Bird Blockers: Engineering 2026 Solutions

 

Challenge: To using iPads, Tinkercad App and 3D Printer to engineer a solution to a 'bird blocking' problem.

Background: As can be seen in the photograph shown left the birds nesting in seating areas of our school is again producing an issue, as the nesting birds are 'fouling' one of the seating areas where our students eat their lunches.   Our main school block is significantly older than a lot of schools and as a result on the decking outside our school there are various locations where the house sparrows in the area have forced their way into the spaces creating by the building and the decking.

Last year we completed an extensive project on this, which is detailed in-depth on this post from November 2025.

Since that point the sparrows have not nested again in the areas that we secured last year, however they have now created additional nesting spaces.   While we don't particularly look to repeat the same process as last year in this instance the process, the results and the outcomes were the same, however it was a different cohort of students involved.

For this instance the students iPads and the measure app was vitally important.  The location where the 3D Print would ultimate need to be fixed into place was several metres above the ground.   It would not have been safe or possible for the students to measure accurately the space and distance involved in this task.  Using the app allowed the students to accurately measure the distances that they were dealing with.

By using the Tinkercad App the students were able to project their potential designs into the location where the nest entrance was - again the practicality was that this wouldn't have been possible without the app allowing the students to 'project' their ideas to ensure that the entrance would be covered.

As a brief update from last year the November set of printings have lasted the distance without any signs of damage or wear.   The school has been repainted since they were put in place meaning that the prints that were put in place are now indistinguishable from the actual decking itself.

The wedges shown left are a result of last years projects, and we have maintained a group of them depending on what needs to addressed at different locations throughout the school (although it has not been an issue we have potentially thought this could solve any rodent issues if they arose or access points that needed to be sealed for other reasons).

Level of Difficulty: Low - this was completed by a pair of Y4 students who are eight year olds easily within a few minutes, the geometric shapes involved are very simple and the design aspect of it was taken care of by the measure app.  The students simply met with the Principal of the school to address the problem, then spent a short time organising the solution which was then printed.

Size:  The prints to solve this issue were 140mm across were between 40mm and 60mm wide and 20mm thick.  There was a slight 'L' shaped developed so the print could be fixed hard against a join where the nest is located.

Cost/Price: To complete this print the it took 40g of regular PLA filament.  This has a price guide as suggested by Bambu Lab Studios of $0.99 to produce.

Timeframe: Forty minutes to complete the print on the regular settings.  The house sparrow while being an invasive nesting bird is relatively small, hence its ability to get into small gaps and in this instance this suits with the printing because a relatively small hole needs to be covered.   

What we would do differently/Next Steps for the students: Nil - this task is successfully.   We hav shown over time that PLA printing has proven to be effective and works long term.   We have ample evidence that long term exposure to the elements does not weaken the PLA such as this post from last year which is an eight year update on a set of numbers used by our school for evacuation.