“Cherries are ripe in the garden, but instead of cherries now a merry laugh” – this also happens. But more often we hear not the voices of neighboring children, but the twittering and chirping of a bird tribe that hunts for other people’s cherries. How to discourage birds from the harvest, what ways will really scare feathered thieves, and which ones will only amuse the neighbors?
In winter, we feed the birds that stay with us in the cold, in spring, we rejoice in the return of the winged Wanderers home, we admire the Nightingale’s trills in may. And we begin to hate this Horde fiercely by the second half of June. There are many ways to deal with feathered robbers of other people’s goods. Some are known for a long time, others are relatively new. I suggest that this publication be considered a register of ways to protect berries and other fruits of our labor from birds.
The problem is quite extensive: not only gardeners are concerned with repelling birds. Therefore, serious scientists are engaged in solving this issue. Let’s start with repellents designed for small private properties.
Various flashing lights
This category includes all types of repellents, the action of which is based on a bird’s fear of moving, shiny and noisy objects. Perhaps this is the most common way of fighting for the harvest of summer residents.
For self-production of scarecrows, various improvised materials are used — old CDs, tapes from video and audio cassettes, mirrors, new year’s tinsel, balloons. Also suitable for children’s turntables, various pipes and rattles, also working from the wind — and everything else that rustles, rattles, glitters, blinks. The method is quite effective, but has both pros and cons.
Advantages of the method:
- cheapness (and in many cases, the material is generally gratuitous),
- relative ease of use. The main problem is to hang all this stuff in the garden (and then remove it).
Another positive point, however, not directly related to scaring birds — is the disposal of a pile of useless CDs and videocassettes. By the way, if you don’t have a collection of movies or music on outdated media, reflective tapes, disks and pendants for fighting birds are produced commercially.
Cons:
- do not work well in calm and cloudy weather,
- birds can eventually get used to it and stop being afraid,
- the site becomes like a homeless man’s lair, decorated for the New year.
Although there are also elegant options. For example, sozu or Shishi-odoshi. This mandatory attribute of the garden in the Land of the rising sun is a mysterious device made of a swinging bamboo yoke and a stream.
In many interpretations of Japanese-style design, such a thing is often used for decorative purposes, to create an entourage. Initially it was intended to scare away unwanted four-legged and feathered visitors to the garden: the Shishi-odoshi is translated as “deer repellent”. When the bamboo tube overflows, it overturns, pours out the water, and returns to its original position with a loud Bang on the stone.
Frightened
The most ancient way to scare birds away from crops was a Scarecrow-a stuffed animal that imitates the figure of a human or predator, dangerous for small birds that attempt to harvest. An intimidating object can be stationary or attached to a flexible pole to create, for example, the image of a soaring kite. Kites in the form of birds of prey are often used in the fields.
The simplest Scarecrow, imitating a human figure, is most often made of a wooden crosspiece, on which an old shirt is put on. Depending on the taste of the owner, such a Scarecrow can be supplemented with other elements of unnecessary clothing — and a headdress. However, such additional decorations more demonstrate the creative abilities of the manufacturer, rather than really intimidate the birds. Often the figure is given volume by stuffing it with straw.
The disadvantages are the same-dubious decorative holes in the owner’s pants, exposed to public view, and the habituation of birds. Some birds even make nests in the Scarecrow’s straw head. A little increase the degree of intimidation of the Scarecrow additional “body kits” in the form of all the same noisy-flickering elements, such as cans on strings (classic) or the notorious CDs.
Another type of repellent is “eyes”. A bright schematic image of a predator’s eye is quite an effective method: even the military uses such scarecrows to distract birds from important objects. Frightening eyes can be flat or drawn on balls.
Ultrasonic and bio-acoustic scarers
On sale there are devices that emit unpleasant sounds for birds. These are ultrasonic repellents that generate a signal of a frequency that is not perceived by the human ear, but is felt by birds as uncomfortable. Devices can have different coverage areas (depending on power), run on mains, batteries or solar panels.
Of the negative qualities of this type of Scarecrow, users note the impact not on all birds (although there are more complex models in which you can adjust the frequency to the “needs” of almost two dozen species of birds). Also, the repeller can cause discomfort not only to foreign animals, but also to their own — poultry, dogs, cats. In addition, sounds of this frequency can be heard by children, and in some adults, the constantly switched-on ultrasonic signal causes headaches.
Bioacoustic repellents work on a different principle — the sound they emit is quite audible to all: both birds and people. This is a recording of the voices of birds of prey. There are also different options — universal and customizable for a specific type of feathered pest.
A variety of equipment with acoustic effects on birds can be considered gas guns that run on liquefied gas-propane, butane. Periodically (the frequency and volume of the sound can be adjusted), the device makes a shot, accompanied by a loud pop. It repels not only birds, but also hares, boars, deer, and possibly two-legged thieves. However, this device is intended for large areas — several hectares. This is why it is used in fields, vineyards, industrial gardens, airports, grain processing plants, etc.
Chemical method
Since most birds are protected species in one way or another, scientists who create new tools do not pursue the goal of destroying birds. They develop substances that cause those a slight malaise (diarrhea, vomiting) or affect the mucous membranes.
Processing potential food of birds with these drugs makes them understand that the object is inedible, and later they cease to be interested in it. For example, there are products that include methylanthranilate. In nature, this substance is found in some flowers, citrus fruits, grapes. It is safe for humans even when spraying berries, but for some reason it discourages birds ‘ appetite.
Optical gel and Velcro gel
Chemical methods include special gels that prevent birds from landing on an illegal object. There are just substances that dirty birds ‘ feet — they are produced in tubes under a construction gun and applied to the surface in the form of a strip. This method is effective for protecting balconies, cornices, and other architectural elements. A mechanical alternative is belts with spikes that prevent birds from landing, but such devices are not suitable for gardeners.
The effect of the optical gel against birds is based on the features of their vision — the substance is perceived by them as fire.
Optical gel is also available in tubes. It is difficult to guess what the benefits of such funds are to the cottager, but it will be useful to know about them (and perhaps it is worth trying).
Cruel ways
In addition to the direct shooting of violators, their dead counterparts, hung around the site, help to scare off birds. A particularly strong effect, they say, is not a dead bird, but a wounded one, left for dead: its death cries will scare off its tribesmen. A method that is clearly unworthy of a reasonable person.
Bird nets
Some prefer not to scare off winged thieves, but to block their access to forbidden fruits. To do this, use nets from birds.
The disadvantages of the method include the complexity of hiding tall trees and the fact that in some types of networks, unfortunate birds get entangled and die. It is possible for the shelter to use a covering material of low density. We get a triple benefit: neither the birds nor the crop will suffer, and in the resulting greenhouse, the berries will ripen faster.
Some gardeners say that even ordinary sewing threads, stretched infrequently in the form of a net over berry bushes, save the situation. The birds stop trying to get into your crop, but they don’t get confused.
Enough for everyone!
This installation is definitely not suitable for owners of small gardens. However, some plant deliberately more fruit trees and shrubs in the expectation that the ripened crop should be enough for both birds and people.
And what methods of protection from birds do you use? Share it with us in the comments.