Controlling Bird Damage

Many birds are friends to the gardener, as they feast on harmful insects and weed seeds. But when they feast on our crops, we categorize them as pests. Blackbirds, starlings, and even robins have been known to pull up tasty corn seedlings, munch on ripening cherries, peaches, and blueberries, and even dig holes in lawns looking for insects. The amount of damage will vary, depending on the weather and native food supply that year. In dry years, birds will eat many different fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes and melons, for both food and moisture.

For the birds, the timing couldn't be better. As gardeners are planting their crops and nurturing them to ripeness, these birds are raising their young, and need a handy food source. Flocks of birds can quickly decimate an entire berry patch or grain field, while individual birds can be very aggressive and determined to attack a particular crop.

• Any scare device will work for a few days, but birds are smart and will soon get used to it. Some effective visual scare methods include hanging aluminum pie tins, replicas of predators, reflective tape, or large, scare-eye balloons (that mimic the scary eyes of predator birds). Noisemakers, such as radios or intermittent canon exploders are also useful.
• The best way to control bird damage is through exclusion. Bird netting protects tree fruit and berries if installed two to three weeks before fruit matures. You can also cover maturing corn ears with paper bags, and lay garden fabric over germinating seedlings to foil the birds. Insect Netting with Hoops can be used to protect an entire row.

Q. Some creature snipped off the flower buds from squash and pulled up my bean and corn seedlings. What did this, and how do I keep it from happening again?

A. Crows and finches will do several of the things you mentioned, especially uprooting seedlings of corn and beans. Other possibilities include chipmunks and squirrels. Look for tracks. If it is too dry, water and check for tracks the next morning.

If crows or other birds are the culprit, your main weapons are scare tactics. Consider using a noise-makers, such as a radio (do you have neighbors who might be bothered?), mylar tape and balloons (the reflection bothers them), or strings down the row with streamers of flagging tape, all of which have been used with some degree of success. Varying your scare tactics works best, as it keeps pests from getting used to them. Once seedlings are up about 8 inches tall, birds don't seem to bother them, so your scare tactics need not last long. If scaring them doesn't work, you can get some bird netting to create a temporary barrier.

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