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 New Zealand. 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 days, after a 24 to 48 hour handling time.
We give you 14 days from delivery to change your mind on an unused item. That is our own policy, not a New Zealand statutory right, because there is no statutory cooling-off period for an online purchase here. Send it back unused and in resaleable condition and we refund what you paid for it. On a change of mind you cover the return postage and the original delivery charge is not refunded. If the item is faulty.
If it arrives faulty, damaged or not as described, we put it right at no cost to you under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993, return postage included. 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.
304 StainlessChosen for salt air and coastal exposure
Ridges And ParapetsThe lookout spots gulls actually use
Any Run LengthPer 50 cm, butted end to end
Know Which GullSome are protected natives. Read the guide
About this product
A gull needs a runway. Ridges, parapets and chimney tops.
Stainless strips built for salt air, because that is where the gulls are. Read the note on which gulls are protected before you fit anything.
Gulls are the largest birds most New Zealand buildings deal with, and size is exactly why a spike strip suits them: a big bird needs a long, clear approach and somewhere flat to put both feet.
The strip is 304 stainless pins on a clear polycarbonate base, 500 mm long, which is the right material choice within sight of the sea.
Ridges, parapets, chimney tops, flue terminals and the flat top of a light fitting are where gulls sit and where they nest.
Fitting is a clean, dry surface and a good exterior sealant, or screws where there is something to screw into. Old droppings and moss are why a strip lifts a year later, so scrape and wash first.
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.
Before anything else: know which gull you have. The red-billed gull, tarāpunga, is a native species, absolutely protected under the Wildlife Act 1953 and classified At Risk with a declining population. The southern black-backed gull, karoro, is also native but is listed in Schedule 5 of the same Act. Deterring either from a surface is lawful. Interfering with an active nest of a protected bird is not, and the penalties are real.
That single fact changes the plan. Gull nesting runs through spring and early summer, so the window for work on a roof a gull uses is autumn and winter. Spike the ridge before they arrive and the site is simply not available; spike it in November and you may have committed an offence.
The other thing gulls teach you is that they are big enough to sit anywhere. A treated ridge and an untreated chimney gets you a gull on the chimney. Work along the roofline in order and finish the flue terminal and the aerial bracket, which are the two places people never think of.
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 does not make a noise and there is nothing to top up. That is why it keeps working long after a decoy or a gel has stopped.
It also means placement decides the result. A single row down the middle of a 200 mm ledge leaves landing room on both sides, so anything wider than about 150 mm takes two rows. Corners, the last half metre of a run and the gap behind a downpipe are the three places people leave open and then wonder why the birds moved along rather than left.
On what these strips will not do: they are a surface treatment. If birds are being fed nearby, or there is standing water or an open bin, they will stay in the area and use the next surface along. Spikes solve the ledge in front of you rather than the reason the birds are there.
Still deciding?
Not sure yet? That is fine.
You can change your mind. We give you 14 days from delivery on any unused item. That is our own policy rather than a New Zealand 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 resaleable condition and we refund what you paid for it; 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 Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 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.
Some are. The red-billed gull, tarāpunga, is a native species, absolutely protected under the Wildlife Act 1953 and classified At Risk. The southern black-backed gull, karoro, is native but is listed in Schedule 5 of that Act. Either way, deterring a gull from a surface is lawful and interfering with an active nest of a protected bird is not.
How do I tell the two apart?
Size and colour. A red-billed gull is small, white and grey with a bright red bill and legs. A black-backed gull is much larger with a dark back and a yellow bill. If a gull is standing on your ridge looking like it owns the building, it is usually a black-backed.
When can I do the work?
Autumn and winter. Gull nesting runs through spring and early summer, and fitting spikes to a roof with an active nest on it is exactly the thing to avoid.
Where do gulls actually sit?
High points with a view: the ridge, the parapet, chimney tops, flue terminals, aerial brackets and the tops of light fittings.
Do I have to do the whole roofline?
Do the whole of anything you do at all, and finish the small stuff. A treated ridge next to an untreated chimney gets you a gull on the chimney.
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.
Why stainless rather than plastic near the sea?
Because everything near the sea is a corrosion question. The pins are 304 stainless, and your fixings should be too.
Will they stop the noise?
If the noise is birds standing on your roof, yes. Gulls calling from the next roof over are not something a spike solves.
What about gulls dive bombing me?
That is nest defence, and it means there is a nest nearby. Spikes are a next season job; right now, keep clear of it.
Can I use them on a flat roof?
Only around the edges. A large flat area needs netting or a wire system, not spikes.
Will they work on a chimney?
Yes, on the flat top of the stack and the flaunching. Keep clear of the flue opening itself.
Can I fit them to a flue terminal?
