Animal Deterrents: From Low to High Tech Solutions
In the delicate balance of nature and human habitation, conflicts with wildlife are inevitable. Whether you’re an avid gardener, a farmer tending to crops, or simply a homeowner looking to protect your property, the need for effective animal deterrents has become increasingly apparent. As we coexist with the diverse array of creatures that share our spaces, finding ways to manage these interactions becomes crucial for both human and animal well-being. Visual, audio, and physical barriers emerge as the unsung heroes in this ongoing struggle, offering a humane and sustainable means of preventing damage and fostering harmonious cohabitation. Visual Deterrents Visual deterrents are powerful tools in managing human-wildlife conflicts, exerting their effects primarily through the manipulation of visual stimuli. These deterrents work by exploiting the visual system of various species, causing them to react with their natural instincts and modifying their behavior without causing harm. For example, the use of reflective materials, predator decoys, or flashing lights can startle and intimidate animals, deterring them from approaching specific areas. Visual deterrents leverage animals’ visual acuity and perception to create an environment that appears threatening or inhospitable. While their effectiveness can vary based on the target species and specific circumstances, visual deterrents offer a non-lethal and environmentally friendly solution to mitigating conflicts and promoting coexistence between humans and wildlife. However, it’s crucial to adapt these deterrents to the specific needs and behaviors of the animals in question to achieve the desired impact without causing unnecessary stress or harm. Low-Tech Holographic Tape Holographic tape deters wildlife by reflecting sunlight and creating dynamic, shimmering patterns that disorient and intimidate animals, acting as a deterrent to prevent them from approaching or causing damage to the area. Decoys & Kites Decoys and Kites deter wildlife by mimicking the appearance and movement of predators or other threatening species, creating a visual illusion that triggers a fear response in animals, encouraging them to avoid the area and reducing potential conflicts with humans or crops. High-Tech Margo AirScare The Margo AirScare, with its dynamic and erratic movements, deters wildlife visually by creating an unfamiliar and intimidating presence, discouraging animals from approaching or causing damage to the area through the unpredictable and visually disruptive display. Audio Deterrents Audio deterrents are tools employed in wildlife management to influence animal behavior through sound stimuli. These devices emit sounds that are often unpleasant or threatening to the target species, aiming to create an aversive environment and discourage them from specific areas. The effectiveness of audio deterrents relies on the animals’ sensitivity to sound frequencies, their adaptability, and their ability to associate the emitted sounds with potential threats. Common audio deterrents include ultrasonic devices, loud noises, or recorded predator calls. When used thoughtfully and adapted to the specific needs of the wildlife in question, audio deterrents can serve as a humane and non-lethal method to manage human-animal conflicts and promote coexistence in shared spaces. Low-Tech Whips Whips deter wildlife by creating loud cracking sounds and rapid movements, intimidating animals and establishing a perceived threat, prompting them to avoid the area and reduce the risk of human-wildlife conflicts. Blaster Siren Blaster Sirens deter wildlife by emitting loud, high-pitched noises, startling animals and creating an auditory disturbance that prompts them to move away from the source, helping to prevent potential human-wildlife conflicts. High-Tech Margo Squawk Box The Margo Squawk Box deters wildlife by emitting recorded sounds of natural predators, inducing fear and creating a perceived threat that encourages animals to avoid the area, minimizing potential conflicts with humans or livestock. Physical Barriers Physical barriers play a pivotal role in mitigating human-wildlife conflicts by creating tangible obstacles that discourage animals from accessing specific areas or exhibiting unwanted behaviors. Examples include electric fencing and bear spray, which are designed to offer protection without causing permanent harm. In essence, physical barrier deterrents offer a proactive approach to human-wildlife coexistence, providing a humane and effective means of protection. However, it’s crucial to use these deterrents responsibly, ensuring they are properly installed, maintained, and used in accordance with ethical wildlife management practices. Low-Tech D-Straps D-Straps deter wildlife by securing the lids tightly, preventing access to the contents and minimizing odors, thus discouraging animals from foraging through the trash. Bear Spray Bear spray deters wildlife, particularly bears, by releasing a powerful spray that causes temporary discomfort, irritation, and disorientation, discouraging the animal from approaching or attacking. High-Tech Electric Fencing Electric fencing deters wildlife by delivering a non-lethal yet deterrent electric shock upon contact, creating a psychological barrier that discourages animals from attempting to breach or cross the barrier.
How Effective Are Bird Lasers?
