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  • From: Sabina F Swift <sabina AT hawaii.edu>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Birds
  • Date: Sat, 26 Mar 2005 08:08:25 -1000

Aloha! Again, thank you all for your suggestions. This bird problem is
year round with year round cropping pattern in Hawaii.

I have two cats at home (6, 17 years old); one a bird and mouse
catcher, the other homebound. This is probably the reason I did not
think of cats to solve the bird problem. It's like thinking of young
kids to chase the birds away! And yes, not all cats are mousers or bird
catchers.

Here are some of the practices farmers I work tried to get rid of birds:
1. attached mylar ribbons to posts at ends of rows (I provided the
mylar to experiment with, did not work)
2. empty soda cans strung together and then strung between rows of
cucumbers, pulled at one end to create noise and commotion when the
birds come (still, someone has to pull that string)
3. farmer or family member drives birds away (the most effective so far)
4. feed birds with left over rice from kitchen (did not work)

In my visit last week with a cooperator, he thought of making a
scarecrow, which I encouraged, although he said it may work only for a
day. He also thought of plastic snakes, as a list member suggested. I
will suggest hanging throw-away CD disks (I have to provide). Again,
this will have limited impact and effectiveness, but will be worth
trying.

Happy Easter and wish you all good farming!

Sabina
of currently windy, cool(68 C) Honolulu



----- Original Message -----
From: road's end farm <organic101 AT linkny.com>
Date: Saturday, March 26, 2005 6:42 am
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Birds

>
> On Mar 23, 2005, at 2:50 PM, Sabina F Swift wrote:
>
> > Thank you all for all the great ideas you shared with me. It was
> funny> I did not think of cats.
>
> I wouldn't get the cats unless you want cats around anyway. It's
> not
> kind to either the cats or the neighborhood to attract a lot of
> them
> (or any of them) if you're not going to be able to take care of
> them
> properly; which isn't cheap, and takes time.
>
> Many cats won't catch birds. Those that do may get in trouble in
> the
> neighborhood about it as this upsets a lot of people. A cat that
> does
> hunt well (whether birds or mice) will do so even if well fed;
> possibly
> better, as a properly fed cat is in better physical shape and so
> able
> to hunt better.
>
> -- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 5 mostly
> Fresh-market organic produce, small scale
> (and harborer of four cats and one dog)
>
> _______________________________________________
> Market-farming mailing list
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> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/market-farming
>
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>
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n:Swift ;Sabina F
fn:Sabina F Swift PhD
tel;fax:(808)956-9675
tel;work:(808) 956-9208
org:University of Hawaii Manoa;Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences
adr:;;3190 Maile Way St John 307;Honolulu;Hawaii;96822;USA
version:2.1
email;internet:sabina AT hawaii.edu
title:Assistant Specialist
end:vcard




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