Protect berries from birds

Birds can be a problem - but often they are not

First of all, it must be said that all fruit plants in the garden certainly do not have to be covered with protective nets and grids as a standard preventative measure. It depends on many different factors whether or not a garden becomes a target for migratory flocks of birds at all. The problem of bird damage on the berry bushes in the garden is largely determined by the following factors:

• Location of the garden and food supply in the neighborhood
• Feed alternatives in the same garden
• Location along the migration routes of flocks of birds
• Different types of berries ripen in the garden

Protect berry bushes from birds with nets

So that berry bushes such as currants and gooseberries can be effectively protected from thieving starlings and other birds, the net should be punctually before the start of the Harvest time

be attached. Note, however, that these thin plastic nets can be as good as ineffective if they allow the birds to reach the fruit from the ground or lie directly on the branches. It has therefore proven to be particularly advantageous to have berry bushes planted in rows or potted plants placed next to one another with a frame made of bamboo sticks or Rabbit wire to surround, over which the actual bird protection net is stretched at a distance from the branches and fruits.

Alternatives to bird protection nets

Since tragic deaths of animals entangled in bird nets occur again and again, their use in private horticulture is controversial. The so-called defense kites can sometimes serve as an alternative. These are bird of prey silhouettes made of metal, which have a deterrent effect on some species of birds such as starlings. It can also be worthwhile to use a suitable bird incubator to move a starling family to settle in a targeted manner. Since starlings defend their "nesting tree" against other starlings, this can reduce bird feed to a minimum. It also helps the birds to find food alternatives that are rather uninteresting for humans, such as elder, Privet, ivy and mountain ash.