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Bird decoys: the hawk vs. the owl
February 10, 2017
Birds cause millions of dollars in damage to homes across the U.S. each year. Because of the acidity levels in bird droppings, large accumulations of them can actually eat through roofing materials, which could cause leaks if bird populations are not deterred from the property. Bird nests can ruin gutters, cause electrical fires, and block ventilation systems. Gardens aren’t safe either. Birds can destroy young seedlings and fresh fruit, and contaminate food plants with their droppings.
There are a variety of effective ways to control the bird populations around a home and garden. At Bird B Gone, we’ve developed a variety of environmentally friendly bird deterrents that will not harm birds or other wildlife, yet will effectively deter them in most cases.
One of the most popular methods of bird deterrents are decoys such as the Bird-B-Gone Hawk Decoy, designed to scare off birds without the use of loud noises, lights, or other such equipment. Decoys such as the Hawk are low-maintenance options for bird control and usually made of a durable plastic that holds up to a variety of environmental factors. Decoys are commonly created in the shape of a hawk or an owl, predators that hunt the birds visiting a property.
By strategically placing these decoys on a roof, over the patio, on a boat, or in a garden, birds are unable to tell that the decoy is not a live bird—at least for a while. In sunlight, the decoy produces a silhouette or shadow that is equally menacing, but the success of decoy birds relies on human interaction. Moving the decoy to different places on the property is suggested to create a more realistic visual deterrent.
Which Decoy is Most Effective, The Hawk or The Owl?
Owls: The Night Hunters
Birds know that owls are night hunters, so seeing an owl while the sun is shining may not be an effective way to discourage birds from visiting your property. An owl guarding a garden or perched on a wall day by day will eventually lose its effectiveness, and, while birds may have been deterred in the beginning, they will soon learn this owl is not a real threat. With that being said the Red Tailed Hawk may be the more effective visual deterrent.
The Red Tailed Hawk: The Day Predators
The Bird B Gone Red Tailed Hawk decoy is chosen by consumers as the more realistic option for a decoy to use as a visual bird deterrent. Not only do the red-tailed hawks hunt in the daylight hours in a natural habitat, they are readily identified by birds as a predator. The mock predator eye and shiny reflective surface work together appealing to birds’ visual sense. The red-tailed hawk decoy presents a visual warning to the birds, day or night, that danger is near.
While decoys can be effective for small areas or minimal bird concentrations, they are not recommended for larger infestations. The type of bird population, the amount of space affected, and the location of the infestation should also be considered. A combination of bird control methods may be required, including bird netting, repellents, electric tracks or laser deterrents.
For additional information, contact the professionals at Bird B Gone, who can recommend the right type of product to address your bird control problem.
Company: Bird-B-Gone, Inc.
Source: https://www.birdbgone.com/blog/bird-decoys-hawk-vs-owl/
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