Topic: CDs to scare birds

[davholla]

For various reasons (space, plants in different cages and my Mum would disown me) I can't use fruit netting/cages.  Has anyone tried CDs or something else to scare birds?

[peanuts]

Yes, I have suspended CDs along the rows of autumn raspberries.  But as to whether it is effective, I can't tell you!  Need a controlled experiment for that! It may put some birds off, but   the blackbirds, being musical, seem to accept  them quite happily!!!!!

[ACE]

I find that country and western cds work the best. Except  Dolly Parton she attracts tits

[ACE]

I find that country and western cds work the best. Except  Dolly Parton she attracts tits

[Marlborough]

Susan Boyle, guaranteed to scare anything!!!!😂

[galina]

Or turkey foil strips on strings which is cheaper than CDs.  But your mother might not like that look either.   

CDs have a side effect, they move in the breeze, which can also catch the sunlight and 'flash' which can be seen from the house and possibly be irritating, like seeing something out of the corner of your eye.

Yes CDs work, but their strings can become tangled around plants.  Where they 'bang' against a support (which is great for scaring birds) people could object to the noise and the flashing in adjoining gardens if you live very close to your neighbours, a bit like the outdoor wind chimes, which some people detest.   

[Steve Oram]

I understand deterrents are effective for a few weeks until the local pigeons/foxes/youth get used to them, then you need to change up to a different deterrent. I've not tried myself, but then again I didn't get any gooseberries off of my plot last year, they seemed to vanish overnight... no problems in the garden though.

CDs are quite ugly if you ask me, and I'm constantly digging them out of my plot, normally in little pieces. They're mostly newspaper freebies.

[squeezyjohn]

Although it would be nice to get rid of them in a useful way ... it doesn't work!  Pigeons just get used to them!

[ACE]

Birds and vermin do get used to different scaring objects. The secret is to move them about now and again. They will even get used to galleybaggers  (scarecrows over on the north island). A small child with a rattle works best, but you have to pay them thrupence a day.

[picman]

Same subject ... do the electric Owls do the scare thing....