Bird scarer
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A bird scarer is any one of a number devices designed to scare birds, usually employed by farmers to dissuade birds from eating recently planted arable crops.
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[edit] Visual scarers
[edit] Scarecrow
One of the oldest designs of bird scarer is the scarecrow in the shape of a human figure.
[edit] bird kite
Many species of bird are also naturally afraid of predators such as birds of prey. A bird kite is designed to fly in low winds and hover above the field to be protected. They are usually painted with the sillouette of a bird of prey such as a hawk.
[edit] Auditory scarers
[edit] Propane gas gun
Towards the end of the 20th century, one of the most popular types of bird scarer used by farmers in Europe and America is the propane gas powered gas gun which produces a periodic loud explosion. The audible bang can reach volumes in excess of 150 decibels near the gun.
One of the problems with gas gun scarers is that the loud bangs can also irritate people living on nearby properties, or other people using the countryside.
[edit] Ultrasonic scarers
Ultrasonic scarers are electronic devices that produce high volume ultrasound. The sound is designed to be too high pitched for people to hear, but audible to most birds. This has the advantage to preventing disturbance to neighbouring households. However, these can be heard by some people, particularly females and the young, and although this ability is generally lost with age it can cause discomfort and even headaches for those in proximity who have sensitive high-range hearing.
[edit] External links
- NFU online Code of Practice for using bird scarers.
