Laser pointer for scaring birds from your garden, roof or pond

How a laser pointer moves birds on

Many birds see a moving spot of light as an unexpected threat. When a green dot slides slowly towards them across a roof, lawn or jetty, they tend to lift off and settle somewhere else. It is silent – no bangers, no rattles to annoy the neighbours – and nothing touches the bird. It works best in low light: at dusk, at dawn and on dull, overcast days. In bright sunshine the dot is hard to see, for birds and for you.

Which colour and model?

Green is the colour for bird control: it is the most visible of our three colours. Indicatively, a green dot is visible at approx. 100 m in daylight on a shaded surface, approx. 300 m at dusk and approx. 1 km in the dark – more than enough for a garden, allotment, roof or mooring. Red and violet reach much less far.

• G3 Pro – our best seller. Rechargeable 18650 battery, two safety keys, solid aluminium body. Our first choice for regular use at home.
• G1 Pro – the same build plus a removable pattern lens (use the single dot for birds).
• G2 Pro – compact and rechargeable, handy in a coat pocket on the allotment.
• X1 – a simple green laser pen on AAA batteries for occasional use.

All are class 2 with an output up to 1 mW – the class intended for sale to the public in the UK.

Range (indicative)

Step by step

1. Choose your moment. Dusk and dawn work best. Make sure there are no people, pets or vehicles in or behind the area you are aiming at.
2. Start beside the birds, not on them. Put the dot on the ground or roof a few metres away.
3. Move it slowly towards them. A calm, steady approach is more effective than frantic waving.
4. Never aim at the birds' eyes or up into the sky, and never at windows, water surfaces or other reflective surfaces where the beam can bounce.
5. Repeat over several days. Birds learn that a spot is unsafe; consistency matters more than intensity.

Be a good neighbour – and respect the law

Never aim a laser towards roads, railways or the sky: in the UK it is a criminal offence to shine a laser at a vehicle or aircraft, and that includes helicopters and drones operated by the emergency services. Keep the beam low and pointing downwards onto surfaces you control. Wild birds are protected while nesting, so do not use a laser to disturb an active nest – deal with the problem before the breeding season or move birds on from feeding and roosting spots instead.

A laser is not a toy, and it should be kept away from children. More on our laser pointer safety page. Planning evenings outdoors? See also the long range laser pointer guide.