ARABLE
Reducing bird damage—what are the options? Birds have been frustrating New Zealand grain and seed growers for well over 150 years. In the early days, management was down to scarecrows, poison, shooting and egg destruction, while today’s growers are more likely to use to gas guns, netting or lasers. WORDS & IMAGES SUPPLIED BY OWEN GIBSON & PHIL ROLSTON, FAR
Yet, birds are still a problem for the industry, with estimates of up to $15–30 million in 78
R E AL FARM E R
losses to cereal growers annually, and the potential for similar losses to the vegetable seed industry without good management. Because birds are also an issue for horticulture and viticulture, FAR has recently started working with a pan-sector group of growers and other industry reps to investigate the best management options across the board. The group met in May to discuss each sector’s particular problems, with arable growers providing input into what technologies do and don’t work on farm. Owen Gibson, from FAR, who is coordinating the group says that while a number of different techniques and tools are
used across the agri-food sector, there is no single solution. “Successful bird management relies on choosing a range of approaches that are appropriate for the crop and bird species concerned and also for the size of the paddock and its location.”
Current solutions Netting offers the greatest protection from bird damage, but is also expensive (typically $1,200 to 1500 ha per season) and seldom provides complete crop protection. Losses through nets can be as high as 5%, as birds learn to feed through the nets. This, along
