Have you put in the time and effort to cultivate a garden, plant a flowerbed, or care for fruit trees in your yard?
If you have, the last thing you need is for local wildlife to wander onto your property and help themselves to your plants and produce, leaving a smelly ‘tip’ on departure!
Depending on your location, you could deal with anything from squirrels and possums to roaming herds of deer and even bears that decide to descend on your yard!
Not a fan of venison? Looking for a humane solution to show these critters the door?
A motion-activated sprinkler could be the answer you’re looking for!
In This Guide – We share 8 of the best motion-activated sprinklers and explain why they are one of the best natural pest deterrents.
What is a motion-activated sprinkler?
Motion-activated sprinklers are a popular scare pest deterrent that combines a motion sensor with a sprinkler to release a jet of water whenever the device detects the movements of a trespassing animal.
Many sprinklers make a loud clicking sound when they are activated.
The best motion-activated sprinklers effectively combine movement, water, and sound to scare away even large wild animals like deer.
The position and sensitivity of the motion sensor determine the caliber of the pest the sprinkler will target.
Key benefits of motion-activated sprinklers to deter pests in your yard
Motion-activated sprinklers are a low-maintenance solution for repelling animals from your yard and keeping them out.
Despite their simplicity, they are surprisingly effective.
Here are 3 key benefits of using a motion-activated sprinkler in your garden.
1. They are 100% harmless!
With these clever sprinklers, you aren’t laying down poison traps or frying yourself on electric fencing.
You’ll give the offending critter the fright of their life with a simple spurt of water.
2. Multi-sensory deterrent
A motion-activated sprinkler is ideal for your yard because it surprises the animal with sight, sound and sensation.
This makes the deterrent very powerful and animals that encounter it won’t want to return!
3. These sprinklers can water your yard too
Motion-activated sprinklers have a dual function and can operate just like regular garden sprinklers.
This makes them a great 2-for-1 purchase for tending to your yard.
Buyer’s guide for motion-activated sprinklers
Looking for motion-activated sprinklers for your backyard?
Here are the key features and functions to look out for.
The type of animal the sprinkler targets
Motion-activated sprinklers can target a wide range of pests from birds to bears.
The motion sensors on these sprinklers vary in sensitivity and height at which the water jet is sprayed.
Check the species that the sprinkler can deter to ensure that it will work on your unwanted visitors!
The level of motion-sensor coverage
Check the range and angle of the motion sensor to get the coverage you need.
Most sensors can detect animals at a distance of 30 feet, with the best motion-activated sprinkler operating at a distance of 40 feet or more.
Adjustability
Look for a motion-activate sprinkler that you can adjust to the correct height and angle for your location and target species.
This increases the sensitivity of the motion sensor, especially if you are dealing with small animals like squirrels or opossums.
Daytime and nighttime function
Some sprinklers work during daylight hours and others throughout the night with programmable settings, so you can choose when you want your sprinkler to operate.
Water-saving
The best motion-activated sprinklers will save water by limiting the duration of time they activate to a few seconds unless you change the settings to water your lawn.
Some of these devices use as little as a few cups of water per day.
A solar panel to recharge batteries
A solar-powered water sprinkler makes sense as it is staked outside all day.
Buying a motion-activated sprinkler that has solar-charged batteries saves time on maintenance and the cost of replacing batteries.
8 of the best motion-activated sprinklers to deter pests naturally
This section of pest deterrent sprinklers has market-leading technology and features for keeping even the most hardened four-legged offenders out of your yard.
Here are eight of the best motion-activated sprinklers on the market today:
1. Orbit Yard Enforcer Motion-Activated Sprinkler
Specifications
- Target species: Deer, bobcats, dogs, cats, large birds, skunks, rabbits, raccoons
- Range: 40 feet (12.1 meters) – 120 degree angle
- Power: 4x AA batteries
- Dimensions: 10 in x 5 in x 24.5 in (25.4 cm x 12.7 cm x 62.2 cm)
- Weight: 2.5 pounds (0.9 kilograms)
- Colour: Black
- Material: Plastic and zinc
Description
This motion-activated sprinkler is the market leader for humanely deterring a whole range of animals and critters from your property.
