Scarecrow Bird Scarer

by Pigeon Patrol | Jan 3, 2016 | Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes

Ajay Sood is one amongst many professional Kabootarbaaz, whose family has lived in the gullies of the Dhobi Bada, Kinari Bazar in Old Delhi. Everyday, he spends hours training his flock of pigeons in kabootarbaazi. Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal New Delhi 291215

Scarecrow Bird Scarer

OVERVIEW

‘The Scarecrow’ bird scarer is a multi-purpose bird and animal deterrent that is designed to be used in a garden to deter larger species of birds and animals. The Scarecrow bird scarer is a water-based deterrent that operates on a 24/7 basis and uses a passive infra-red motion sensor to detect both heat and movement. The Scarecrow bird scarer is triggered when the infra-red sensor beam is broken and the unit will shoot a stream of water, at garden hose pressure, for 3 seconds. The Scarecrow bird scarer then re-sets itself after 7 seconds. The Scarecrow bird scarer is designed to be used in a garden but could, in certain circumstances, be installed on a building as a pigeon control device. The Scarecrow bird scarer is sold with several decals that mimic the eyes and beaks of predatory birds. These decals are designed to be applied to the ‘head’ of the unit as an additional scaring technique but one supplier warns that these decals could scare small garden birds. If small birds are fed in the garden the decals should not be applied.

Scarecrow Bird Scarer
Mounting Bracket

The Scarecrow is powered by a 9-volt battery within the unit which powers both the infra-red sensor and the ‘high flow’ valve. The Scarecrow bird scarer will operate under normal circumstances for up to 6-months (or 3000 + activations) on one 9-volt battery. The Scarecrow’s water source is provided by a garden hose which is attached to a valve on the base of the unit. For larger areas several Scarecrows can be ‘daisy-chained’ using a single hose as the water source courtesy of the ‘flow through’ valve. The Scarecrow bird scarer will protect an area of up to 10 metres (90 square metres in total) from the unit in an arc ranging from 0°-300°. The Scarecrow bird scarer will use the equivalent of 2 – 3 cups of water during each activation making the unit extremely economical. The Scarecrow’s heat and motion sensor allow the unit to operate at night as well as during the day with the main benefit being the deterrence of nocturnal birds and animals.

Scarecrow Bird Scarer
Deterring Cat

The Scarecrow bird scarer is intended to operate at water pressures of between 30 and 80 psi (2-5.5 Bar) but if water pressure exceeds 80 psi it will be necessary to fit a pressure-reducing valve to the tap. The Scarecrow bird scarer cannot be operated in sub-zero temperatures or heavy frosts due to the potential for water to freeze in both the hose and the Scarecrow bird scarer unit itself. The infra-red sensor window on the top of the unit must be kept clean and free of dust and dirt in order to maintain maximum sensitivity. If operating in an area of hard water the sensor window will need extra attention to ensure that calcium does not build up on the lens. The Scarecrow bird scarer should not be pointed at flowing water, in the direction of a road with moving traffic or, if in a particularly windy area, in the direction of the prevalent wind. The unit may be triggered by any of the above. As false triggering of the unit reduces battery life, the on-board optics automatically reduce sensitivity to reduce false triggering of the unit during daylight hours. When false triggering occurs the unit will re-set itself to a lower sensitivity setting within 5 minutes.

The Scarecrow bird scarer is designed to be installed in a garden and therefore the base of the unit reduces to a spike so that the unit can be pushed into a lawn or flower bed. A footrest is provided near the base of the spike for the purpose of pushing the spike into the ground. An optional mounting bracket is also available that will allow the unit to be installed onto a vertical surface such as the wall of a house if no appropriate soft ground or lawn is available. This optional bracket could be used to install the device on any area of a building to deter pigeons from perching.

Scarecrow Bird Scarer
Deterring Dog

The Scarecrow must be assembled prior to use and once assembled the unit must be set-up to enable the unit’s sensor to ‘see’ the target species within its 10-metre operating range. This operation is undertaken via the unit’s sensitivity knob. The sensitivity settings allow the unit to be calibrated to ensure that the unit will operate effectively once motion or heat is detected within the 10-metre range. Once The Scarecrow bird scarer has been positioned correctly and calibrated for sensitivity, the arc and distance of the water spray must then be adjusted. When operating correctly the sprinkler head will cycle back and forth from side to side effectively protecting the 10-metre area in front of the unit.

