All
The last few days I have been working at my rental properties.
Starlings come in at night by the thousands to roost in that area.
They make a huge mess under every tree. The roof of one place is just gross with all the droppings.
What can be done to keep them away?
Thanks for your help.
Rich
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Replies
Try an owl
Or reasonable facsimile thereof.
A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
calvin
One of my renters has an fake owl perched on the roof to no effect.
It has been there for a while, so I suppose the birds are just used to it.
I was wondering if recorded hawk or owl sounds would scare them away.
One renter told me that they had a fire one night in a outdoor firepit (metal from Walmart) and the smoke rising thru the tree keep the birds away for the night. But they were right back the next night.
Thanks for the suggestion.
Rich
Spotlight. I have one of them million watt ones that after they settle for the night shine it in the trees and watch the explosion of birds. Another thing that works well is m80's, they don't like the noise. I have found that if done for 2or3 nites they leave for nicer area.
Good Morning Frammer
Thanks for the reply
I need something I can plug in a leave.
I have 7 rentals in this area and nearly all of them are effected.
The police have come to other areas of town and fired blank 12 ga round to frighen birds.
I wonder if a strob light of the spot light set on a timer would frighten them away.
Rich
I have seen that used, the key is to harass them as much as you can.
we have a problem with crows every winter, I use the light, works real well!!!!!!!!!
frmmer
In the last couple years huge turkey vultures have moved into our area.
A client told me she has them in her trees at night.
They come in silently in the evening. She said you never know they are there. But they keep the crows away.
She has some huge feathers in her lawn though, LOL
Rich
Maybe I should import a couple of them!>G<
How old is your client?
Maybe the vultures are waiting?
shep
She is in her upper 70's
LOL
Rich
We used to use the strobes to run pigeons out of hangars, it just made you have birds that had a compulsive blink.
Did the renter mount the fake owl solid or let it swing and turn on a string? The better ones have the holographic eyes that make them look real and evil.For those who have fought for it Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.
rasconc
The owl is mounted solid.
In Cabelas I saw a sock type owl on a pole with wings spread.
Reviews were mixed on it's effectiveness.
Rich
Our church has a pavillion with open trusses and used to have birds and wasps. I hung one of the owls on a string where it turns in the wind and seems to be effective. Evidently the birds are not stupid but not overly bright unlike crows which seem really smart.For those who have fought for it Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.
birds are not stupid but not overly bright unlike crows which seem really smart.
And, as my neighbors found out, crows will mob and kill an owl, real or plastic.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
It seems I remember where a new company developed some strobe/laser beam moving and flickering strong lights that confuse the birds during roosting and at night.
Bill
Bill
I'll try googling that.
Thanks
Rich
Frightening
Frightening is effective in dispersing starlings from roosts, small-scale fruit crops, and some other troublesome sites. It is useful around livestock operations that have warm climates year-round, and where major concentrations of wintering starlings exist. In the central states, starlings concentrate at livestock facilities primarily during cold winter months when snow covers natural food sources. At this time, baiting and other techniques are generally more effective than frightening. In addition, frightening starlings may disperse birds to other livestock facilities, a negative point that should be considered if disease transfer is a concern. Frightening devices include recorded distress or alarm calls, gas-operated exploders, battery-operated alarms, pyrotechnics (shellcrackers, bird bombs), chemical frightening agents (see Avitrol¯ below), lights (for roosting sites at night), bright objects, and various other stimuli. Some novel visual frightening devices with potential effectiveness are eye-spot balloons, hawk kites, and mylar reflective tape. Ultrasonic (high frequency, above 20 kHz) sounds are not effective in frightening starlings and most other birds because, like humans, they do not hear these sounds.
Harassing birds throughout the evening as they land can be effective in dispersing bird roosts if done for three to four consecutive evenings or until birds no longer return. Spraying birds with water from a hose or from sprinklers mounted in the roost trees has helped in some situations. Beating on tin sheets or barrels with clubs also scares birds. A combination of several scare techniques used together works better than a single technique used alone. Vary the location, intensity, and types of scare devices to increase their effectiveness. Two additional tips for successful frightening efforts: 1) begin early before birds form a strong attachment to the site, and 2) be persistent until the problem is solved. For a more detailed discussion of frightening techniques, see Bird Dispersal Techniques. Avitrol¯. Avitrol¯ (active ingredient: 4-aminopyridine) is a Restricted Use Pesticide available in several bait formulations for use as a chemical frightening agent. It is for sale only to certified applicators or persons under their direct supervision and only for those uses covered by the applicator’s certification.
