How Farms Can Prevent Crop Damage from Birds

Birds might be a welcome sight in the countryside, but for UK farmers they can quickly turn into a serious problem. Flocks of pigeons, crows, starlings or geese descending on a field can devour seedlings and crops, contaminate produce, and even damage farm buildings. We’ll explore why birds pose such a challenge to farms in the UK and discuss both traditional and innovative methods farmers use to protect their crops. We’ll also tackle common questions like “What do farmers use to scare birds away?” and “What is the best method of bird control?”.

Why Are Birds a Serious Challenge for UK Farms?

Birds cost UK agriculture millions each year through lost yield and spoiled produce. Certain species have boomed in population and feed opportunistically on farmers’ crops. For example, the UK’s woodpigeon population was estimated at 5.4 million breeding pairs as of 2009; having increased by 134% since 1970. Not surprisingly, woodpigeons are now recognised as a major agricultural pest, feeding on cereals, oilseed rape, brassicas, peas and other crops.

Growers report woodpigeon damage causing 10;40% yield loss, costing roughly £125 per hectare in lost oilseed rape and up to £1,250/ha in high-value vegetable crops. It’s not just pigeons; pest birds also include crows and rooks (which pull up seedlings), starlings (which raid grain and livestock feed), and gulls and geese (which trample and eat crops). All can put a serious dent in a farm’s productivity.

Beyond the bite out of yields, birds pose food safety risks and infrastructure headaches. Birds don’t only eat; they defecate; all over your crops, equipment and packaging. Bird droppings can carry harmful bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli, which risk contaminating produce destined for supermarkets. Fresh produce growers must be vigilant, since produce with bird contamination can fail food safety standards or even cause outbreaks if not detected.

Then there’s physical damage birds can cause to farm infrastructure. Sparrows or starlings nesting in eaves can clog gutters and ventilation. Pigeons roosting in grain stores leave corrosive droppings on machinery. Over time, accumulated guano can rot wood and metal, block drains and gutters, and lead to water damage on farm buildings. The acidic nature of bird mess literally eats into infrastructure, and clean up is an unwelcome chore.

Traditional Methods to Protect Crops from Birds

For as long as farming has existed, people have been coming up with clever ways to keep hungry birds at bay. Many of these traditional bird control methods are still in use on UK farms today; often in creative modern forms. Farmers know that to outsmart the birds, it helps to have a whole toolbox of tricks and to rotate them often so the birds don’t catch on. Let’s look at some of the tried-and-true tactics.

What do farmers use to scare birds away?

Farmers use a mix of visual and audible scare devices (plus a bit of old-fashioned human presence) to startle birds and discourage them from landing. Common tools to scare birds away include:

• Scarecrows and Decoys: The classic straw scarecrow still stands guard in some fields, but nowadays you might also see realistic mannequins or predator decoys. Farmers put up plastic owls or hawk silhouettes, or even life size effigies of people. The key is to move them around and change their appearance so birds don’t realise they’re fake.
• Reflective Tape and Visual Deterrents: Many farms use high visibility barrier tape strung across crop rows or along perimeters to spook birds. The tape flashes in the sun and hums in the wind, creating a sensory distraction. Similarly, hanging old CDs, pie tins, or reflective streamers in orchards is a low tech way to create sudden flashes of light. Balloons with big predator like eyes printed on them (and even kite-balloons that hover like hawks) are also popular. The movement and shimmer of these objects exploit birds’ wariness of unfamiliar sights.
• Noise Makers (Audible Scarers): Loud, sudden sounds are a direct way to scare birds. Farmers for decades have used gas-powered bird scarers; often called propane cannons or “bangers”; which fire off periodic booming blasts to scare flocks. These can cover a large field, but they must be used considerately (more on that later). Other auditory tools include pyrotechnics (like bird scaring cartridges or screamers fired into the air) and recorded bird distress calls played over loudspeakers.
• Human Presence and Working Animals: Sometimes, nothing beats a person patrolling the field. Birds seem to know when someone’s watching. Farmers (or farmhands) may do regular walks or drives around the perimeter to keep birds nervous. Some farms even employ trained dogs (like sheepdogs or collies) to run through fields and disperse flocks, especially geese. On estates and orchards, falconry is a traditional practice still used today; a trained hawk or falcon is flown to chase off pest birds, tapping into the natural predator prey dynamic. While labour intensive, these methods can be very effective in the short term, and the birds learn to associate the area with danger.
• Physical Barriers: A more passive way to scare or rather exclude birds is by putting up barriers. Netting over crops (e.g. draping nets over fruit bushes or covering a small pond with mesh to stop geese) physically prevents birds from reaching the plants.

The real trick with all these methods is variation. Birds are intelligent and quickly learn if a scare device is harmless or predictably static. An NFU code of practice advises farmers to use as many different types of scarers as possible; visual, auditory and beyond; and to keep changing their position or timing. Novelty and unpredictability are key to keep birds on their toes (or wings!)

