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Written and reviewed by Elaine Bliss, Technical Manager, PestFix
Last reviewed 5 October 2026
Use bird spikes when pigeons or gulls are landing on straight ledges, sills, parapets and gutters and you want the lowest cost per metre: stainless steel pigeon spikes cost from £2.04 a metre. Use bird repellent gel when the surface is awkward to spike, such as cornices, signs, beams, angled or vertical surfaces, or when the building is listed or sensitive and you want a low profile treatment with no drilling. The dish gels, Bird Free Fire Gel and Ornaway optical gel, cost more per metre but state at least two years of protection when installed correctly. Many buildings use both, with spikes on the plain ledges and gel on the features that are hard to spike.
Prices checked on 5 October 2026 and taken from the EnviroGuard shop. All prices include VAT.
Bird gel and bird spikes side by side
| Bird spikes | Bird repellent gel | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Rows of spikes leave no room for a bird to land or settle on the ledge. | Dish gels (Bird Free Fire Gel and Ornaway) appear to birds like fire, so they avoid the area, and Ornaway also repels by its mint scent. Sticky gel makes the surface uncomfortable for birds’ feet. |
| Birds | Pigeon spikes for feral pigeons and doves; taller seagull spikes for gulls; closer spaced small species spikes for starlings and sparrows | Bird Free Fire Gel: feral pigeons, lesser black-backed gulls and other pest birds. Ornaway: pigeons, starlings and sparrows, and gulls only at occasional roosting sites. Sticky gel: pigeons, starlings and sparrows. |
| Where it suits | Ledges, window sills, parapets, pipes, fences, and gutters or opening windows using clips | Ledges, cornices, roof lines, gutters, signs, balconies and beams. Bird Free Fire Gel can go on vertical surfaces, pitched roofs and angled surfaces, and magnetic dishes suit metal. |
| Fixing | Bonded with spike adhesive, with clips for gutters and opening windows. | Gel in small dishes fixed to the surface, or beads of sticky gel. No drilling. |
| Visibility | Stainless steel pigeon spikes are 110mm high and seagull spikes 165mm. The small species Thistle spike is 62mm high and described as virtually invisible from the ground. | Low profile 8mm dishes. Ornaway dishes are usually invisible from ground level, and the sticky gel is clear. |
| Stated life or warranty | Narrow stainless steel spikes carry a 10 year materials warranty; medium, wide and seagull spikes a 1 year materials warranty | Bird Free Fire Gel and Ornaway: at least two years when properly installed. Sticky gel: replenish every 6 to 8 months. |
| Upkeep | None stated on the product pages | Twice yearly inspections are recommended for Bird Free Fire Gel to repair any worn areas. |
| DIY difficulty | Clean the ledge, cut strips to length at the snap-off points and bond them down. | Clean and dry the surface, wear gloves, and set out the dishes at the spacing for your level of bird activity. Bird Free Fire Gel is a pesticide product, so follow the label. |
| Typical materials cost | £2.04 to £3.54 per metre for stainless steel spikes, plus adhesive at £7.93 a tube (about 8 metres per tube) | Bird Free Fire Gel £48.90 for 15 dishes (up to 5.25 linear metres); Ornaway from £41.25 for a tube and 15 dishes; sticky gel £15.99 a tube (about 3 to 4 metres) |
The products compared
Bird spikes
The width of the ledge decides the spike. Narrow stainless steel pigeon spikes protect ledges 60mm to 125mm wide at £2.04 a metre, medium spikes 140mm to 165mm at £2.94, and wide spikes 180mm to 205mm at £3.54. Gulls need the taller seagull spike, 165mm high, at £3.36 a metre. Starlings and sparrows can pass through pigeon spikes, so they need the closer spaced Small Species Plastic Bird Spike, at £10.20 a metre for up to 50 metres.
Spikes are bonded with adhesive such as Fix All Crystal, at £7.93 a tube, which lays about 8 metres. On a gutter, pigeon spike gutter kits hold the spikes on clips, with 1 metre of spikes on 6 gutter clips per kit, and pigeon spike window kits let you protect the ledge in front of an opening window, from £41.42 for a 5 metre kit. Our bird spike cost guide compares every width, and our bird spike fitting guide shows how to fit them.
Bird repellent gel
Bird Free Fire Gel comes ready made in 15 low profile dishes for £48.90, enough for up to 5.25 linear metres. It is oil based, so it is not affected by extremes of temperature, wind, rain or snow, and its product page states at least two years of protection if installed correctly. A pack of 15 magnetic dishes for metal surfaces costs £54.90, or you can add dish magnets to standard dishes for £12.59 a pack of 15.