One supplier of The Scarecrow bird scarer recommends that in order to mitigate water damage risks to the property, the amount of water available to the unit should be limited. This can be achieved by opening the hose valve to a maximum of ¾ of one turn, using a good quality hose pipe (or ideally using hard-plumbed irrigation pipes) and ensuring that the water pressure is within the normal operating range.

The Scarecrow bird scarer has some disadvantages in respect of its ability to provide year-round protection, particularly when used in a climate with cold winters. In some areas the unit will be out of action for 4-6 months due to the potential for frost damage and yet it is in the winter when birds need to forage more widely for food and therefore may become a problem in the domestic garden. Another minor disadvantage of The Scarecrow bird scarer is that the unit cannot face in the direction of a road where there is constant motion as this may trigger the device. Neither can the unit be used close to running water. This may reduce the potential for the unit to be used to protect ponds from predation by herons and the like. The Scarecrow bird scarer may also be triggered by human motion or pet activity in an adjoining garden.

Scarecrow Bird Scarer

The Scarecrow bird scarer may have one application that is not discussed by the manufacturer or its suppliers and that is for use as a pigeon deterrent on buildings. Clearly the unit would have certain limitations in this respect, particularly in relation to use over the winter and in sub-zero temperatures, but The Scarecrow bird scarer is available with a mounting bracket and providing that a water supply was readily available the unit could potentially be used for deterring pigeons from the roof of a building. Protecting the roof of a building from pigeon occupancy is one of the most challenging problems facing any property owner and yet The Scarecrow bird scarer appears to offer an extremely low-cost option. The conventional method of protecting the roof of a building is to install nylon bird netting but this product is not only extremely expensive to install, in most cases costing several thousand pounds, but the system is prone to failure if not maintained. The Scarecrow bird scarer may offer property owners a method of protection that could be used alongside anti-perching products such as the anti-roosting spike to provide a greater level of protection at a much lower cost. The Scarecrow bird scarer could also potentially be used to protect flat roof areas as well as light-wells and inner-courtyards, all areas which suffer extensively from pigeon-related problems. A further application for The Scarecrow bird scarer might be large flat roofs that are used by gulls for the purpose of nesting. Gull-related problems of this type cause major problems for property owners. The Scarecrow bird scarer is unlikely to be effective as a stand-alone deterrent in this application but if combined with anti-perching products and/or other scaring products the unit may have some value.

DEFRA’s view:

Water-based deterrents are not discussed on the DEFRA website.

Price range:

The Scarecrow bird scarer is widely available in the UK with a recommended retail price of £69.95 but The Scarecrow bird scarer can be sourced for as little as £54.00 from a UK-based supplier called ‘Deteracat’.

User reviews:

To date we have been unable to find any user reviews for The Scarecrow bird scarer but we will update this section as and when user reviews are made available to us. If you are able to provide a user review for The Scarecrow bird scarer please contact the Pigeon Control Resource Centre.

Comments from the Manufacturer/Distributor:

One US supplier of The Scarecrow bird scarer said the following of the product:

 

“The Scarecrow bird scarer protects any open area of the garden or yard that receives the unwanted attention of animals. Its sprinkler directs water accurately up to 10 m (35 feet), protecting a 90 square meter (1000 square foot) area. The Scarecrow bird scarer can see large animals farther away than it can small animals.”

“The Scarecrow bird scarer uses a passive infrared sensor to ‘see’ the temperature difference between an animal and the background. However, if the animal and the background are similar temperatures the Scarecrow bird scarer will have difficulty detecting movement.”

“When an animal or person moves into the field of view, the Scarecrow bird scarer notices the change and opens an electronic valve to release a three second burst of water through the sprinkler. The Scarecrow bird scarer then pauses for 8 seconds before resuming sensing. This pause creates an element of randomness and unpredictability preventing animals from becoming used to the device.”

