Birds and trees come in pairs. Where ever there are trees, there are bound to be birds. In most cases, this combination makes for a pleasant environment. Not only do you benefit from a tree's shade, air-cooling abilities and beauty, but you also get to enjoy the animals they attract, like squirrels and birds. Trees by driveways, however, are seldom synonymous with tranquillity due to the mess that rains down on your car throughout the year.

Bird Droppings Harm Paintwork

In spring, it's the bird poop, in summer, the seed casings and berries, and in autumn it's the leaves. However, while the seeds, leaves and berries merely make a mess, bird poop has been proven to damage car paintwork. In sunlight, the paint on a car softens and expands while at the same time drying out any bird droppings clinging to the surface. Later, when the paintwork cools, it hardens, taking some of the bird droppings with it.

This combination dulls your car's paintwork. Fortunately, you can prevent this from happening.

Prune the Tree to Stop Birds from Roosting

By hiring an arborist to prune the tree, you can keep the tree and lose the birds. The arborist will trim the tree branches removing the birds' favoured roosting spots without harming the tree. This is not something you should attempt to do yourself if you lack knowledge on trees as you could seriously harm the tree and leave yourself with a skeletal eyesore in future.  

Move the Tree to Another Area

Although transplanting a tree is a complicated process as well as expensive, it is possible to move the tree to another area of your yard. Call a local arborist to arrange for this sensitive but practical solution.

Get a Car Cover

A car cover is a simple way to protect your car from bird droppings without investing much in the way of time and money. Easy to find and customisable, a car cover will allow you to keep both your tree and its adopted bird clan.

Place an Awning Over Your Driveway

A driveway awning won't just protect your car from bird droppings, but it will also serve as an added layer of cover, keeping your car cool on hot summer days.

Cut the Tree Down

This might be the least popular option on the list, but it is the only one that completely frees up your driveway space whilst removing the mess that comes with having a tree in such close proximity.

If the negatives of bird poop outweigh the positives of birdsong and shade, call an arborist near you to discuss the options available. If the tree is important to you, then you can develop a plan of action together with your arborist that removes the birds but not the tree.