Theres no need to doubt that putting a fake owl in your yard will deter birds because a study has confirmed it. The study was conducted at Linfield College in Oregon, and it concluded that fake owls were effective bird deterrents but only for a limited time. The strategy works because owls are natural predators of songbirds. Cornell University also reports that plastic owls deter birds specifically woodpeckers but that deterrence lasts for only a few days.
What attracts pest birds in the first place?
In order to effectively scare off birds, you should address the underlying issue that first draws them to your house or place of business. The majority of birds are drawn to areas that provide them with food sources, safety, nesting materials, and shelter.
If any of these services are provided by your company or garden, you may have identified the root of your bird problem. Commercial roofs, tree branches, hedges, and openings in older structures are all suitable locations for bird nests.
Therefore, you can begin your search for a reliable and long-lasting bird deterrent once you have identified the cause and possible nesting locations.
What are birds afraid of?
Despite being intelligent creatures, birds are delicate and easily frightened. It’s also critical to realize that sometimes the best course of action isn’t always to scare birds away; instead, you need to make sure they won’t return to their nesting site. Strong odors, shiny objects, and predatorssuch as larger animals, humans, and preyare generally disliked by birds.
Let’s examine a few of the pest management techniques that frighten birds the most:
Owls Are Deadly, but Birds Are Smart
For an owl, an intimidating sight with its sharp eyes and massive stature may be impressive to humans, but it must be terrifying for a bird. Owls are fearless flyers that occasionally attack from above in a dead drop. They have unique feathers on their wings that muffle the sound of flapping. Thus, an owl’s presence definitely encourages a bird to fly away.
Nonetheless, birds are intelligent enough to recognize a fake from the real thing, particularly when food is available. According to someone evaluating the efficacy of a specific plastic owl, pigeons had to learn after about four days that it wasn’t real before they could comfortably eat seeds within four to five meters (roughly thirteen to sixteen feet) of the fake owl. Even though the head of this particular plastic owl moved, the birds weren’t persuaded that it wasn’t real. A wildlife removal blog expert assures readers that pigeons typically quickly discover that plastic owls aren’t real.
FAQ
Will an owl scare away birds?
What birds don’t like owls?
Do other birds not like owls?