Birds can devastate young vegetable seedlings or ruin fresh
fruit in the blink of an eye but if we know what to do, and take action before
they strike, we can often prevent problems.
Many of us are all too familiar with damage caused by birds
to ripening apricots, plums, grapes, and other garden fruits. We know it happens and even come to expect
it. However, few people realize that
birds can also seriously damage vegetable gardens. The fact is that yes, birds can make pests of
themselves in vegetable gardens, particularly when young plants are in the
seedling stage. Some people would be
quick to say that they can be very aggravating pests. For those who know what I am talking about, I
sense your frustration.
Birds can damage fruit and vegetables in two basic
ways. The most obvious is direct feeding
and the other is contamination of food products. Let’s consider some examples.
Horned larks are notorious in the commercial vegetable
industry and in home vegetable gardens for nipping at new seedlings emerging
from the ground. They usually don’t
really eat the plant. Mostly they just bite it, perhaps for a taste of the
sap. Sometimes though, they will pull it
completely out of the ground. In these
cases, it is not uncommon to find the poor, abused seedling lying discarded
nearby after this not too gentle treatment.
Horned larks are not the only ones that do this of course, but they are
notorious for this kind of damage.
Other birds like finches, sparrows, thrashers, and wrens
will peck holes in the soft flesh of ripening fruit. Figs, apricots, peaches, and plums are common
targets for birds. Woodpeckers and their relatives the sapsuckers, peck holes
in the rinds of citrus fruit looking for a juicy taste of fresh fruit. Many birds figure out how to hunt the seeds
that you just put in the ground and have lunch at your expense. If you are
growing your own grains, watch out for the red-winged blackbird. They and their cronies will absolutely love
your harvest.
Birds also cause damage to garden crops through direct
contamination of the edible parts of the plant.
Bird droppings are usually not a problem when they fall on fruits that
will be peeled, but when they end up on difficult to wash fruit like
blackberries, strawberries, and clusters of table grapes, they make a real mess
and the residues could harbor disease.
The sight of bird feces on fresh fruit is guaranteed to
quickly destroy any desire one might have to pluck a ripe fruit and plop it
directly in the mouth. Even so, most
produce can be cleansed with a careful washing.
In fact, it is a good idea to inspect food materials carefully before
you place anything in your mouth. Even
if you can’t see any contamination, it is always good to wash before you
eat. It is better to be safe than sorry,
I say.
How do we prevent bird problems in the garden? When thinking about control, many people
quickly jump to the idea of chemical poisons and repellents. However, since most gardeners do not have the
proper training, certification, and license to use chemicals to control birds,
that way is out. Don’t even think about
it. Put it out of your mind. Don’t go there.
The same goes for shooting with fire arms, sling shots, or
arrows. There are a whole bunch of laws
that if violated, could bring embarrassment, financial difficulties, and even
imprisonment. Unless you have legal
permission, birds cannot be harmed in any way.
Just so we are clear, almost every bird you see is protected by state
and/or federal regulations. Killing or
injuring birds without a license carries a stiff punishment and could get you
into big trouble. Don’t do it.
So, what can you do to protect your garden from the ravages
of hungry birds? There are a number of
things that can be done and most fall within three categories: frightening
devices, mechanical barriers, and habitat modification.
Okay, let me emphasize right here that I am not recommending
the use of loud sounds in populated areas to frighten away birds. While farmers out in the country might get
away with propane cannons, fireworks, and blank shotgun blasts, no one in the
city wants to wake up to a loud bang or pop at the crack of dawn. Not only will the neighbors be upset, but the
local law enforcement community also.
They take a dim view of such activities, even if it is in the name of
good gardening, because there are laws against disturbing the public peace.
On the other hand, a good predator silhouette works very
well to frighten birds away. It is quiet
and causes no harm to the animals. Some
people use hawks or snakes, but I like to use an owl. Strategically placed and moved regularly,
birds have a tough time telling the difference between a real owl and a plastic
one in the few seconds they have to make a life or death decision. I really like the plastic owl that, with
power from a solar collector, is able to move its head. Any movement is good
because it gives the birds a more realistic view. I have seen birds literally do a u-turn in
mid flight when they suddenly see what they think is a live owl hiding among
the foliage of a fig or apricot fig.
Predator images seem to work equally well in vegetable gardens.
Mechanical barriers are another good way to keep birds away
from sensitive plants. Many people
already use bird netting over citrus, apricots, grapes, and plums to protect
their fruit. Floating row covers, light
spun fabric especially designed for agricultural use, or the netting you use on
your fruit trees can be set up to keep birds away from tender vegetable plants
until they are large enough that birds lose interest. The floating row cover can be laid directly on
top of the plants because they are light enough that they do not damage
plants. Netting can be laid on top of a
pole framework to keep them off the plants.
The last way to prevent bird damage is to change the natural
habitat around your garden. Modifying conditions to make the area less interesting
to the birds will help prevent bird populations from becoming excessive. The
fewer the birds, the less damage will be sustained.
Of course, birds can travel some distance to a feeding area
so habitat modification may have its limits, but anytime we can camouflage or
make a feeding site less interesting the better off we will be. Common modification techniques include
removing roosting areas like trees and shrubs in the vicinity of the garden
area, moving the bird bath and decorative bird houses to another part of the
yard, and eliminating nearby resting areas.
Birds cause many types of damage in the garden. While there are some things that we
definitely should not do, there are steps that you and I can take to
effectively prevent bird damage without harming protected species.
If you have questions, you can reach one of the Master
Gardeners at the Cooperative Extension office, 820 E. Cottonwood Lane, Building
C, in Casa Grande. The telephone is
(520) 836-5221, extension 204.
The University of Arizona is an equal opportunity,
affirmative action institution. The
University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex,
national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation in its
programs and activities.
Rick Gibson
Extension Agent, Agriculture
University of Arizona Cooperative Extension
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