One UK supplier of The Scarecrow bird scarer said the following of the product:

“The Scarecrow bird scarer is the smartest scarecrow ever invented. When it sees an intruder, it instantly sprays the trespasser with water under full garden hose pressure. It is completely harmless but extremely effective. The effect is both startling and immediate! Animals quickly get out of the area and avoid it in the future. Scarecrow protects day and night for up to 6 months (or 3000+ activations) on one 9 volt battery.”

“Besides being one of the most effective deterrents available today, the Scarecrow bird scarer is an alternative to smelly, poisonous, or visually disruptive products available. It is widely endorsed and less expensive than physical barriers. If you’ve tried other solutions that failed, you’re ready for a Scarecrow. You will love how it works! Sprinkler deters: Cats, Dogs, Rodents, Squirrels, Garden Pests, Deer, Rats/ Mice, Moles, Geese, Heron, Cranes or just about any outdoor animals!”

“Specifications: sensitivity setting, fully adjustable water spray up/down and side to side, battery operated; water conserving design (only uses about 2 cups of water per activation); runs for months, fires 100’s of time on a single 9v battery; safe and environmentally friendly; up to 10.5m (35 ft) range ahead and an impressive 50° either side of centre; go to bed at night knowing nothing is going into your flower beds!”

“Other reasons why the Scarecrow works:

• Training/repelling is consistent at the location, 24 hours a day.
• It is the environment rather than a person or other animal doing the ‘conditioning’.
• The water spray is sufficiently surprising and unpleasant to communicate an immediate, ‘Leave now’ message. Sudden unexpected noise unexpected movement, and water spray.
• The animal immediately associates this unpleasant experience with the location. To avoid similar surprises, they begin to avoid the area. While humans flee several steps after activating a Scarecrow motion-activated sprinkler, animals are scared to a much greater degree, run much further and stay away longer. We attribute this difference in part to the inherent fight or flight survival response found in most animals and their lack of intelligence or ability to figure out what caused the annoying noise and motion.
• Fully Automated.
• Safely and effectively repels animals without chemicals, visually objectionable barriers or shock. Operates unattended and ‘sprays’ when movement is detected (Day and Night).
• Works when motion is detected.
• Scarecrow bird scarer protects day and night for up to 6 months (or 3000+ activations) on one 9 volt battery.
• 2 year warranty.”

Editorial comments:

Scarecrow Bird Scarer
Deterring Dog

The Scarecrow bird scarer is a unique and well designed deterrent that can be used for both the control of birds and animals in a variety of environments. The main application for The Scarecrow bird scarer is the domestic garden where scaring larger species of birds and cats is the main requirement but the unit also has the potential to be used as part of a conventional pigeon or gull control system. The Scarecrow bird scarer is inexpensive to purchase at just over £50.00 and as a result must be seen as worthy of a trial on the basis of cost alone.

The Scarecrow bird scarer is straightforward to use but setting up the unit may require some time and patience. Once The Scarecrow has been assembled and positioned correctly, the sensitivity must be set to ensure that the unit can ‘see’ the target species within its 10-metre operating range. Once the sensitivity has been set the arc and distance of the water spray must then be set. Once these parameters have been correctly set the unit is more or less maintenance-free. The unit can be switched off to allow the user to enter the area protected by The Scarecrow bird scarer without triggering the unit. The one main requirement for The Scarecrow is an outside tap as the unit needs the benefit of mains water pressure to operate. Due to the fact that The Scarecrow bird scarer is a water-based device and requires a hose to feed the unit one minor disadvantage of the product is that it cannot be used in frost or in sub-zero temperatures. This may or may not be a disadvantage based on the proposed usage. Another potential disadvantage of The Scarecrow bird scarer is the fact that the unit may be triggered by passing traffic on a road or by activity in a neighbouring garden. In most domestic applications, however, these issues should not be a problem.

If larger areas need to be protected, such as large gardens or possibly flat roof areas on a building, The Scarecrow bird scarer has the added advantage of being simple to ‘daisy-chain’ with additional units. Due to the fact that the device uses mains water pressure one hose will service countless units for more extensive applications. The Scarecrow bird scarer is extremely economical product where both power and water usage is concerned with the unit operating for up to 6-months on one 9-volt battery and only using 2-3 cups of water per spray.

