Not only do humans like to snack on cherries, but birds do, too! Birds love cherries as a food source, even before they are ripe. A mixture of preventative methods should be implemented to keep pesky birds away from your precious cherries. Follow these tips for the best ways to protect your cherry crops or trees from birds:
1. Install Netting
One effective way to keep birds away from your cherries is to install a netting on top of the tree. Be careful though, birds can be persistent and find their way past the netting through the bottom. In addition, birds can reach their beaks through the netting and steal surrounding fruit. Installing wooden frames around the tree to drape the netting and shield from nearby berries can help to prevent this.
2. Use Scare Tactics
Whether it’s a fake predator, aluminum pans or colorful streamers, these items can scare birds away from the cherry crop. However, birds can grow familiar with these tactics. Make sure to periodically rotate the items around to keep them intimidated.
SEE: Protecting Berries from Birds
3. Provide Alternate Food Sources
Sometimes, the cherry crop is the only food source available for birds. Install feeders away from the cherry trees to give birds a different food supply. Bird feed, sunflower seeds, and corn can all help to keep pesky birds away from cherries.
4. Implement Noisemakers
Birds do not like loud noises. Hanging wind chimes around cherry trees or sounds from fake predators can help to scare them away. Additionally, playing bird calls and distress signals can help. Like fake predators, these should be rotated periodically so birds don’t get too familiar with them.
SEE ALSO: Protecting Cherry Trees from Birds: An Agricultural Guide
5. Spray the Area with Bird Repellent
The most effective way to keep birds out of cherry trees is to spray or fog the area with a liquid bird repellent, like Avian Control’s liquid bird repellent. Avian Control bird repellent is not only effective for removing pesky birds but it also EPA-registered. The non-toxic spray safe for birds, but it’s safe for humans and does not harm the crop in any way. Contact us online or call 888.868.1982 to place an order and learn more about how Avian Control can save your cherry crop.