The Orbit 62100 will consistently deliver a powerful spurt of water targeting detected animals day and night!
It is highly programmable with on-demand activation, which means it will only work when you need it.
Install the Orbit 62100 Yard Enforcer, simply by pushing the stake of the sprinkler into your lawn and hooking it up to your hose via the quality brass connector.
This battery-powered device has intelligent sensing technology that targets known pests (rather than trees or breeze) within a 40-foot range with spray coverage over a 120-degree angle.
The Orbit Yard Enforcer also doubles up as a regular lawn sprinkler which can provide 360-degree coverage and timed watering settings.
Pros
- Choose from three detection modes: set your motion-activated sprinkler to operate only during the day, or at night, or protect your yard 24 hours per day for total confidence that your prized plants are protected.
- Adjustable spray zone: the Orbit 62100 Yard Enforcer coordinates with additional impact sprinklers that can be connected to it via dual flow-through ports on the sprinkler. You can also use these ports to connect multiple Orbit Yard Enforcers for expansive coverage.
Cons
- Some users have reported leaking.
- Some purchasers reported that the detection was inconsistent.
2. Hoont Cobra Animal Repeller Solar-Powered Motion-Activated Water Blaster
Specifications
- Target species: deer, birds, dogs, cats, large birds, skunks, rabbits, raccoons
- Range: 30 feet (9.1 meters) – 120-degree angle
- Power: 2x AA batteries (rechargeable), integrated solar panel
- Dimensions: 24 in x 44 in x 34 in (61 cm x 112 cm x 86 cm)
- Weight: 2.5 pounds (0.9 kilograms)
- Colour: Dark green
- Material: Plastic
Description
The cobra-jet sprayer keeps your yard under 24/7 surveillance with its highly sensitive PIR sensor that will target trespassers small and large!
This staked motion-activated water sprinkle provides an adjustable arc and 30-foot spray range, which operates in combination with a clicking sound as a powerful deterrent.
The Hoont Cobra sprayer is battery operated and includes a solar panel to keep the included rechargeable batteries topped up.
Pros
- Great water efficiency: this water sprinkler releases water in 5-second spurts, so you can target animals without wasting water.
- Height adjustable using the standpipe extension: this enables you to target larger animals.
Cons
- You cannot set this motion-activated sprinkler for nighttime use only. However, you could limit its function to nighttime hours by using a timer on the hose line that you attach.
3. Orbit Garden Enforcer Motion Activated Sprinkler
Specifications
- Target species: deer, large birds, dogs, cats, opossums, squirrels, skunks, snakes, rabbits, raccoons
- Range: 35 feet (10.66 meters) – 120-degree angle
- Power: 4x AA batteries (rechargeable), integrated solar panel
- Dimensions: 35.25 in x 7 in x 6.5 in (81.9 cm x 17.8 cm x16.5cm)
- Weight: 5.3 pounds (2.4 kilograms)
- Colour: Black
- Material: Metal
Description
If you have planted a garden in your yard, the last thing you need is raccoons and other pests getting the best of your hard work by raiding your beets and tender greens.
The Garden Enforcer by Orbit ensures that your plants stay critter-free with up to 24-hour protection against animals as large as deer and as small as squirrels.
This motion-activate sprinkler comes on a handy tripod and is highly adjustable. You can extend the sprinkler to a maximum height of 54 inches (137 centimeters) meaning you can protect your corn as it grows.
It has a long battery life and delivers at least 7,500 activation cycles before you need to change the batteries.
Pros
- Smart sensor ensures accuracy: the Orbit Garden Enforce targets animals and pests with a 1600-square-foot area of coverage. Intelligent sensing technology means that this motion-activated sprinkler can tell the difference between animals and trees, minimizing energy and water consumption.
