Alternative to a scarecrow

Parent Cafe
1

<p>There are a bunch of crows who have decided they’re going to live in my backyard, eat all my cat food, and my newly planted fig tree will surely be a source of gluttony for them once it starts to bear fruit.</p>

<p>I’d really like to put up a scarecrow, yes, in suburbia, but my husband won’t permit it.</p>

<p>I no longer have a place to hang pie plates, which my grandma used to use, so I’m hoping I can get some other suggestions.</p>

<p>I am a birdwatcher and love the migrating warblers, so I don’t know if one of those owl statues will be good, or if it will scare away my nice birds.</p>

<p>My cats are terrified of these huge crows, and if they don’t eat their breakfast within three minutes, it’s obliterated by the crows in a matter of seconds.</p>

<p>Thanks for any suggestions.</p>

2

<p>Feed your cats in the garage/house. I don’t know about crows but the farmers put sparkly things in the vineyards around here. I’m guessing it’s to keep the birds out. They blow in the breeze/wind and reflect the sun. You could try that in your fig tree. I’ll bet a scarecrow wouldn’t work anyway.</p>

3

<p>These are my outside strays who are semi feral. Thanks, I’ll look for sun catchers. Any other suggestions?</p>

4

<p>Recording of falcons or other predators.</p>

5

<p>Our neighbor hangs mylar balloons (in various states of deflation), as well as CDs, DVDs from their fig tree and other strategic locations. I heard that blue ribbons scare birds, so tied them near avocados (they did mostly stop eating them). So far, we have just done the big blue ribbons and none of the other strategies. We don’t have cats, so that may be tougher. Maybe feed the cats indoors?</p>

6

<p>They are not afraid of them. I actually have red shouldered hawks, cooper’s hawks, and peregrine falcons in the neighborhood. My Maine Coon hunter tries to squirrel talk them, too, to no avail.</p>

7

<p>Oh, and I’m not afraid of the cats eating the figs. I spend a fortune on cat food and I’m upset that the crows and possums are eating it all up! Great idea on the CDs and DVDs!</p>

8

<p>You pretty much have to put a net over fig trees.
Crows like open areas, as your landscaping grows in, you shouldnt have as much trouble.</p>

9

<p>You could put the cat food in an enclosure, like a dog house.</p>

10

<p>Thats a good idea, cause without the easy food source, they might move on.</p>

11

<p>I have seen pie plates hung from the top of stakes. I had to laugh at the predictor recordings. We went to visit a place that one entered from a loading dock, and the screeches really baffled us at first.</p>

12

<p>Mylar tape/ribbon is sold to deter various avian sorts. I use it to request the Canada Geese eat someone else’s lawn. It works pretty well.</p>

13

<p>Our neighbors who live about a mile away have a similar problem. There is actually some sort of CD they purchased called something like “Crow Be Gone” that has sounds that deter them. You have to have your speakers outside though. Something else they said helped were owl decoys. But you have to move them around every few days or the crows catch on that they are not real. Apparently they are intelligent birds. </p>

<p>Food source is the problem - remove that and they will move on.</p>

14

<p>Threy really are intelligent. They hear me call the cats and show up within minutes. They actually pick up the cats plates, carry them through the air, so the food dumps out on the ground, and then eat it from there. I’m going to look into that crow be gone CD and try out the mylar balloons, too. What about those suncatcher stakes people put in their gardens? Do those deter crows?</p>

15

<p>Montegut, good luck with your garden. Apparently, crows can hold a grudge:</p>

<p><a href=“Friend or Foe? Crows Never Forget a Face, It Seems - The New York Times”>Friend or Foe? Crows Never Forget a Face, It Seems - The New York Times;

16

<p>I have ribbons tied to the tomato cages, and wind chimes hanging from one. Hope it works</p>

17

<p>We used cardboard circles covered in foil, hung in the branches w/fishing line…same idea as Mylar balloons, but cheaper. Good luck!</p>