We as a team complete lots of bird proofing projects, anything really from Netting, Bird Spikes, Solar Panel Proofing and even Bird Wire Systems and Avishock. However one thing we avoid especially with smaller sized clients is the Bioacoustics systems, that’s just a fancy term for the Noise scarers you must have heard on certain types of building.
Now let me speak very quickly to where these things have their place, and its certainly not anywhere near my house! Simply put, some of the above named systems, although are all fantastic when used correctly are just not applicable to different locations.
Airports are a prime example, with the obvious horrendous consequences of bird strike on an aircraft and the lack of places on a runway to hang a pigeon net we have to think outside the box.
In this situation, bioacoustics systems are great when backed up with live Raptor response (sorry another fancy term for a falconer flying birds of prey).
The noise scarers work by producing a high frequency distress call from different types of bird, that when backed up with a bird of prey flying around convinces the target species of bird that the threat is real and they will then leave the area for safety! Simple right? Haha not always.
So, here’s the rub, I’ve explained how they work and lets now talk about why they don’t.
Many times I have seen these type of systems installed on roofs or walls around docks, transfer stations or even schools and also seen them fail miserably, here’s why…
Not all birds are scared of the same distress call! To get a system to work it has to be very bird specific and the calls cannot just be left running day and night without some kind of visual threat or it becomes a boy who cried wolf scenario!
Lets take Herring Gulls for a second, large territorial birds which will actively defend their nests, especially during mating season. These birds will not be pushed out of an area with ease. Often times it takes a variation of different systems working together to gain success and this is why I made the comment at the very beginning about avoiding these with the smaller clients, nothing to do with size, everything to do with budgets. Some companies simply cannot afford the variation of the different types of system needed to back up the noise scarers, and that’s then why they have a reputation of failure.
Personally I would never sell a client a bioacoustics system as a one-size-fits-all solution, its definitely not.
So do they work?
Yes and No, yes when backed up with other types of deterrent, no if left on their own.
So that’s the ramblings of a Rat man over with for another week, I hope you found it useful and if you didn’t, flock off!
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