Falcons “Berry” Effective

Many small birds, including European starlings and cedar waxwings, love blueberries, cherries and other fruit, and while that may give backyard birders incentive to plant berry producing plants, it can cause headaches and hardship for berry and fruit farmers. According to a story from The Packer, however, growers along the West Coast have embraced a unique solution to their bird pest problems by employing falconers to deter smaller birds from feasting.

The American Bird Abatement Service uses Peruvian aplomado falcons to chase smaller birds away from crops, and similar services use other birds of prey, such as American kestrels. Many farmers are also putting up nesting boxes for kestrels to encourage wild birds to take up residence. This type of innovative pest management problem is both environmentally responsible and humane to the birds, as it is no longer necessary to use traps or chemicals to deter the smaller birds.

Backyard birders may not be able to use falcons as a pest control measure, but there are many easy ways to be a green birder and enjoy birding in an ecologically responsible way.

Blueberry Field
Photo © manray3