Cherry trees are beautiful and a delight to see in the springtime. However, Invasive bird species such as cedar waxwings, robins, cowbirds, and grackles flock to your cherry orchard for an easy meal. Protecting your trees from these hungry visitors is critical to your cherry orchard. It helps to avoid attracting other animals.
Luckily, you can do a few things to keep your trees safe from unwanted guests. Use a combination of preventative measures to keep troublesome birds off your prized cherries. Try the methods below to safeguard your cherry fruits from bird damage.
Install A Bird Netting
Excluding birds with netting is one of the most effective methods of avoiding cherry fruit damage. Cherry tree netting will pay for itself in just a year or two by tripling yields.
The bird-proof netting is a net mesh made of plastic that protects your cherry trees from bird damage. Other common pests such as rats, bats, and flying foxes are also deterred by cherry tree netting.
You must install and maintain bird netting properly to keep the birds away from the cherry fruits successfully. The following are the main characteristics of Cherry tree netting:
- UV-stabilized high-density polypropylene
- High tensile strength makes it lightweight
- It’s completely non-toxic and won’t hurt your fruits.
- UV-protected – stands up well in the sun
- Quality assurance for 5 – 10 years
Types of Cherry Tree Netting
You can choose among the following available types of bird Netting depending on your special circumstances:
| Bird Netting | Mesh size (mm) | Weight(g/m2) | Features and Uses | |
| 1 | Lightweight | 20 by 20 | 20 | LightweightSingle-use low costNot durableAllow light and air |
| 2 | Fruit tree | 15 by 15 | 35 | Cost-effective bird protection strong selvage |
| 3 | Multipurpose | 10 by 10 | 45 | MultipurposeBird protection hair protections ProtectionSpecial design |
| 4 | Canopy | 15 by 15 | 60 | Heavy-duty strong twist mesh suitable for canopy suitable for big birds |
You should attach the netting to a reasonable quality frame to let you harvest and work on the trees without removing the net, as it will be cumbersome and time-consuming. Secure your mesh to the ground firmly to stop the birds from flying under it. If you loosely or carelessly drape the net over the trees gives the birds access to the fruit even with netting in place, rendering your efforts fruitless.
Birds such as starling and thrushes can be harmful to your orchard. They not only overwhelm trees, but they also excrete a lot, which is not friendly to the environment and crops. Uric acid in the excrement is unpleasant and can corrode metals, paints, and other supplies. Repairs cost growers hundreds of thousands of dollars. In comparison, installing bird netting to avoid damage is a super option.
Growers who frequently use pesticides to safeguard their fruit from insects and diseases would like to try a spray to keep cherry fruit safe. You can use Avian Control to protect the fruit from birds. Methyl anthranilate’s principal active ingredient is an interaction irritant found in bird species. Because methyl anthranilate is an instant irritant that birds will never learn to ignore, they do not need to avoid treated areas. Ground spray equipment is excellent in applying the pesticide.
Use of Repellents such as Pesticides
As with all pesticides, one application can not provide long-term control. You’ll need to use it as long as the fruits are vulnerable. You have to follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the packaging label keenly.
One advantage of using pesticides to keep birds away from the cherry tree is that you enjoy increased yields and improved fruit quality. This means more sales and more money.
Nonetheless, pesticides have dire consequences on humans and the environment. No portion of the population is fully protected from pesticide exposure. But severe health effects are borne disproportionately by people in third world countries high-risk groups in every country. Pesticide poisoning has increased, and chronic diseases are due to pesticide exposure claiming people’s lives each year.
Production workers, formulators, sprinklers, mixers, packers, and farmworkers are among the high-risk groups constantly during manufacturing and formulation. Employees in industrial settings are particularly vulnerable because they contact various toxic chemicals, including pesticides, raw materials, poisonous solvents, and inanimate carriers.
Give them no Peace/ Harass the Birds
You can irritate the birds by using pyrotechnics such as bangers and screamers.
Birds can be harassed using pyrotechnics. You could also try,
- Propane cannons
- Hawk kites
- Reflective ribbons
- Scare balloons
Harassment is one of the most common techniques of keeping the unwelcome birds from your cherry orchard. Even so, Birds are clever, and if you do not alter or move these methods often, they get used to them. They will keep laughing at your feeble attempt to keep them away while mercilessly feasting on your precious cherry fruits. People have used scarecrows for ages, but they are effective unless you enhance with movement or resort to lethal control.
Some producers have discovered an advantage in using air dancers. Air dancers are twenty-foot-tall air-filled tube displays. They have a reasonably sizable presence and don’t take much effort once they’re up and running.
The disadvantages are that they are pricey and need a reliable power source to operate the blower. On top of that, they are less active when wet. Harassment methods such as air dancers or noisemakers can irritate your neighbors and traumatize or infuriate dogs.
Recording Distress Calls
Recordings of distress calls or predatory bird calls that repeat at usual or random intervals can effectively keep birds from your orchard. Since flocking birds are extremely sensitive to the signals of their flockmates, a distress call from a single bird gives a sign that, to the others, that location is insecure.
These recordings have become sophisticated, with customizable or spontaneous call intervals that aid in overcoming the ability of birds to become accustomed to regular sound intervals. Ensure you are using a distress call that’s appropriate for the bird species you’re trying to scare away.
Provide Food Alternative
At times, the only food supply for birds is cherry fruits. You can keep the birds away from the orchard in a human way by providing them with alternative food. Most birds feast on corn or sunflower seeds. Install feeders far away from your cherry trees and watch them disappear one by one.
Conclusion
Birds are popular among some people, as they have massive cultural benefits in our society. They help in pollination and other things, so it is fair to control them with friendly methods. Consider the social consequences of bird control methods before employing one. Use the least intrusive form of control such as netting.
Good communication among neighbors will reduce the negative social implications in your intense struggle to manage the birds. Effective bird damage control requires preventative control that inhibits habitual behavior. Management becomes much more difficult once feeding patterns have been established and the birds have discovered your cherry fruits. Use the bird control method appropriate for the birds attacking your fruits for good results.
At EyouAgro, we know how bad it is to lose your cherry fruits due to birds. It results in huge losses, and a cherry grower’s recovery might take a long period. We’ve discovered the most effective method for preventing cherry fruit from birds is through bird netting products.
Kindly contact us at Info@EyouAgro.com for inquiries to fill your orders.