The Scarecrow bird scarer is an extremely versatile device offering limitless applications for the domestic user as well as having the potential to be used commercially for the control of pigeons and gulls. Clearly the only limiting factor is the need to have a water supply close to hand (and where the domestic garden is concerned an outside tap), but in most cases this should not be a problem. Even in the event that an outside tap will need to be installed in order to install and operate the device, the effectiveness of the product and the low purchase price would almost certainly justify the outlay.

Also commonly known as:

Water jet, water scarecrow, hose spray, water gun, cat spray, water spray gun, water deterrent, scarecrow water jet, scarecrow sprinkler, scare crow water jet

Relevance to pigeon control:

‘The Scarecrow’ is a general bird scarer and although there is potential for the product to be used for the control of pigeons it is not commonly used for this purpose

About Pigeon Patrol:

Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.

Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)

Flashing Buddha Eyes

by Pigeon Patrol | Jan 2, 2016 | Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes

Flashing Buddha Eyes

OVERVIEW

Flashing Hawkeye (FHE) and Flashing Buddha Eyes (FBE) are two visual scaring products produced by a UK-based company that combine the use of mirrors and predator/human images with movement to deter a wide variety of birds. Although both products would normally be associated with use in agricultural applications, where they can be extremely effective, the addition of a roof-mounted option renders both products considerably more versatile. Both the FHE and the FBE are effectively identical products but with different scaring images. The FHE uses a predator image for scaring and the FBE uses a human image – both images use bright primary colours to increase effectiveness.

Flashing Hawk Eyes

Both products comprise a plastic thermoformed aerofoil-shaped board, printed with images of predator eyes or human (Buddah-type) eyes, mounted on a metal post. Below the board a series of 4 reinforced high-impact mirrors are provided in a pyramid-shape and at an angle of approximately 45°. Both the board and the mirrors rotate courtesy of a series of high-quality sealed bearings in a bracket at the top of the post and according to the manufacturer will rotate in even the lightest wind. The products are solely wind powered with no motor or mechanical drivers. As the units rotate in the wind the light reflected from the mirrors produces a bright flash, even in dull or cloudy conditions, which can be seen from a considerable distance. The flash of the mirrors combined with the flashing colourful images printed on the board (at a rate dictated by wind speed) will have the effect of making any birds in the vicinity feel unsafe.

Flashing Hawkeye
on Roof

Both products are extremely simple to install irrespective of which installation option is chosen. For ground installations the unit is quick and easy to install via the optional and inexpensive post driving and crossbar/post removal tool. The post driving and crossbar/post removal tool (weighing 4.25 kilos) is a robust metal bar with a crossbar at one end which allows the user to drive the central post into the ground by pumping the bar up and down. The same tool allows the unit to be removed, with relative ease, from the ground. Both the FHE and the FBE have a finned spike base, which ensures that once the post is driven into the ground it will remain in situ and continue to stand upright even in strong winds. This is because the fins on the spike stop the unit from moving laterally once installed into the ground.

Flashing Buddha
Eyes in Field

In order to operate as designed both the FHE and the FBE must be installed vertically. Once the spike has been driven into the ground a spirit level must be used on each side of the base of the spike to ensure that the unit is standing at 90°. Once the unit is standing vertically the final adjustment is made courtesy of 4 adjustable locking screws located at the base of the unit. Assuming that the unit is provided in a vertical position even the lightest wind will rotate the board and mirrors.

The major benefit of the FHE and the FBE is complete lack of running costs. No batteries to charge or power sources to worry about, the unit will continue operating 24/7 with little or no human interaction required other than to check the vertical alignment of the unit periodically to ensure that it is maintaining its vertical position. Of course the downside of this is that the unit will not operate on days when there is no wind. The FHE and FBE will be effective on cloudy days, according to the manufacturer, and even at night as the mirrors will reflect light from the moon as well as the sun. This would allow the unit to be used against night-time predation of crops or fish from fish farms. Another major advantage of the FHE and the FBE is completely silent operation, allowing the unit to be used in areas of human habitation.

