fast asleep? Have the ducks become smart enough to trick you into thinking that they’re not there just because you don’t see them during the day?

Try some battery-operated floating pool lights. Again, birds don’t like lights and sounds that aren’t natural to them.  

Why a spinning pool light?

• They come in different shapes and sizes for fun.

• They repel birds and other wildlife animals.

• Multiple color options. 

• Can be attached to the pool wall or left to float around. 

21. Bird netting

Netting isn’t ideal as you don’t want to have waterfowl and other animals getting caught in the nets. But, as an option, netting might work for you and your pool. 

It will protect your pool for birds and other animals and also helps to keep your pool clean by catching falling leaves and debris.  

22. Invest in a water pump to disturb the water’s surface

Ducks like a flat surface. A flat surface means there are no predators and they won’t be harmed. Hence why this is on the list. 

Consider a water pump or a water feature that moves the water’s surface around so the ducks believe it’s not safe to land in your pool. 

23. Reflective Bird Diverters

Designed specifically to make birds think that bird predators are in the area and that they’re on the move. A very inexpensive way to try and scare the birds away. 

You can hang the reflectors from trees, balconies, lamp posts, anywhere you think will be eye-catching enough for a bird to know not to land in your pool. 

You might also be interested in bird scare tape. A type of tape manufactured especially for keeping birds away. But this option might not look as clean and nice as the reflective bird diverters. You can grab it here:

24. Remove anything that invites them in

Unfortunately, if you’re new to having a pool and have garden ornaments in your yard like bird feeds, birdhouses, and birdbaths, you may want to ponder whether it’s worth keeping them. 

Having these types of welcoming garden ornaments is an invitation for more birds to join the party in the pool and the garden. Which means more bird mess, more to clean, more animals to try and shoo away, and less time to enjoy swimming in your pool. 

25. Make it difficult for them to swim with a water surfactant

It’s not inhumane, but don’t use this if there’s ducklings about in the area. Using a water surfactant makes the water harder to swim in and can cause smaller ducklings to drown. We don’t want this. 

This surfactant acts to push all the dirt and debris to the side of the pool, essentially creating a surface tension layer in the pool which makes it harder for birds to swim in because it reduces the effectiveness of floating. 

Birds will not have an enjoyable time in your pool with this water surfactant and when they eventually realize they’re not enjoying themselves, they’ll leave to find somewhere they can relax a bit more in the water. 

Conclusion

Birds are great and they’re a beautiful part of nature. What’s not great is the mess they leave behind and the possible parasites they can leave in and around your pool area. Ducks, geese, and birds in the pool are a time-consuming and frustrating encounter. May your contentment fly higher once you’ve made the unwanted ducks and birds fly away with one of the options from the above list. 

Related Reading:
30 Things You Really Shouldn’t Do in a Pool
How to Clean Duck, Geese or Bird Poop Out of Pool