Avitrol¯ baits contain a small number of treated grains or pellets mixed with many untreated grains or pellets. Birds that eat the treated portion of the bait behave erratically and/or give warning cries that frighten other birds from the area. Generally, birds that eat the treated particles will die. Avitrol¯ baits are available for controlling starlings at feedlots and structures. At the dilution rates registered for use at feedlots, there is a low but potential hazard to nontarget hawks and owls that might eat birds killed by Avitrol¯. It is therefore important to pick up and bury or incinerate any dead starlings found. Around livestock operations, Avitrol¯ is sometimes used where the goal is to frighten or disperse the birds rather than to kill them. However, many birds may be killed, and data are lacking on whether the results of Avitrol¯ use at feedlots occur because of frightening aspects or from direct mortality. Three Avitrol¯ formulations are labeled for starling control at feedlots (Pelletized Feed, Double Strength Corn Chops, and Powder Mix). The formulation most appropriate for a given situation may vary, particularly if large numbers of blackbirds are mixed with the starlings. However, the Pelletized Feed formulation is generally recommended for starling control because starlings usually prefer pellets over cracked corn (corn chops). The Double Strength Corn Chops formulation is probably best for mixed flocks of starlings and blackbirds. Because Avitrol¯ is designed as a frightening agent, birds can develop bait shyness (bait rejection) fairly quickly. Prebaiting for several days with untreated pellets may be necessary for effective bait consumption and control. If starling problems persist, changing bait locations and additional prebaiting may be needed. If any Avitrol¯ baits are to be used, contact a qualified person trained in bird control work (someone from USDA-APHIS-ADC or Cooperative Extension, for example) for technical assistance.
Jeff
Thanks for the info.
I am on Cabela's site now looking for frightening equipment.
Rich
"I am on Cabela's site now looking for frightening equipment."I have some frightening equipment.Wait.Ok. Well I guess it would frighten birds, too.;o)
Signed: Bubba Hussein Obama.
What a fool believes he sees
No wise man has the power, to reason away
Click here for access to the Woodshed Tavern
I had a problem with some noisy crows who would caw loudly just after dawn, perched in the tops of tall trees on the border of the property, about 150' from the house.
I used small whistling bottle rockets which exploded with a bang, at the end of their flight. Once I zeroed in on the crows' location, they got the message real quick.
It was fun, watching the little rocket rise and arch toward it's intended target, disappearing behind the trees, then exploding. Sounds of surprise and beating wings followed.
Crows are usually very smart. Sometimes they'll retaliate for something like that, if they can identify it's source.
I worked with a guy one summer who was having problems with crows eating the newly sprouted lettuce in his small garden. He asked me to loan him my small bore, scoped varmint rifle so he could sit in his upstairs bedroom window and seek his revenge.
Next morning he proudly reported that he'd killed one crow and that another one had retreated to a distant tree.
The day after that, I asked him if he'd seen any more damage in his garden.
He said, "No but do you know what that other crow did? He was waiting for me to leave the house this morning and when I did he flew right over my head and dropped a load of #### on me. I had to go in and change my shirt, that S.O.B.!!"
"You probably killed it's mate", I told him.
"Yeah, that might be it. But do you really think that they're that smart?"
"I've heard that they are but maybe this was just coincidence."
"No", he said glumly, "I'm sure that he was after me alright."
That kind of harrassment continued for several weeks. Each morning when he left the house he had to run to his truck, to avoid getting #### on.
Of course I was finding the whole story very funny, while he was getting more frustrated and seemingly paranoid, day by day.
Every time he'd see a crow he shout, "There he is, again. He's after me all the time now."
We were often on the road, doing installations all over the county, so it seemed highly unlikely that one lone crow would follow his truck all day, to such distances.
Then one afternoon we were driving through a small town at slow speed when a dark shape flew directly overhead and SPLAT! The crow had struck again, hitting his enemy on the elbow which was sticking out of the window opening.
"Son of a Bi-otch"! he shouted, "did you see that?"
