[guy_]

My wife and I are successfully growing berry bush and two fig trees in our back yard.

The downside is that the local birds are helping themselves to our fruit. My wife thought setting up a scarecrow, however I didn't think that would work.

Anyone have any low-tech ideas on how to scare away birds from our fruit trees?

thanks

 

[inMichigan]

In our gardens, we have 3 different 'scarecrows' that we move around. We also have a plastic owl and hawk. During the current critical phase of wheat/barley, we move them twice a day.

I believe they work, however, if not moved around, the birds figure it out.

and

The heads are made from an orange juice bottle... the clothing comes from the 2nd hand store...

We've found that skirts, which easily billow in the wind, work best.

inMichigan

 

[wilderness bushman]

I have used old disk [think free AOL ] I drilled a hole on one edge and painted a big set of eyes on one side ,,,hang with a string and paper clip to make moving them easy and a few rubber snakes in the braches help too ,,,but again its the moving of them that helps ,,,if it stays in the same place it don't scare after a while

 

[Huecoaz]

Around my garden , fruit trees with fruit and berry bushes I use the 4" yellow contractors safety flagging that you can buy at any big box hardware store . This is the second year in a row that I've used it and it keeps the dove and sparrows away and is also works on my free range hens . Its ALWAYS windy here and I dont know if its the sound or movement or both but it works a lot better than the plastic owls .

 

[tantor]

Disposable aluminum pie pans hung from a tree limb on some nylon string will work wonders. If you hang it where it can hit a limb occasionally, you get double duty out of it.

 

[cantankerous]

My buddy uses tree nets on his fruit trees.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/slredirect/picassoRedirect.html/ref=pa_sp_atf_aps_sr_pg1_1?ie=UTF8&adId=A034533322XPS6A709Z5F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FRoss-Netting-Protect-Animals-UV-protected%2Fdp%2FB0014FG0A4%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1%3Fie%3DUTF8%26qid%3D1499115472%26sr%3D8-1-spons%26keywords%3Dtree%2Bnetting%26psc%3D1&qualifier=1499115471&id=3306711025959101&widgetName=sp_atf

 

[Helion]

People swear by those plastic owls.

 

[leadcounsel]

Something shiny like strips of aluminum foil or CDs hanging.

I've also used a couple of rubber snakes to some success.

 

[bilmac]

CD disks have worked for me

 

[swamppapa]

two lids from #10 cans slotted about 1/2 way so the can be split into each other so from the ends it looks like a + drill/punch a hole in the edge of one at the opposite of the of the slot.
Put a large snap swivel through the hole, a heavy line through the swivel hang from the tree
That you want to protect.
I had mulberries into late June usually their bird eaten by end of May.

 

[230gr]

I planted wild choke and black cherry,. mulberry bushes, wild grapes and tiny fruited wild apples around the property and the birds actually prefer the native fruit and leave the cultivated fruit alone. We get the insect eating bonus of the birds and the occasional wild fruit jelly too.

 

[Kay]

Yes, tree nets. I had a friend who hung several stuffed cats from the top of her huge glass windows and they completely stopped the birds from flying into her window and killing themselves. Maybe it would work if you put some stuffed kitties into the trees. How about some bells hung toward the ends of the tree branches? I've never heard of anyone trying that but I've thought of it.

 

[kokosmom2]

I just (tonight) put a bird netting "fence" around and over my blueberries. I hope this keeps them out because this is the first year I'm getting blueberries of of these young bushes.

 

[Dixie_Dude]

I have used rubber snakes. Move them around at night so they don't get used to them. Aluminum pie plates are good if you hang them where the wind can blow. I have a large owl, that has a solar powered head mover. Every couple of minutes the head changes position. This helps some but can scare away the blue birds.

 

[barnetmill]

If you have grand children or some other way to access and directed a small boy- Said small boy with a bb gun that is paid some small coin will keep them away. This year I did nothing and the birds got most of my berries.
My cat does not climb and my farm dogs are not very effective at deterring small birds. Next year for smaller bushes it will be netting for the smaller bushes, old computer discs (painted with eyes), some plastic snakes, pie pans, and scare crows that get moved. Perhaps also a co2 bb gun. When using netting care should be taken not to get useful snakes caught in it.

 

[two bits]

Try the CD's hanging on a string. And even ole VCR tape strung from limbs or etc. Works for me. All is cheap and sometime free.
Works like the mylar tape, Bird-B-Gone tape.