Ultrasonic bird repellers

[The Daring Dufas]

You could always strap a concrete vibrator to the tree and put it on a timer. Rattle their little beaks every now and then.

TDD

[HeyBub]

Don't know about ultrasonic, but supersonic things (like a .22 bullet) will work.

[dpb]

dpb wrote: ...

Actually, even more surprising to me has been that they also don't have cat (or kitten) on their menu, either...

--

[Jeff The Drunk]

That's odd. Or is mine odd? Either way I was told and always believed that a big Owl would scare smaller birds.

Must be plenty of Owl food. Watched a documentary on birds where certain Pelicans have started to scoop up the young of a smaller ground nesting aquatic bird. The behavior was blamed on a reduction of the Pelican's normal food source and had never been witnessed before.

[Jeff The Drunk]

Don't know the answers. Next time I speak to an expert on avian behavior I'll be sure to ask.

[Jeff The Drunk]

We have Red Tailed Hawks around here that love toy dog breeds. A Chihuahua wrapped in a tortilla would be a fine meal for little kiddie hawks.

[Jeff The Drunk]

We lived next to a farmer who grew popcorn and sweet corn. He had a couple propane cannons that would fire every couple minutes that ran off a gas grill tank. Kept the Starlings out of the fields. We used to shoot them out of the air with a .22.

[dpb]

We have them as well as golden eagles and kites but there are certainly no dogs that small that are outside dogs around here. They would simply get lost in the native grasses and never be able to get thru it at least before something got 'em whether it was raptor or rattlesnake or badger or coyote or... .

--

[Jeff The Drunk]

The predominant bird of prey is the RTH here. I've not witnessed one snatching up a dog but have heard stories. I'm not far enough out in the wild to worry about other predation but we have some coyotes that would easily outmatch a domestic the same size or smaller. I have a large Pomeranian (16 lbs) and worry about leaving him tied up out back. There are a couple red tails living in the area that have pretty much cleaned out the wild rabbit population. I didn't realize how big a red tail is until you get close to one. I doubt if one could take our Pom, he can be pretty vicious himself, but have no doubt they could easily dine on smaller dogs.

[dpb]

Jeff The Drunk wrote: ...

_IF_ one were to take a mind, I doubt your Pom would have a chance 'cuz he'd get taken from the rear and his neck/back snapped before ever had a chance to put up a fight.

I think it's highly unlikely they would take it for several reasons, though, the first being there are undoubtedly far more prevalent and familiar targets of somewhat lesser size and one wouldn't like the (I'm guessing) more or less constrained area around a house as an attack site that would make for difficult flight path out. Also, while I don't know for sure, I suspect they're watchful enough and cognizant enough to recognize an obstruction like the leash as being a no-no for a target in general.

They are pretty impressive, granted -- 'til you put one up besides one of the golden eagles, anyway... :)

I _HATE_ the da-d kites, though...them bastards dive bomb ya' from the rear just walking across the yard while nesting (which seems to take all summer)... :(

--

[dpb]

Jeff The Drunk wrote: ...

Out in the open along towards dusk time I'm sure they do--but owls are nocturnal and generally move in daytime only to avoid being themselves disturbed, not to do damage to anything else. Other than that, as far as I can tell having watched them for 50 years or so I don't think they pay any attention to the other at all. I'm quite sure the fake stationary owls have no benefit after the first change in a location for a few days at most for most birds, anyway. An active dummy that did something towards dusk that might look threatening, maybe, but other than that, I think not, meself based on my observations.

The horned owls roost in the cedars by day and only begin to rustle about about a half-hour or so before sunset; then just at dusk they'll depart on the night's adventure. They'll be back on one of their favorite roosting spots for disposing of the kill at daybreak (top of the silo is one, a particular power pole is also a popular alternative) and then not long after the sun is well up they'll be gone only to be seen during the day if happen to get too close to where they are that particular day and disturb them.

The barn owls are much more reclusive -- except for the pair currently nesting in the barn, one rarely sees them at all; they do not come out until well after it is really dark and they're back in their nesting sites well before daybreak as well. Only because the loft in the barn is open does it disturb them when go in there. The upper levels of the elevator are only accessed on rare occasions when actually have some need but last year there were at least three different pairs raising owlets I saw and I don't know how many other pairs might have been back in areas that are not easily seen w/o effort. Once in a while if come home late at night will see the outline of one flit by as the headlights disturb it, but mostly we know they're there by the pellet droppings and sounds they make during the day.

OTOH, horned owls are territorial and only one pair occupies a general area at a time. The young leave after about a year to find their own territories while the barn owls seemingly are pretty convivial and are limited only by nesting sites and food supplies, apparently.

Interestingly also w/ the horned owls, the male and female mate permanently, but do not have any association with each other except starting in the mid-winter roughly courting season and thru nesting. The brood is not all of the same age, either, they are "stairstepped" apart by a couple weeks to month--quite a sight to see three or four in a nest, each a bigger copy of the next younger...

--

[ShadowTek]

Some people, like me, are sensitive to those frequencies. They cause my ears to ring and hurt like hell.

I'd hate to be your neighbor if you were to put those damned things up.

[Worn Out Retread]

I've seen them....with birds sitting on top of them.

[Worn Out Retread]

We have the Red Tailed Hawks and Cooper's Hawks and small animals of any kind are in danger. Neighbours of ours used to raise dogs and had to have mesh over the area to keep the hawks out.

[Worn Out Retread]

You can hear Ultra sound?? That is supposed to be beyond the limits of human hearing.

[terry]

Yes maybe the human element, in this case, is the intruder?

And if we didn't build artificial things called 'homes' in these hot (or cold) climates and fill them up with things made from petroleum (plastics) from underneath the earth's surface and then tried to maintain temperatures of 70 dgrees F etc. etc. ........ Ecological rant!

On other hand a 'reasonable balance with the natural and avoiding human overpopulation etc. might lead to a more satisfying and fulfilling life of and for all of the world's creatures?

In the overall picture some bird poop seems to be far down the scale! In the same way we complain if some bird 'drops something from on high on our shiny car', rather than make motor vehicles that withstand that natural event.

We have had a moose population here for over 100 years; but with people wanting to drive at over 60 mph. through forested areas, there are now demands to 'Get rid of the moose' (or at least cull them severely). Maybe the problem is too many humans moving too fast and therefore not in balance with the natural state. Maybe we should cull the humans?

Here endeth the ................... etc.

[dpb]

terry wrote: ...

As always, you in the volunteering line yet???

--

[Jeff The Drunk]

Well if you buy enough of them at least you can control where they roost!

[JIMMIE]

Ultrasonic devices dont work on birds, neither do fake owls, hawks, and snakes. What did work for me is a box that makes various bird warning sounds but this may disturb the neighbors or maybe not.

Jimmie

[ShadowTek]

The full frequency range of what each person can hear varies slightly.

In Europe, I believe, they sell these things to specifically drive off young people from loitering and causing a nuicance. It's based on the general fact that adults lose most of the hearing sensetivity that they had in their youth, so it's supposed to irritate kids while having no effect on adults.

I'm glad they don't do that here.

Either I'm just lucky, or I've been successful in my effors to protect my hearing over the years by wearing earplugs religiously any time I use noisey equipment.