Around it, never over it. Nothing should restrict a flue.
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.
How many strips for a 10 metre ridge?
Twenty, because each is half a metre. Round up if the run does not divide neatly.
Can I cut them to fit?
Yes, with a hacksaw through the polycarbonate base.
Will they follow a curved parapet?
In short lengths. Cut and step them rather than bending a long strip.
Do gulls get used to them?
There is nothing to get used to. It is not a scare device; the surface is simply no longer standable.
Will they hurt a gull?
No. The pins are blunt at the tip and the bird leaves without touching down properly.
What about gull droppings already on the roof?
Clean the surface before you fix anything to it, and wet the deposit down rather than sweeping it dry.
Do gulls damage a roof?
The nesting material does. A gull nest in a valley or a box gutter holds water, and that is where the damage starts.
Can I use these near a fish and chip shop or a wharf?
Yes, and expect the pressure to be constant. Where food is the draw, spikes protect your surfaces and change nothing about the number of gulls.
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.
Is there anything I need to know about New Zealand law?
Yes, and it is worth reading before you fit anything. Native birds are absolutely protected under the Wildlife Act 1953, and that protection covers the nest and the eggs as well as the bird. Deterring a bird from a surface is lawful. Damaging an active nest is not. Fit outside the nesting season.
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 14 days from delivery to change your mind on any unused item. That is our own policy rather than a New Zealand statutory right, and it sits on top of your Consumer Guarantees Act rights, which are not affected.
Who do I ask if my question is not answered here?
Email theteam@birdspikes.co.nz. Tell us the bird, the surface and roughly how long the run is, and we can usually answer in one reply.
The complete guide
Gulls, the Wildlife Act, and when you are allowed to do the work
6 min readBird Spikes Company
Identify the bird first
This is the one page on the site where the law comes before the product. The red-billed gull, tarāpunga, is a native species, absolutely protected under the Wildlife Act 1953 and classified At Risk with a declining population. The southern black-backed gull, karoro, is also native but is listed in Schedule 5 of that Act.
Deterring either from a surface is lawful. Interfering with an active nest of a protected bird is not, and the penalties are not nominal.
Telling them apart is easy once you look. A red-billed gull is small, white and grey with a bright red bill and legs. A black-backed gull is much bigger with a dark back and a heavy yellow bill.
Do the work in autumn or winter
Gull nesting runs through spring and early summer. Spike a ridge in April and the site is simply unavailable when they arrive. Spike it in November and you may be committing an offence, quite apart from being dive bombed while you do it.
If you are being dive bombed now, there is a nest nearby and this is next season's job.
Gulls sit high and they sit everywhere
A gull wants a lookout. That means the ridge, the parapet, the chimney top, the flue terminal, the aerial bracket and the top of any light fitting. A treated ridge with an untreated chimney gets you a gull on the chimney, looking pleased with itself.
Work along the roofline in order and finish the small items. Those are the ones people forget and they are the ones the gull moves to.
Coastal fixing
Everything within sight of the sea is a corrosion problem. The pins here are 304 stainless. Your fixings should be too, and the surface needs to be genuinely clean before adhesive goes anywhere near it, because salt film defeats silicone.
What spikes cannot do
They cannot treat a flat roof, only its edges. They cannot stop gulls on the building next door. And where the draw is food, from a takeaway, a wharf or a bin, they protect your surfaces and change nothing about the number of birds.
Access
A coastal roof edge in wind is not a ladder job. This is one of the few products on the site where we would actively suggest a contractor.
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 New Zealand on orders over $75.
Anti-Seagull Spikes sold by Bird Spikes Company at birdspikes.co.nz. Stainless steel spike
strips for gulls on roof ridges, parapets, chimney tops, flue terminals and light fittings: 304
stainless pins on a clear polycarbonate base, 500 mm long, 115 mm pins, 70 mm protected width,
NZD 12 per 50 cm strip with no minimum. 304 stainless is chosen for coastal salt exposure. Gulls
are large birds needing a long clear approach and a flat surface for both feet, which is why
spiking suits them, and a partly treated roofline simply moves them to the untreated chimney or
flue. NEW ZEALAND LAW, and this is the important part of the page: the red-billed gull
(tarapunga) is a NATIVE species, absolutely protected under the Wildlife Act 1953 and classified
At Risk with a declining population; the southern black-backed gull (karoro) is native but is
listed in Schedule 5 of the same Act. Deterring a gull from a surface is lawful; interfering with
an active nest of a protected bird is an offence. Gull nesting runs through spring and early
summer, so roof work is done in autumn or winter. No effectiveness percentage, service life or
warranty is claimed. Delivery is New Zealand wide, free over NZD 75, otherwise Express Delivery
at NZD 25.
