Without effective bird deterrents to control them, pest birds can quickly destroy a strawberry field. They eat the fruit, taking a bite out of one piece and moving on to the next. Pest birds love sweet, June Bearing strawberries and will ravage a field of these in no time. To prevent that, you'll need some humane and effective bird control measures. Some of the more popular pest bird deterrents are listed below. Bird Netting--Available in various cuts and mesh sizes, Bird Netting can be an effective barrier bird deterrent. A sturdy net is recommended, and you should opt for netting that is waterproof, rot- and flame-resistant, and U.V. stabilized. When installing the netting, suspend it above and away from the edges of the plants.
Hawk Decoys--Hawks are natural predators, territorial hunters and feared by most birds. Try to get the most realistic looking hawk decoy you can find, one that's made of heavy duty plastic with hand-painted life-like features (birds are not dummies). And get a well-constructed decoy. You'll want a bird deterrent that stays looking real after it's been through a few seasons of weather. Finally, remember to position the decoy for best visibility.
Scarecrows--A proven bird deterrent for keeping birds away from small strawberry gardens, the Scarecrow blasts any approaching bird with a spray of water. A built-in motion detector activates the Scarecrow and frightens birds with not only water but the startling sprinkler sound and realistic looking bird head. Scarecrows easily connect to any standard garden hose and cover approximately 1,200 square feet with a stream that reaches out 35 feet and 45 feet wide.
Sonic Bird Deterrents--These systems emit distress and predator calls day and night. Some sonic bird deterrent systems let you add speaker units to expand the coverage area. One system broadcasts a repertoire of up to 22 different birdcalls.
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