Applications for the FHE and the FBE include use with all types of arable crops, vineyards, horticultural applications, landfill sites, fish farms and as scarers for the protection of soft fruit. Both products can also be used in urban and semi-urban applications courtesy of the roof-mounted model, which allows the unit to be installed on the roof of an industrial building or any commercial site where the reflection of the mirrors will not cause human disturbance. The roof-mounted option differs from the ground spike-mounted option in that the vertical post is considerably shorter than the ground spike-mounted post (which stands at chest height). The plastic aerofoil-shaped board on the roof-mounted version also has a lower profile than the ground spike-mounted board. This is to reduce wind resistance and potential damage to the board in extremely strong winds based on the fact that the unit will be provided at height. The special bracket supplied with the roof-mounted model provides the user with a number of mounting options, further increasing the versatility of the product, certainly where installation is concerned. The FHE and FBE can be installed in the following ways when using the mounting bracket:

• on a flat vertical surface
• into the corner formed by two adjacent vertical surfaces
• onto the top of a wall/post and embracing the two adjacent vertical sides of a corner

Flashing Hawkeye
in Field

Although bird scarers are normally designed and used in rural and agricultural applications where they are considered to be reasonably effective as part of an overall scaring operation, their use in urban environments is less common. This is, in the main, due to their potential for human disturbance. The FHE and FBE roof-mounted models are designed to be used in this application, which sets them aside from conventional scaring products. The most obvious problem associated with their use in urban environments is the flashing created by the mirrors revolving and the potential for the visual disturbance of motorists and those within line of sight of the product. Other than this potential problem there would appear to be no reason why the FHE and FBE could not play a major scaring role as part of an existing control system. Although the product could be used as part of a pigeon control system it is more likely to be effective for the control of roof-nesting gulls. The fact that the unit employs movement combined with two types of visual stimulus make it a good option for gull control.

Habituation is an ongoing problem with all scaring products, but the added advantage of the FHE and FBE is movement. Not only do the units revolve in light winds but, unlike many scarers with flashing lights, the FHE and FBE are intermittent in operation, certainly in as much as they will speed up and slow down according to the strength of the wind or stop if there is no wind at all. A light that flashes constantly and with timed flashes will be habituated to far more quickly than an intermittent light source.

This straightforward and well-designed product has a number of applications for a variety of different birds, making it a good choice for anyone experiencing problems with more than one species. The product is also sensibly priced, making it a good option to trial – if it proves to be ineffective the loss will not have been great. As with all the products manufactured by this company, high quality components have been used and although the products could have been produced at a lower price point, the emphasis has been placed on quality, not price. Whether the product proves to be visually disturbing in urban applications is an unknown, but even if the product can be used on industrial sites where human disturbance would be kept to a minimum, it would be an interesting and potentially effective tool.

DEFRA’s view:

The Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is the UK’s Government body that oversees the Wildlife and Countryside Act and produces legislation to which the pest control industry must adhere. The following information is taken from a document provided on the DEFRA website entitled ‘Review of international research regarding the effectiveness of auditory bird scaring techniques and potential alternatives’ by J. Bishop, H. McKay, D. Parrott and J. Allan.

As both products involve the use of both mirrors and (in the case of Flashing Hawkeye) raptor images we have included relevant sections on both types of scaring:

Reflective Mirrors

Mirrors and reflectors work on the principle that sudden bright flashes of light produce a startle response and drive the bird from an area. However, the response of free-living birds to mirrors has been investigated in only a handful of species.

Foraging by black-capped chickadees Parus atricapillus at feeding stations was depressed by the presentation of either a standard mirror or an aluminium foil covered mirror; feeding was depressed the most by the standard mirror (Censky & Ficken 1982). When placed in nesting territories mirrors evoked aggressive responses from blue grouse Dendragapus obscurus (Stirling 1968) and glaucous-winged gulls Larus glaucesens (mirror combined with playback of gull calls) (Stout et al. 1969).

Reflective objects have been reported as being effective in deterring raptors, such as sparrowhawks and goshawks, from game release pens. Experiments in Europe showed that large silvered balls were effective in protecting reared game and chickens from diurnal raptors, particularly sparrowhawks and goshawks (Mansfield 1954; Pfeiffer & Keil 1963, cited in Lloyd 1976). Various gamekeepers in the UK also advocate the use of reflective objects. Opportunistic trials using such suspended materials successfully ended sparrowhawk predation at three different release pens.