Innovative and Long Term Bird Control Solutions

Traditional methods alone sometimes aren’t enough; especially as some birds get wise to our tricks. Thankfully, technology is swooping in to assist. In recent years, UK agribusinesses have seen innovative bird control tools emerge that offer more sustainable, around the clock protection. Many of these aim to deter birds in humane ways without constant human presence. Here are a few of the cutting edge solutions making waves (or rather, making birds wave goodbye):

• Automated Laser Systems: One of the most exciting developments in bird control is the use of laser beams to harmlessly scare birds. Birds perceive a moving laser spot on the ground as a physical threat (kind of like an approaching predator), causing them to take off. Systems like the AVIX Autonomic Mark II are basically high tech “robot scarecrows” that sweep a green laser across fields continuously all day and night. The birds find it so disturbing that they don’t settle. Crucially, the laser is tuned not to harm the birds (or humans); it’s just intensely annoying to them. Trials in the UK have shown promising results. In one test, a vegetable farm in North Yorkshire protected 165,000 cabbage transplants without netting by installing a solar powered Agrilaser system; the roaming laser light effectively kept the pigeons away and saved the crop.
• Bio Acoustic Devices and Smart Scaring: Traditional bird scarers make noise, but new devices do it smarter. Bio acoustic deterrents use digitally recorded bird alarm and distress calls, often from multiple species, to trigger a fear response in pest birds. Unlike a simple loudspeaker, modern systems can mix up different calls, change the volume, and randomise timing to prevent birds from getting used to the pattern. For example, a device might play a seagull distress call followed by the sound of a falcon, then be silent for a random interval before a pigeon alarm call sounds.
• Drones and Falconry Drones: Imagine a remote controlled falcon that never tires; that’s the idea behind drone based bird control. Some UK farms and vineyards have begun using drones to patrol the skies and chase off flocks. A standard quadcopter buzzing low over a field can scatter birds (the noise and motion scare them), and it can be deployed quickly to hotspots. Taking it a step further, specialised drones are being developed to mimic predators. One company has a drone dressed up like a hawk; complete with wing movements; to trick birds into thinking a raptor is circling. Trials have shown drones can be effective, especially for large open fields where you can’t put netting.
• Physical Exclusion: Netting itself isn’t new, but innovations are making it more practical and wildlife friendly. For instance, retractable crop covers can be drawn over a field only during critical periods (like when fruit is ripening or seedlings are most vulnerable) and rolled back otherwise; reducing the impact on non target wildlife and easing machinery access. Some farms use electrified perching wires on barns; harmless low voltage lines that give pigeons a tiny shock if they try to roost, persuading them to go elsewhere.

What is the best method of bird control for Farms?

It’s natural to ask: if we had to pick one, what’s the most effective bird control method for farms? The best approach is a combination of methods tailored to your specific farm and bird problem. Birds are adaptable; a strategy that works wonders on one farm might flop on another if used in isolation or against a different species. That said, there are a few standout principles:

• Physical exclusion (netting) provides the highest protection; you simply deny birds any access to the crop. Netting an entire orchard or vineyard will almost guarantee no bird damage inside. Netting is often the only technique consistently effective in preventing bird damage, according to UK agricultural guidance. However, it’s impractical to net large arable fields of cereals or oilseed rape due to cost and logistics. Thus, netting is “best” for high value, smaller scale crops (like soft fruits, vineyards, brassica plots) where the economics make sense.
• Integrated deterrence is the most effective for open field scenarios. For broadacre crops (grains, oilseeds, peas, etc.), the best results come from using multiple deterrents in concert and rotating them regularly. A combination of visual scarers, noises, perhaps some shooting under licence, and new tech like lasers can together keep bird damage to a minimum.

Laser systems are emerging as a top contender for best all round method on larger farms. Early evidence (and farmer anecdotes) suggest that automated lasers come very close to a universal solution: they cover large areas, work 24/7, and dramatically reduce bird presence without harming wildlife.

In the end, effective bird control on farms comes down to being proactive and adaptive. Birds are a part of the natural environment (and even provide benefits by eating some insect pests), so completely eliminating bird interactions isn’t feasible nor desirable. But by understanding their behaviours and deploying a smart mix of deterrents, UK farmers can significantly reduce crop losses and protect food safety in a humane, law abiding way. It’s a bit of a cat and mouse; or rather, farmer and bird; game, but with these strategies, the balance can be tipped in our favour.

Integrated Bird Management: Professional Bird Control Solutions

By investing in the best long term bird control solutions for your facility and using an integrated approach you can protect your property, maintain hygiene and safety, and finally put an end to chronic bird problems. Birds might be clever, but with the right combination of spikes, netting, and high tech deterrents (and a bit of maintenance), you’ll stay one step ahead and keep your site bird free for the long run.

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Need Expert Bird Control Solutions?

If you’re dealing with bird related issues on your property, our team at Integrated Bird Management is here to help. Contact us today for expert guidance on sustainable bird control solutions. Our team is always happy to answer any questions you may have or arrange a site assessment.

Integrated Bird Management offers the AVIX Autonomic Mark II, an advanced laser bird deterrent that provides continuous, automated protection against nuisance birds. Birds see the laser as a physical threat and immediately leave the area, making this a highly effective and humane solution.

Unlike traditional methods, the AVIX Autonomic is silent, preventing noise disturbances, and birds do not become accustomed to it, ensuring long term success. With low maintenance requirements, the system operates efficiently with only a laser bulb replacement every 3-5 years.