Setting up bird scarers
1. Presentation
Characterization of the technique
Description of the technique:
| Julien Halska | INRA | julien.halska(at)grignon.inra.fr | Epoisses (21) |
| Rémy Ballot | INRA | remy.ballot(at)grignon.inra.fr | Grignon (78) |
Birds can cause damage to crops mainly after sowing and until harvest. The implementation of scare devices helps keep them away from the plots. One can choose visual scare devices (scarecrow shaped like a bird of prey or balloon) or sound scare devices (gas cannon). Scare devices should only be installed once the first damage is observed: indeed, birds quickly get used to their presence, which limits the durability of their effectiveness.
Example of implementation: An increase in bird damage has been observed in recent years, particularly near urban areas and on minor crops (sunflower, pea, due to concentration effect). The incriminated species can be trapped or shot if they are listed as harmful species at the departmental level, based on damage reports from farmers to the DDT.
Implementation period On established crop
Spatial scale of implementation Plot
Application of the technique to...
All crops: Easily generalizable
The implementation of bird scare devices can be applied to all crops. Spring crops are the most concerned, due to lower recovery capacities.
All soil types: Easily generalizable
All climatic contexts: Easily generalizable
2. Effects on the sustainability of the cropping system
"Environmental" criteria
Effect on air quality: Increasing
phytosanitary emissions: DECREASE
Effect on water quality: Increasing
pesticides: DECREASE
Other: No effect (neutral)
The implementation of bird scare devices, when it avoids the use of seed treatments, reduces the risk of transfer of these active substances to water and air via dust emission at sowing.
"Agronomic" criteria
Productivity: Increasing
The use of bird scare devices, when done to maximize their effectiveness, helps avoid yield losses related to damage at emergence (uneven stand) or at harvest.
Functional Biodiversity: Increasing
The use of bird scare devices is favorable to functional biodiversity when it avoids the use of seed treatments that have a negative effect on soil biodiversity.
"Economic" criteria
Operational costs: Variable
The purchase of bird scare devices represents a very variable cost depending on the devices: about €30 to €50 per unit for visual scare devices to about €1700 for sound scare devices. However, their use can avoid costs for seed treatments, or even costs related to reseeding plots in case of significant damage.
Margin: Variable
The impact of using bird scare devices depends on pressure, and thus potential losses on one hand, and on the type and price of the chosen scare device on the other.
"Social" criteria
Observation time: Increasing
Effective use of bird scare devices requires monitoring plots during critical periods to decide on their installation.
3. Favored or disadvantaged organisms
Disadvantaged Bioagressors
| Organism | Impact of the technique | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bird (bioagressor) | pest, predator or parasite |
4. For more information
- Protect your crops against damage from pest birds
- -Maurice R.
CRA Pays de la Loire, Technical brochure, 2011
5. Keywords
Mode of action: Action on the initial stock
Type of strategy regarding pesticide use: Redesign
Annexes
S'applique aux cultures suivantes
Défavorise les bioagresseurs suivants