Mirrors and reflectors have also been found to be inexpensive but effective against waterfowl, gulls and some herons (Greer and O’Connor 1994 cited in Reilly 1995). However, although aluminium pie plates suspended on varying lengths of twine deterred some waterfowl species, ducks were regularly seen to swim within 4-5 m of the reflectors (Boag and Lewin 1980).

In a survey of 336 fish hatchery managers in eastern USA, eight reported using tin reflectors of which seven said they had limited or no success as a depredation control technique (Parkhurst et al. 1987). In the same survey only one manager used mirrors and that was unsuccessful. Mirrors placed inside nest-boxes did not deter starlings from nesting within (Seamans et al. 2001).

A device consisting of a rotating pyramid of mirrors has been recommended for preventing crow damage to seedling corn (Anon. 2002d). This device is available in the UK and the manufacturer claims it is effective over four hectares against pigeons, blackbirds, starlings and crows on a variety of crops, but no scientific research has been can carried out to substantiate these claims (Anon. 2000a).

Although easy and inexpensive to put up and easy to relocate, the effectiveness of mirrors and reflectors as a bird scaring technique is variable. As they are only effective when they reflect sunlight and so are useless before sunrise (Nakamura 1999), they are best combined with other methods of scaring.

Raptor models

The basis for this deterrent is mimicry of real predators and evocation of fear and avoidance in the target species. Most potential prey species react to predator models; the strength of the response, however, varies between species (Conover 1979), and in some cases raptor models can attract rather than repel birds as species like blackbirds and crows often mob owls or owl models (Conover 1983, cited in Harris and Davis 1998).

Model raptors fail to incorporate behavioural cues, which may be critical to the induction of fear and avoidance in the target species. Falcons which are “in the mood” to hunt are said to be “sharp set”; such bird are invariably hungry enough to fly at quarry. Although it is difficult for human observers to differentiate between a falcon when it is sharp set and conversely well fed, birds will mob a hawk more frequently when sharp set than when well fed. Thus, model raptors will be inherently less threatening and consequently less effective than live raptors (Inglis 1980).

In the USA, museum-mounted models of a sharp-shinned hawk Accipiter striatus and goshawk Accipiter gentilis both reduced the numbers of birds visiting feeding stations. Habituation to the models, however, was relatively quick with birds reentering the feeding area after only 5-8 hours exposure (Conover 1979).

For some bird species the avoidance response to large avian predators appears to be, in part, a learned behaviour. Juvenile gray jays Perisoreus canadensis showed little response to a model great horned owl Bubo virginianus, whereas adult jays reacted intensely (Montevecchi & Maccarone 1987). Interestingly, with repeated exposure, juveniles developed a greater fear toward the model whereas adults habituated to the decoy.

As for scarecrows, movement can enhance scaring effectiveness. An animated crowkilling owl model was more effective in protecting vegetable plots from crows than an unanimated model (Conover 1985). This model consisted of a plastic owl model with a plastic crow model in its talons that either had wings that moved in the breeze or battery-powered wings that could move in the absence of wind. Both versions of this device reduced crop damage by 81%. The deterrent effect was maximised by combining movement with an implicit risk. No indication is given of how long the deterrent effect lasted.

In general, raptor models are inexpensive (£5-£25 for plastic owl models, Network Pest Control Systems Ltd.) and easy to deploy. Their effectiveness is increased if they are animated and if they are moved frequently. However, birds quickly learn that the model poses no threat and rapidly habituate to it.

Price range:

Flashing Hawkeye/Flashing Buddha Eyes for ground mounting: £134.00 + VAT

Flashing Hawkeye/Flashing Buddha Eyes for roof mounting: £151.00 + VAT

Optional post driver and crossbar/post removal tool: £16 + VAT

User reviews:

To date we have been unable to find any user reviews for Flashing Hawkeye or Flashing Buddha Eyes but we will update this section as and when user reviews are made available to us. Anybody that can provide a user review for Flashing Hawkeye or Flashing Buddha Eyes please contact the Pigeon Control Resource Centre.

