Anti Bird Net Mesh Size Guide for Orchards and Vineyards

A single flock can strip a grape row in an afternoon. Bird netting is the cheapest insurance an orchard can buy, but only if the mesh size matches the intruder. Here is the field guide.

Mesh size vs problem

Two units appear in this table and they are often confused. Mesh opening in millimetres describes the size of each hole, used for bird and hail nets. Mesh count (40 mesh, 50 mesh) counts holes per inch, used for insect screens: the higher the count, the finer the fabric.

Choosing for common crops

Grapes and berries: 15 to 25 mm mesh keeps out sparrows and starlings, the main culprits. Smaller mesh adds cost and cuts airflow without adding protection.

Pomegranate, guava, cherries: the same 15 to 25 mm range works; pick the smaller end where small birds dominate.

Apples in hail belts: hail netting at 4 to 10 mm does double duty against birds. In Himachal and Kashmir, hail net structures have become standard on commercial orchards.

Vegetable and melon plots near roosting sites: light 20 mm netting draped on simple hoops is usually enough for the fruiting weeks.

White or green?

Anti bird nets are commonly white or translucent so they steal as little light as possible from the crop, which is exactly what you see on commercial apple orchards. Green versions blend into the landscape and are popular for boundary and terrace use.

Installation tips that double net life

Keep the net tensioned so birds bounce off instead of getting tangled, leave a hand's width of clearance above the canopy, fix edges with clips or wire rather than knots that concentrate stress, and take the net down gently at season end if the structure is temporary. A UV stabilised HDPE bird net treated this way routinely serves five seasons or more.

Ready to cover your orchard?

Tell us your row length, structure type and the bird species you are fighting, and we will quote the right mesh, width and quantity, cut to your sizes.