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1970 EXPERIENCES WITH AV-ALARM BIRD-SCARING DEVICE 



Dominic A . M a r i n i 

 Regional Fruit & Vegetable Spec., Southeast Region 



Av-Alarm is an electronic device that emits sounds. Accord- 

 ing to the manufacturer, these sounds either frighten or confuse 

 or interfere with the audio communications of birds and other ani- 

 mals, such as deer and rabbits, thereby repelling them and prevent- 

 ing crop damage. 



Av-Alarm is operated by either battery or electric current. 

 An electric eye turns it on at daybreak and shuts it off at dusk. 

 Various controls regulate the volume of sound, sound frequency, 

 and chirp rate. It can be set to operate continuously or intermit- 

 tently. At high volumes, the hearing of persons directly in line 

 with the speaker can be impaired. 



To introduce Av-Alarm in Massachusetts, a unit was loaned to 

 us for field testing and demonstration. In cooperation with John 

 Lanier of the Fish and Wildlife Service, an experiment was designed 

 for testing in cultivated blueberries. The cooperation of two 

 PlYn^outh County blueberry growers was obtained, whose plantings are 

 less than 10 miles apart and have similar surroundings. One was 

 used as a check, the other for the test. Also assisting in con- 

 ducting the test were Dr. Glenn Kinney, a research psychologist 

 with the Mitre Corporation, Bedford, Massachusetts and Neil Morton, 

 an Extension Technical Assistant. 



Beginning in early July, just as the first berries were turn- 

 ing blue, a count was made of all birds seen entering, leaving or 

 in each field for one half-hour every morning. Counting began at 

 6 A.M. in one field and at 7 A.M. in the other. After one week, 

 the Av-Alarm was installed and set according to the manufacturer's 

 instructions and counting continued another two weeks. About 50% 

 of the birds counted were robins, 40% were grackles and starlings, 

 and the rest were bluejays, catbirds, brown thrashers, orioles and 

 others . 



ther 



Following the conclusion of the test on blueberries. Dr. Kinney 

 installed the Av-Alarm in ripening sweet corn which was being dam- 