Comments from the Manufacturer/Distributor:

The following information about the use of Flashing Hawkeye and Flashing Buddah Eyes is taken from the scaringbirds.com website:

“The Flashing Hawkeye (and Flashing Buddah Eyes) with mirrors comprises a thermoformed aerofoil-shaped board which is secured in a bracket mounted on the top of a metal post which revolves in the lightest wind on high quality sealed bearings. Hanging downwards from the same bracket is a multi-angled series of reinforced high impact mirrors shaped like a lampshade which rotate with the aerofoil board.

As the Flashing Hawkeye revolves in the wind, it reveals an image of a pair of menacing and vibrant coloured predator’s eyes in contrasting colours on either side which gives a blinking effect as it rotates. At the same time, the mirrors provide a powerful and very eye-catching flash which can be seen at great distances, thus protecting large acreages. In conditions of bright sunlight, this can be equivalent to looking directly at the sun, but even on more overcast days and at first light of dawn, it reflects sufficient light to be significantly eye-catching. It can also be effective at night time under a full moon when it can resemble a flash from a powerful torch.

The optional driving tool and crossbar/post remover is a heavy bar with a cross-bar fitted through one end which provides an easy way of driving the post into the ground by pumping the bar up and down in the mouth of the post. Just as importantly, it enables the spike to be moved without resort to lever bars and spades. This is achieved by inserting the crossbar through the side of the metal ground spike, thus providing a horizontal surface against which to swing upwards with the heavy bar and the spike then lifts out with comparative ease.”

Editorial comments:

Flashing Buddha
Eyes in Field

Bird scarers are not normally associated with use in urban areas and this is what sets the FHE and the FBE apart from a majority of other scaring products. As scarers for agricultural applications the FHE and the FBE offer the user a good solid product that has been designed and manufactured to stand the test of time rather than being manufactured to a price. Even so, the units are relatively inexpensive to purchase, with the optional post driver offered at an extremely keen price, allowing for quick and easy installation and removal.

Habituation is always a worry with scarers and no more so than with the roof-mounted model due to the fact that the installation bracket supplied with this model requires a permanent fixing. Therefore, if the product has to be moved due to habituation, or for any other reason, it is likely that another suitable site will need to be found where the bracket can be installed. This may not always be easy. The advantages of a heavy-duty mounting bracket, however, is that it will provide the unit with an extremely strong base and dramatically reduce the potential for the product to be blown down in high winds, a constant headache with wind-powered scarers. The mounting bracket also allows for a variety of fixings into different surfaces, which increases its versatility where re-siting is concerned.

The unit may cause human disturbance in urban areas and this may restrict its use, but in the event that the Hawkeye or Buddah eye images are effective in their own right, the mirrors could be blanked off to stop reflected light causing problems. It may even be possible to detach the mirrors altogether. Movement is a critical factor when scaring birds and intermittent movement is much more effective than pre-timed operations from battery or mains powered devices. Due to the high quality bearings used for the FHE and the FBE the unit will revolve in very little wind and if installed on top of a building, where there is usually considerably more wind than at ground level, the unit should continue to move even on still days. On a windy day the unit will revolve a staggering 70,000+ times a day.

The FHE and the FBE are not guaranteed to be effective, neither will they be effective as a stand-alone bird control, but they represent excellent value for money and have the potential to be effective in a wide variety of applications. Of all the bird scarers this is one of the most simple to power and install and other than regular checks to ensure the product is aligned correctly to the vertical, it can be left to operate without human interaction. When compared to the excessively high price of some bird scaring products, particularly electronic products, the cost of the FHE and FBE pale into insignificance and must be worth consideration as a result.

Sources:

DEFRA quotes:

PDF on DEFRA website entitled: ‘Review of international research regarding the effectiveness of auditory bird scaring techniques and potential alternatives.’ By J. Bishop, H. McKay, D. Parrott and J. Allan.

Also commonly known as:

Mirror scarers, flashing scarers, wind scarers, predator scarers, flashing hawks, human scarers, scarecrows, predator scarecrows

Relevance to pigeon control:

Both products are suitable for use as general scarers in virtually all agricultural applications and with all species of birds. The roof-mounted version of the products can be used to scare both feral pigeons and gulls in urban applications

About Pigeon Patrol:

Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.

Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)