- The sensor head can be angled: you can adjust the line of sight of the sensor head by angling it up or down. This helps you to target larger or smaller species.
Cons
- Some purchasers had problems with tripods that broke easily.
4. Aqua Joe AJYP100 Patrol Motion-Activated Sprinkler
Specifications
- Target species: deer, large birds, dogs, cats, opossums, squirrels, geese, skunks, rabbits, raccoons
- Range: 33 to 39 feet (10 to 12 meters) – 120-degree angle
- Power: Integrated solar panel with rechargeable batteries
- Dimensions: 9.5 in x 3.7 in x 9.9 in (24.1 cm x 9.4 cm x 25.1 cm)
- Weight: 2.27 pounds (1.02 kilograms)
- Colour: Blue
- Material: Metal
Description
This smart blue pest deterrent provides up to 5700 square feet of coverage with a powerful blast of water that will put intruding animals to flight.
Stake this bright blue motion-activated sprinkler in your lawn or garden to keep your property protected from critters that including rats, skunks, and groundhogs.
Powering your sprinkler is easy as the integrated solar panel keeps it on alert day and night.
The sprinkler is highly adjustable, with up to 360-degree rotation and programmable settings for the sprinkler’s distance and pattern.
Choose from one of three modes to target large, medium, or small animals.
Pros
- A reliable motion sensor: this can detect animals of varying sizes so you can confidently protect your yard.
- Solar-powered sprinkler: this sprinkler will maintain itself as it recharges all day in the sun.
Cons
- Purchasers have reported that this motion-activated sprinkler struggles to detect smaller animals. You may need a male-to-female adapter to connect your standard garden hose to the sprinkler’s connector threading.
5. Acesunny Solar Animal repelling Sprinkler
Specifications
- Target species: deer, large birds, dogs, cats, squirrels, skunks, rabbits, raccoons
- Range: 30 feet (9.1 meters) – 120-degree angle
- Power: Integrated solar panel with rechargeable batteries
- Dimensions: 7.4 in x 3.1 in x 25.2 in (18.7 cm x 7.8 cm x 63.7 cm)
- Weight: 1.5 pounds (0.66 kilograms)
- Colour: Black and yellow
- Material: ABS plastic
Description
This smart sprinkler is a cost-effective solution for protecting your yard from unwanted visitors.
It is solar-powered with a rechargeable battery, making it immediately ready to use.
The motion sensor has a 120-degree angle and the sprinkler sprays a jet of water to hit animals up to 30 feet away.
Stake it in an area you need protection and at your hose via the standard quick connect coupling.
You can also time this sprinkler to operate at 10, 20, or 30-minute intervals.
Pros
- Purchasers are pleased with the sensor-operated sprinkler activation.
- This motion-activated sprinkler can also be used as a conventional sprinkler with 360-degree coverage.
Cons
- It comes with black and yellow decals, which may be unnecessary for the deterrent function.
6. Havahart Critter Ridder Motion Activated Animal Repellent Sprinkler
Specifications
- Target species: deer, large birds, chipmunks, groundhogs, cats, squirrels, skunks, rabbits, raccoons
- Range: 60 feet (18.2 meters) – 120-degree angle
- Power: 2x AA batteries
- Dimensions: 2.6 in x 6.5 in x 22.25 in (6.6 cm x 16.5 cm x 56.5 cm)
- Weight: 1.39 pounds (0.63 kilograms)
- Colour: Green
- Material: Plastic and Metal
Description
The Critter Ridder Motion-Activated Animal Repellent by Havahart is a powerful repellent to a wide range of aminals and pests.
The camo green coloring means that the short sharp bursts of water come straight out of nowhere, causing even the boldest four-legged trespassers to flee immediately.
With a detection range of up to 100 feet, you can be confident that it fully covers your yard, and if the lawn needs watering, you can use it as a conventional sprinkler.