As unlikely as it seemed, I couldn't deny it.
I still had to laugh at the big white load all over his arm. "You have to admit, he's got your number and he has great aim too!"
That was the last either of us saw of that crow. I believe he wanted to let the guy know exactly what he thought of him and to emphasize that he wasn't all that smart either.
Still brings a big smile.
Edited 8/30/2008 11:55 am by Hudson Valley Carpenter
HVC
That's funny.
Rich
Congratulations!
HudsonValley receives the
'Good Times Around the Campfire' Award.
Saaalute!View Image View Image
I'm honored, though I feel unworthy of such a highly coveted award.
I'd like to thank the crow. Without his determination and skill, this award would have remained beyond my grasp.
"Man's reach should exceed his grasp or what's a meta-phor"
Loved your story! I also love crows and most birds, but I make an exception for grackles, starlings and cow birds.
I encountered a crazy crow for months when driving back and forth to Birmingham where I used to work.
Every morning I'd stop at the same light, and there would be the crow on the stoplight wire. He would parade back and forth, stopping to peer down into the cars and flap and generally bless-out the occupants inside.
If I happened to miss rush-hour traffic, I'd never see the crow. He only worked the early shift, apparently.
Many years after that series of encounters with the crow happened, I got to know a man who owned and trained animals for film work.
When I told him that story he confirmed what I had suspected at the time. I specifically asked him if a crow would have followed that guy's truck so far, waiting for an opportunity to nail him.
He said that were many similar stories about very intelligent crows.
What can be done to keep them away?
Bird Service
Look in your yellow pages for one.
Starlings and Grackles are persistent. They flock in hordes, too, and do not give up roosting spaces except by force.
We have three concentrations of mixed Grackles & starlings, WFS folks set the population between 2 and 3 million birds. So, the U has a service (that has moved up from Houston to open a branch office) to keep about 1-2sm of 6 square miles of campus "unfriendly" to the flocks. The mall has also taken to bird control, too; Blinn, and both Cities are now engaged in bird control as well. The "why" of that is that, if you frighten the birds off roost, they will only fly to the next place with enough roosting space for the entire horde of birds, who will then reassert pecking order even in batches in the thousands.
Just not enough birdshot to even dent the population; ditto raptors (and bird-eating tree snakes--and a Mexican Grackle runs to about the dimension of a crow).
A family of red-tailed hawks would solve your problem quite nicely. (no, I don't know where to rent them). Sometimes, an old CD with a hole drilled near one edge and hung from a string will keep them away during the day. It keeps the birds out of my mom's cherry tree :-)
Go to the pound and get all their cats.
I like that idea!
My wife cleans our kitty liter box and spreads the water she used around our fence. Squirrels avoid our back yard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've been in the pest control business for 16 years and have used many products from the company birdbarrier.com . They have the sound boxes that would work best in your situation.
bigbarn
Thank you for the reply.
I will check out their website.
Rich
big barn
I think I will try the octopus.
Reasonably priced and low maintance from me.
If it works I have 7 rentals that could all use one.
I am not sure if I should mount it in the tree or near the tree on a pole.
Thanks
Rich
View Image Price: $10.58 (EACH)
Octopus
Scare eyes combined with long mylar streamers flash brilliantly in sunlight and signal danger to birds causing them to leave the immediate area. Sold one per package.
Click For More Info
Add to
#sd-oc10
Qty
Try it from the pole first and then move it to the tree after a few days and see which is effective. You may want to (if possible), rotate the positions as birds do become use to the movements of such devices and just go on about there business as if it weren't there.
bigbarn
You are so encouraging. LOL
Renters are not generally responsible in helping out in matters like this.
But I will give it a try. A pc of conduit will get it about 9' in the air. And then it could be moved around with out too much hassle
Thanks for the reply.
Rich
Tater gun?
Try gemplers.com. I've seen some stuff in their catalog.
A few years ago, I had a couple of crows roosting in my trees and leaving a huge mess on the patio and patio furniture. I got a plastic owl and rigged it to hang in the trees - and moved it every week or so for a few months.
The crows seem to have decided that the neighbors trees are better to hang out.
Dave
Thanks for the reply
Henceforth if I get the octopus then I need to move it around until te birds change the ways.
Rich