16/06/2025
10 years ago MBC fitted an
Avi shock bird deterrent system to the biggest new build house on Sandbanks
Peninsula, Dorset. At the time it was quite a project, with no guarantees it would actually stop the gulls from pitching on the zinc roof, which had come under attack the minute it was completed.
Today we were called in to do some repair work on a small section of the boat house which had started shorting out and clicking continuously during damp conditions.
As we wanted maximum effect, I wired it in such a way that that made all tracks live, rather than one live and one neutral on each, clever at the time as wherever the gulls pitched it would disperse them immediately.
The home owner and his maintenance manager called in the original electrical engineer to do the repairs initially, but for some reason he did a bodge repair to a broken live using a block connector but couldn’t figure out how the system worked due to the hidden neutral wire. He recommended going back to the original installer MBC Bird And Pest Solutions, whereby they contacted us through the building contractors.
When we turned up today I was unsure what to expect so took some of the older original track and fittings which I had kept just in case, and some of the new design Avi Shock which is much improved on the original.
Getting stuck in we soon figured out the problem, but have to say I was totally amazed to see how well everything had lasted in saltwater conditions for 10 years, and the adhesive used was still holding the track in place admirably.
A proper repair to the bodge job, a clean to all of the joints and connections, new connectors replaced where required and we were good to go.
We eventually turned on the Avi shock energiser and it started pulsing successfully, no clicking and upon testing we were getting 5000volts along every line.
Avi shock is probably the best system available against gulls on roofs such as this one, it covers the ridges and all leading edges but educates the birds into thinking the whole roof is live.
It works similarly to an electric livestock fence, pulsating at 5000volts but minimal amps of 0.002A. So won’t kill the birds. It has been successful in preventing gulls sitting or nesting on this roof for 10 years with no maintenance at all during that period.
Interested contact us
Tel: 07968052219
Or www.lesterbirdandpest.co.uk