Ornaway optical bird repellent gel is made in the UK. A 250g tube with 15 dishes costs £41.25, or £231.58 for six. You glue the dishes down with silicone and fill them from a cartridge gun. Ornaway pre-filled dishes cost £66.85 for 15 and only need gluing down and the film peeling off. Birds do not have to touch Ornaway for it to work, and its product page states at least two years of effectiveness once properly installed. It should not be used to control nesting, feeding or night roosting gulls.
Bird Repellent Gel is a clear, sticky gel laid in parallel beads 5 to 7cm apart on ledges, parapets and cornices. One 283g tube at £15.99 covers about 3 to 4 metres, and the beads need replenishing every 6 to 8 months. A case of 12 tubes costs £159.90.
A worked example
Suppose pigeons are spending the day on a 5 metre stone ledge, 140mm deep, overlooking a place where they find food.
- Spikes: 5 metres of medium stainless steel spikes at £2.94 is £14.70, plus one tube of Fix All Crystal at £7.93. The materials cost is £22.63.
- Bird Free Fire Gel: for daytime loafing near a food source, the product page recommends dishes 20 to 25cm apart. A 5 metre ledge at that spacing needs about 20 to 25 dishes, which is two packs of 15: £97.80. If the ledge was only used occasionally, the wider 30 to 50cm spacing needs about 10 to 17 dishes, so one or two packs.
- Sticky gel: two tubes at £15.99 cover 5 metres for £31.98, replenished every 6 to 8 months.
For a nesting or night roosting site, the recommended dish spacing narrows to 10 to 15cm, which means more dishes per metre.
Which should you choose?
- Pigeons on plain, straight ledges and sills: spikes are the lowest cost per metre.
- Gulls roosting at night, or returning to an empty nest site: seagull spikes. Ornaway’s product page says not to use it for nesting, feeding or night roosting gulls.
- Starlings and sparrows: the Small Species Plastic Bird Spike, Ornaway or the sticky gel, which all list these birds.
- A listed or historic building, or a surface you do not want to drill: gel, which needs no drilling.
- Cornices, signs, beams, pitched roofs, angled or vertical surfaces: gel in dishes, which can go where a spike strip will not sit.
- Metal structures: magnetic gel dishes, or spikes bonded with an adhesive suited to metal.
- Near garden bird feeders or plants that support them: spikes, because the Bird Free Fire Gel and sticky gel instructions say not to apply them on or near feeders.
- You would rather not replenish anything: spikes or the dish gels, rather than the sticky gel, which needs topping up every 6 to 8 months.
When to combine them
Gel and spikes are often used on the same building. Spikes on the long, plain ledges keep the materials cost down, and gel dishes treat the cornices, signs and angled features where spikes are hard to fit. If gulls are the problem across a roof, our guide on how to keep seagulls away matches each gull product to the surface.
The law and active nests
All wild birds, including feral pigeons and gulls, are protected, and an active nest with eggs or young in it must not be disturbed. Spikes and gel are both preventive: fit them before birds start nesting, and if a nest is in use, wait until it is empty. Our guide to bird control and the law explains what you can and cannot do.
Need it installed? Request an installation quote and we will arrange it through our recommended installer, JG Pest Control.
Common questions
What is bird gel?
Bird gel is a bird repellent applied to the places birds land. Optical gels such as Bird Free Fire Gel and Ornaway sit in small dishes and appear to birds like fire, so they avoid the area. Sticky gel is laid in beads and makes the surface uncomfortable for birds’ feet.
Is bird gel better than spikes for pigeons?
Each suits different places. Spikes cost less per metre on plain ledges and sills. Gel suits awkward features, angled and vertical surfaces, and buildings where you want no drilling and nothing visible from the ground.
Does bird repellent gel work?
The Bird Free Fire Gel and Ornaway product pages state at least two years of protection when the gel is properly installed. The results depend on cleaning the surface first and setting the dishes at the spacing recommended for the level of bird activity.
Does bird gel harm birds?
Bird Free Fire Gel is made from non toxic, food grade ingredients, and Ornaway is non toxic and works without birds having to touch it. Do not apply gel on or near bird feeders, or anywhere it might entangle small garden birds.
How long does bird gel last?
Bird Free Fire Gel and Ornaway state at least two years when properly installed. The sticky Bird Repellent Gel needs replenishing every 6 to 8 months.
See our full bird repellent gel range and bird spikes range, read more about Bird Free Fire Gel, or visit our bird control installers page to see who fits what.