Bird lasers produce a large visible point of light that can be used to scare away problem birds. Many bird species associate this light with a predator like behaviour and flee when exposed to the visible light pattern. The most effective bird lasers produce a wide beam, as opposed to a narrow beam in the conventional laser pointers. Green beams generally seem to produce the best results. Bird lasers have a number of control applications but are especially useful for moving birds from their roosts. At Margo Supplies, we’ve tested lasers on a variety of North American pest species with good results overall and have found them to be especially effective on Canada Geese. Lasers are particularly useful in situations where it is not possible to use other more invasive audio deterrents, such as disturbing birds from roosts in and around warehouses, barns, and close to airport terminals. An effective technique is to repeatedly treat roosting sites at dawn and at dusk, this gives birds time to find alternative roosts outside your control area. Diurnal birds will typically not flee a roost area in full dark, no matter how much pressure you put them under so it is important to begin laser treatment as soon as they return back to their roost. The most effective technique is to use the beam of light to slowly approach the roosting site, remember that birds perceive the laser light as a predator-like presence and so you must leave them an escape path. For indoor use, use the laser beam to “herd” birds towards and exit. While bird lasers can be an effective deterrent, many jurisdictions have laws prohibiting high-power lasers. In Canada, only handheld lasers with an output of >5mW are allowed (class 3a or lower), such as our fly-away laser. Power restrictions do somewhat limit laser applications as these lasers will not produce a very visible light during bright daylight. However, we’ve found these tools to be especially effective at chasing birds from roosts sites, which is typically done in low light situations. In addition, high-power lasers can pose safety hazards, particularly in aviation environments. As with all deterrents, bird lasers have both strengths and drawbacks and should be looked at as one tool in your bird control toolbox. Using a wide variety of affordable tools allows your team to react to diverse species and situations while preventing birds from becoming habituated from one type of deterrent. See our selection of aviation specific non-lethal bird deterrents here. Add to cart Bird Scare Laser – Adjustable Beam Affordable and powerful, while still being safe for both humans and birds Class 3A Laser is the most powerful laser legal for use in Canada Up to 200m (650ft) night… $39.95 $25.98 – $39.95 Add to cart
Bird Repellent: How to Keep Unwanted Birds Away with a System-Based Approach
Birds can cause significant damage to agricultural crops, interrupt industrial operations and even pose a danger to humans, such as during airplane bird strikes. Unfortunately, when birds are rewarded with a safe place to roost, food or other high value attractants, they can be difficult to keep away. Luckily, non-lethal repellent tools used in a strategic system can chase birds away and keep them from returning. There are three different classes of deterrents: Audio deterrents, Visual deterrents, and Active deterrents. You can create an effective bird repellent system by using a variety of options from each class. In this way, it is possible to efficiently protect anything from backyard blueberry crops to the biggest airports in the world in an affordable manner. While some individual species can be more sensitive to specific stimulus, this general strategy holds true for all species of birds. Repellents or deterrents work by utilizing involuntary physiological stress responses from birds when they think that they’re in danger. The greater the perceived threat from the deterrents are, the higher the likelihood of the birds believing they’re in constant danger; keeping them away from the controlled area. We call this “creating a landscape of fear”. For this to work, the fear you impart must be stronger than the attractant that brought them there in the first place. The most effective way to create this landscape is to use repellents from each of the deterrents classes to prevent habituation. Deterrent Classes Explained: Audio Audio: Deterrents that incorporate loud noises to startle and chase birds from the control area. Examples: Our Propane Cannons emit a 120 decibel (dB) audio blast, similar to the sound of a shotgun. All species of birds are sensitive to this sound. Continually move the propane scare cannons from place to place to keep birds from becoming accustomed to it. Propane cannons can effectively be combined with one of our Bird Gard speaker systems, which replicate the sound of injured birds in distress. Unwanted birds will connect the area with danger when they hear the cries from the speaker. Specific sounds combinations are available to most North American bird species. Visual Visual: Deterrents that make use of reflective material, lights, flashing, simulations or other visual elements. Examples: The strongest sense for a bird is their eyesight, which they rely on for flying, finding food and avoiding predators. Visual deterrents, such as predator effigies or dead decoys, are a non-lethal way to trick even the most intelligent prey species into believing predators are hunting in the area when they see “one of their own” that has been “killed” or a “predator” perched nearby. This further convinces them that your control area is unsafe to remain in. Active Active: Deterrents that are directly controlled by humans as a responses to birds in the area. The active class can include audio and visual deterrents as well. Example: Our most popular products, 15mm pyrotechnic scare cartridges, offer a variety of visual and audio effects and travel between 30m – 380m+ (90ft – 1250ft+) through the air. We stock the largest selection of pyrotechnic scare cartridges in North America. Combining different cartridges creates more chaos and prevents birds from becoming habituated to any one special effect and since you are using the deterrent only when needed, it is difficult for birds to become accustomed to these disruptive sights and sounds. We also supply the strongest hand-held bird control lasers allowed in Canada. Geese are particularly sensitive to the strange light pattern from the laser and react immediately. Like all tools, different bird repellent tools have their strengths and weaknesses. Don’t leave any safe havens in your control area; active and immediate use of deterrents prevent birds from being rewarded. The best bird control programs combine audio, visual, and active deterrents.