Look at the Critter Ridder Motion-Activated Animal Repellent in action:
Pros
- Low water consumption: this sprinkler uses only 2 to 3 cups of water per day
- Variable sensitivity setting: choose from 4 settings according to the nuisance animals you want to deal with.
Cons
- This sprinkler requires two AA batteries, which aren’t included with the sprinkler. If changing batteries is a hassle for you, a solar-charging sprinkler might be a better choice.
7. Black + Decker Solar/Powered Deterrent
Specifications
- Target species: deer, large birds, chipmunks, groundhogs, cats, squirrels, skunks, foxes, bears, raccoons
- Range: 30 feet (9.1 meters) – 120-degree angle
- Power: 2x rechargeable AA batteries with integrated solar panel
- Dimensions: 10 in x 2 in x 2.7 in (25.4 cm x.5 cm x 1.22 cm)
- Weight: 2.5 pounds (0.9 kilograms)
- Colour: Black
- Material: Metal
Description
Black and Decker is a reputable and reliable brand, and their solar-powered, motion-activated sprinkler is a decent buy if you need long-term protection from nuisance animals and pests in your backyard.
The setup of this motion-activated sprinkler is quick and simple as it carries a quick-fit connection that works with any standard hose. The metal stake is durable and easy to locate wherever you need protection.
Once everything is set up, you can just leave it to run as the integrated solar panel will replenish its rechargeable batteries.
You can use this sprinkler to cover up to 1000 square feet of yard space with a spray distance of up to 30 feet. You can also use it as a regular sprinkler with 360-degree coverage.
Pros
- Efficient water and energy consumption: this sprinkler delivers a 5-second burst of water that is more than enough to get your trespassers on their way.
- Rugged and reliable build: the fabrication and parts of this sprinkler are high quality and durable.
Cons
The range and coverage of this sprinkler are less than some of the sprinklers we have featured.
8. Abco Tech Motion Activated Water Jet Animal Repeller
Specifications
- Target species: deer, large birds, chipmunks, foxes, bears, raccoons,
- Range: 30 feet (9.1 meters) – 120-degree angle
- Power: 2x AA
- Dimensions: 5 x 4.5 x 9 (12 cm x 11 cm x 22.9 cm)
- Weight: 1.52 pounds (0.69 kilograms)
- Colour: Dark green
- Material: Metal
Description
This compact motion-activated sprinkler is an efficient solution for humanely deterring pests from your lawn.
Its powerful motion sensor activates instantly to spray water when any creature comes within 30 feet.
You can rely on the Abco Tech animal repeller for 24-hour coverage, with the sprinkler performing efficiently throughout the day or at night.
The sprinkler runs on two AA batteries but keeps energy and water consumption low. The sprinkler limits the water spray to 5 seconds; just enough to put a fox or raccoon on the run!
You can adjust the sensitivity level of this motion-activated sprinkler to target the species that are a problem.
Pros
- Quality materials and fabrication: This is a high-quality, motion-activated sprinkler with durable metal parts.
Cons
- Some reviewers have reported that this repeller can leak.
Frequently asked questions for motion-activated sprinklers
Where should motion-activated sprinklers be located?
You can work out where to install your sprinkler by looking at the damage in your garden and the potential entry points used by animals.
Remember, these sprinklers cover a large area so stake yours pointing towards the entry point or area of damage.
How do I set up my motion-activated sprinkler?
Once you’ve staked out your territory, you can fine-tune the sprinkler to zone in on that pesky raccoon or deer by changing the level of sensitivity of the motion sensor.
Adjust the detection angle of your sprinkler to get the correct line of sight.
You can then adjust the duration and range of the spray and any day or nighttime settings.
Rounding up
As you can see, motion-activated sprinklers are a smart solution for getting critters out of your yard.
We think it’s time to retire your scarecrow and get a few of these sprinklers on your lawn. Those local cats won’t know what hit ’em!