3 ms·

I have a tiny amount of experience in bird control. Birds are devious. I don't mean evil. They're completely amoral, but they're clever. They'll work out what'

I have a tiny amount of experience in bird control. Birds are devious. I don't mean evil. They're completely amoral, but they're clever. They'll work out what's going on in order to get their food. Things that might take an insect multiple generations to work out and adapt to, a bird might spend a day or a week on. In the decade I've been shooting, I've seen many countermeasures (and lures) come and go. Scarecrows consistently fail now. Propane cannons just annoy residents. The birds adapt swiftly because their lives depend on it. That is all to say, lasers won't last. I'd be surprised if they work for longer than a few seasons before the birds are simply used to them. The silly thing is we know why this is an issue. Intensive farming, outrageous field size, the removal of hedgerows and the removal of predator habitats (mature trees) have all meant massive colonies of pigeons and starlings can exist. If you want to start peddling this back you have to reintroduce the natural controls that used to keep things in check.

dsfyu404ed 8y ago
Just crank up the power on the lasers until they remove the offending birds from the gene pool. The birds will figure out not to eat the crops.
- oliwarner 8y ago
  There's a colossal difference in the amount of power required to blind or even maim a bird and the amount required to humanely dispatch it. You're talking thousands of Watts and pinpoint focussing. It's just too expensive to park Navy grade laser weaponry on every field. By comparison this is cheapo clutch of laser pointers strapped to a whirly-gig and that already somehow commands $10k.
mbaye 8y ago
>"It's like someone waving a stick in your face," Ackermann says. "At some point, you're going to say, 'I'm not welcome here and I'm going to leave.'" Having worked a couple of summers in my youth at an apple and sweet cherry orchard, I find this quote comically naive.

dsfyu404ed 8y ago

Just crank up the power on the lasers until they remove the offending birds from the gene pool. The birds will figure out not to eat the crops.

oliwarner 8y ago
There's a colossal difference in the amount of power required to blind or even maim a bird and the amount required to humanely dispatch it. You're talking thousands of Watts and pinpoint focussing. It's just too expensive to park Navy grade laser weaponry on every field. By comparison this is cheapo clutch of laser pointers strapped to a whirly-gig and that already somehow commands $10k.

mbaye 8y ago

>"It's like someone waving a stick in your face," Ackermann says. "At some point, you're going to say, 'I'm not welcome here and I'm going to leave.'" Having worked a couple of summers in my youth at an apple and sweet cherry orchard, I find this quote comically naive.