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Does mint deter birds?

17 years ago

My wife and I have a multiple tier waterfall/pond, and for years have enjoyed the many birds that come ALL day to bathe and drink. We had robins, cardinals, grosbeaks, orioles, buntings, the list goes on and on. Just recently, the birds have completely disappear. You can now sit there for hours at a time and not a single bird will appear. There were always multiple birds there at any given moment before.

I know the water is still ok, because the fish have not been affected at all.

My only guess is that we have a water plant known as a water mint that has gotten really aggressive and overgrown.

Does anyone know if mint is a natural deterent to birds?

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Comments (3)

litholad
17 years ago
I don't think so. I have mint growing in a large pot close to a feeder on my patio and the ground feeding birds like doves and house sparrows weave in and out of it looking for dropped seeds.
I'm a gardener, and I learned the hard way to keep mint in a container, as it is very invasive and difficult to get rid of. But I also enjoy the occasional mint julep and mojito, and one has to have fresh mint.
alan_la
17 years ago
You probably have a Coopers Hawk visiting your yard.
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cjc45
17 years ago
or a cat.

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