Do scarecrows work?

[hailtryfan]

Hi peeps,

Want to try and deter the flocks of pigeons, magpies and pheasants from nibbling my crops and thought a scarecrow might be a good idea as the farmers use them hereabouts. Other more experienced people on the site have windmills and such like but no scarecrows leaving me to suspect it might not be effective

Any grapes out there had any experiences with scarecrows outside of Wurzel Gummidge? Any hints or tips for what works best?

Cheers

[Mr Potato Head]

Great topic, I have been considering a scarecrow for my plot.

As well as opinions could we also have pics of scarecrows or any other clever devices to keep the birds away?

[Poddington Pea]

A book I have suggests tieing a shredded bag on a string (so it dangles and blows in the wind) to the end of a bamboo cane, might try this tomorrow, if I get a minute!
A scarecrow would look really cool though....

[Two_Sheds]

No, they aren't effective, but look nice. This one is Billy's on our site

Netting is the only way to keep woodpigeons off your crops and blackbirds off your strawbs

I've tried various scare tactics over the years: fluttering cassette tape, shiny CDs, glass bottles (for the woo woo noise), carrier bags tied to canes (for the rustling & flapping). The pigeons still come, they quickly get used to it all.

Use a barrier method Or if you have a small area to protect, a cat's cradle of black cotton is effective (tied to canes and latticed between them). Birds hate it touching them, they can't see it so it scares them away

[oldie]

As TS says, birds and other animals soon get used to these sort of deterrents. Some you can move around a bit but eventually they suss it out.

[Shadylane]

I'm going to try ditching netting this year. Spent ages making out some cages out of canes, string and netting last year only for them to collapse under the snow. Also found a semi decomposed bird trapped in it. Horrible.

I'm going to experiment with more random planting and interplanting with flowers. I've found that when I've stuck the odd cabbage in a random spot cos I didn't have room the birds didn't attack it. They're more likely to go for one long row of cabbages I reckon. I considered buliding a scarecrow, but how often do you see farmers fields complete with scarecow in the middle surrounded by dozens of birds who obviously don't give a fliying rats arris.

I'd love to ditch netting for good (except on maybe the strawbs) but if I do go back I'll have to invest in some smalller weave pond netting so has not to hang any more birdies.

[Kristen]

I haven't had any birds stuck in the scaffolders debris netting I use - it keeps the Cabbage White Butterfly out too, but don't put it on your Strawbs until they have been pollinated ...

But it does collapse under snow (more so that a larger-hole netting I expect)

[Shadylane]

Yeah debris netting is good but it does keep the insects out. I'm not sure bees could get through pond netting either though(??)

[binley100]

In my opinion scarecrows don't do any work whatsoever, blimmin lazy if you ask me......anyway I use debris netting over the brassicas and I have black netting with bigger holes over the strawbs (only over the top cos the there is chicken wire around the sides of the bed. At the moment the PSB and spring cabbage bed just has normal garden netting over just to keep the pigeons off. I made a cage out of Tennis balls and canes (thanks to a tip from here) and it didn't collapse with the snow.....

[Snadger]

No, they aren't effective, but look nice. This one is Billy's on our site.........................

Looks a bit like me after a night on the tiles!

[Snadger]

In my opinion scarecrows don't do any work whatsoever, blimmin lazy if you ask me......

Don't let auld Wurzel Gummidge hear you saying that............

[binley100]

pah......he don't scare me..........

[hailtryfan]

Blimey!

Wasn't expecting the response to be so damning of the traditional old scarecrow. Wonder why the farmers bother with em at all?

What about the twirly things with the big scary eyes that flash as they spin?

[binley100]

What about the twirly things with the big scary eyes that flash as they spin?

Isn't that G4 dealing with Asbo ..........

[Snadger]

pah......he don't scare me..........

Nor the crows either.........