Heron defense: what to do against herons?

Gray herons eat fish and make no difference whether they hunt in a natural body of water or in the garden pond. Anyone who has expensive fish in the pond would like to drive the heron away. These remedies have proven to be helpful in repelling herons.

Way of life of the heron

Gray herons inhabit open bank landscapes on small and large bodies of water. They make no distinction between flowing and standing water or fresh and salt water. The only decisive factor is access to shallow water, in which they hunt as walking birds. The range of prey is relatively large and encompassing

• Insects,
• Small mammals,
• Fish and
• Amphibians.

At the garden pond

Herons do not actually live in small garden ponds, but they are particularly fond of using them as hunting grounds for two reasons:

• usually not too deep and therefore perfect for walking birds
• have it especially on smaller fish apart from that (on the other hand, they usually do not reproduce fully grown koi)

The heron prefers ponds that are undisturbed and quiet. There it lurks for prey on the bank and is quickly driven away by the noise.

Measures to repel herons

The simplest defense measure is presence. As long as there is movement around the pond and someone is present, a heron will not dare to go there because they are shy birds. Even a dog with access to the garden can effectively scare away gray herons.

Without a dog, it is not easy to guard the garden pond all day. So presence should be faked. This is done through:

• Motion detectors that provide light, noise or movement (water jet is sprayed)
• reflective surfaces that reflect the sun's rays (CDs in trees for example, in larger ponds also objects on the water surface)
• Defense through noise (wind chimes and the like)

Note: The heron must not have the opportunity to get used to the defensive measures, so they must be used alternately and constantly changed.

Pond cover

Networks not only reliably keep herons away from ponds, they also ensure that no other animals have access to the water and that the leaves do not fall into it in autumn.

It is difficult with richly planted ponds, especially in the bank area. Nets are then difficult to attach. Another disadvantage is the possibility that birds could become entangled in the net.

dummy

Where there is one heron, no other will hunt. For this reason, heron figures at the pond are very effective as a defense. However, they must be modeled very closely on the original, not only in terms of appearance, but also in size. It can also help to rearrange the figure more often so that herons don't get used to it.

Electric fences

Fences are only effective as a means of repelling herons if the pond is not so shallow that a heron can land directly in the water. Fence posts, wires, and a power device are required for a live fence.

instructions

• Surround the pond bank with fence posts
• Do not choose too large distances
• Remove grass and larger vegetation between the posts
• possibly mow
• Tension wires between the posts
• Depending on the animal species to be kept away, stretch one or more wires at different heights
• Connect the power device to the wires, do not forget to ground
• regularly check that the power device is still working

If only herons are to be kept away, it is sufficient if the electricity is on during the day, gray herons are not nocturnal. If the pond is also endangered by cats or other animals, it must also be protected at night.

Note: The current is so weak that it does not directly endanger humans or animals. However, it is enough to drive away unwanted animals.

Structural measures

A somewhat unusual measure to ward off herons is to install a platform in the pond itself under which the fish can hide. This platform can be made of wood and then floats on the surface of the water. The wood is painted in such a way that it is not destroyed by the water.

Another possibility is a fixed platform above the water surface. As soon as a heron appears at the pond, the fish naturally need to hide from the hunter. Therefore, a dense floating plant cover can also be helpful as a defense.

Actions not allowed and ineffective

You should definitely note the following if you do not want to commit a criminal offense:

• Catching, killing or hunting not allowed
• Use of traps (including live traps) or poison bait is prohibited

Trying to seek the help of a hunter will not help even if herons are allowed to be hunted, as most garden ponds are to be found in residential areas.

Scarecrows are also usually not effective for long because the birds get used to them and then no longer take them seriously.

frequently asked Questions