Frightening Birds by Day 



Bird depredations at hatchery ponds and in trout- waters usually-' are' 

 greatest iianediately after s'onrise and late in thV afternoon, although many 

 birds feed, actively all day long when they are caring for their young. 

 Along trout streams one of the simplest frightening devices consists merely 

 of a piece of shiny tin about 8 to 12 'inches square suspended by one co:r*ner 

 from, a supple Vvilloxv pole about 6' feet long by means of a raw-hide thong 2 

 feet, long, ^ The pole should be placed where it can be seen to best advantage 

 by the birds 'and pushed into the soil at an oblique angle, so that the tin 

 can 'swing freely and twist in the breeze, thus casting reflections in any 

 direction. Rectangular 5-gallon oil cans furnish an easy source of shiny. 

 tin, since each can readily be cut into several squares of the desired sizs» 



A rotary modification of the square-tin frighteners consists of tvjo 

 pieces of shiny tin suspended by thongs 2 feet long from opposite ends of a 

 light board about 5 feet long, 4 or 5 inches wide, and 1/2 inch thick. This 

 board is then mounted in a horizontal position at the top of i 6-foot post, 

 with the narrow edge placed perpendicularly on a short axle. This can easily 

 be accomplished by nailing a short piece of 2 by 4 timber along the middle 

 of the light board and drilling through it edgevjise a hole slightly larger 

 than the diameter of the axle, after which it should be greased heavily and 

 inserted on the axle. If properly balanced it is then free to revolve in 

 the wind, the tin squares twisting on their thongs at the same time. An 

 axle equipped with ball bearings would increase the effectiveness by 

 permitting freer and more rapid movement of the horizontal arm. 



Spinner reflectors, as described and illustrated in Wildlife Leaflet 

 ES-149,- placed at frequent intervals around hatchery ponds, are worthy of 

 careful experimentation. 



In some localities, inverted shiny cans equipped '.;ith clappers have 

 proved effective vjhen suspended in a similar fashion. A small hole is 

 punched in the contor of the bottom of a 1-gallon can and the free end of 

 a thong pushed through it. A small wire ring is then tied to this end of 

 the thong. A steel nut "or bolt is suspended from the ring by means of a 

 stout cord slightly shorter than the height of tho can, so that the nut acts 

 as a bell clapper when tho can svjays in the wind. The noise thus produced 

 aids in frightening the birds. 



Well constructed, "human-effigy" typos of scare crovjs vjith shiny stD^ips 

 of tin suspended from their arms can be -used.- Mounting them on a vjell- 

 lubricated axle, so that they can 'turn in the wind, increases their effective- 

 ness, 



"Scare-birds" constructed of excelsior, brightly dyed primary wing - 

 feathers or tail feathers from large poultry, and a strip of shiny tin cut 

 in the shape of tho profile of a hawk^s head with neck outstretched are 

 worthy of experimentation as bird frighteners for the smaller species of 

 fish-eatsrs. A wad of excelsior is bound with strong cord into a moderately 

 . tight oval mass about 10 inches long and 4 to 5 inches thick, resembling 

 the body of a bird. The shiny tin head is bound ihto place at the larger 

 end of the excelsior body by inserting the outstretched nock at the time - 

 the body is being constructed. Several long-quilled xving feathers are then 

 pushed into^both sides of this body far enough to anchor them in a horizontal 

 position, inclined slightly backward to resemble outs:)read wings. Tail 



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