WINGED SECURITY FORCE in U.S. ORCHARDS and VINEYARDS
by Denice Rackley
Once flown from the hand of royalty, falcons soar through pristine skies over sun-soaked vineyards and in orchards around the United States protecting crops. Falcons and hawks are the winged enforcers, along with their terrestrial team members, a falconer and often a bird dog, charged with keeping massive flocks of marauding birds from decimating the ever-sweetening grapes, cherries, apples and many other products.
No one is quite sure where or when the art of falconry first began. Long before the invention of bullets and guns, falcons were flown to catch prey too agile for mere humans to secure. Called the “sport of kings”, falcons were only allowed to be flown by royalty, but the tradition is much older, traced through writings, drawings, and artifacts to 2000 BC.
Mongolian Eagle Hunters use Golden Eagles to hunt for food and furs even today
In most of the world, falconry has transitioned to a sport rather than a method of obtaining food. With the prominence of sustainable agriculture, another transition is on the rise, using falcons and hawks to reduce wild bird damage to crops. Falconry is seen by many as the most efficient and economical method of reducing the number of birds in orchards.
Bird Abatement
This 2013 study states that bird damage to produce accounted for 189 million dollars across the United States. Producers responded to a survey indicated that bird damage to sweet cherries accounted for 51 million dollars, 33 million dollars in blueberries and California wine growers suffered a loss of 49 million dollars. Many methods of abatement reduce the number of birds but add to the cost producers incur.
Flock Pest birds James Wainscoat Unsplash
Chemical repellants, auditory repellants, balloons, kites, and netting are all used with some success, but each has its drawbacks. Birds became immune to loud air cannons and static scare tactics, soon realizing they don’t pose a threat. Netting does work but is costly, labor-intensive, and prevents air circulation needed for fruit health. Holding moisture close to the plants, netting promotes mildew and some birds still figure out how to get through the netting to the fruit.
Economic losses in vineyards can be substantial, not only due to flocks consuming huge quantities of grapes but pest birds also increase the chances of bacterial and fungal diseases in grapes. To combat these losses and deter flocks, vineyards hire falconers to patrol during veraison.
Veraison is the onset of ripening when grapes sweeten and skin softens. First to arrive are just a few scouts to test out the bounty. As grapes ripen, the flocks of hundreds or thousands descend like a plague. Starlings and house finches pose the primary threat to most vineyards, but blackbirds and others do not hesitate to take advantage of the sweet treats. Some birds, including starlings, pluck the grape from the cluster, carrying it off to eat it. Others will peck into the grapes eating pulp and seeds like the blackbirds and house finches. These birds damage multiple grapes in the cluster.
Bird damage goes beyond yield loss; pecked grapes can harbor bacterial and fungal pathogens such as botrytis, bunch rot. These diseases lead to color changes, off-flavors and texture in the wine. Any injury to the grapes attracts insects which cause further damage. It isn’t just small birds that damage and eat the grapes, wild turkeys present challenges as well. Turkeys consume enough grapes in a single day to equal one bottle of wine.
Falconry – Utilizing the Power of Mother Nature
Harnessing the power of instinct, in both wild birds and raptors, falconry is the most effective method of bird abatement. Birds are natural prey of hawks and falcons; the mere sight, sound, or shadow of raptors triggers the small birds to leave the area or fly to thick cover and hide.
All raptors have incredible eyesight. Capable of seeing in color eight times clearer than we can, raptors can spot prey from over 100 feet in the air.
EB owned by Rebecca Rosen
Hawks are larger and have broader wings than falcons but maneuver through trees with skill. Hawks prefer to knock prey to the ground.
Shaped like winged-bullets, acrobats of the air built for speed, falcon can reach 242 mph when diving, capturing their prey in the air.
Red Tailed Hawk photo by Elisa Stone
Pursuing natural pest control reduces the use of pesticides, boosts profits, and aids biodiversity of native wildlife concurs a paper by scientists at Michigan State University. Less pesticides reduce crop loss and expense for farmers and protects the health of native raptors. Attracting local raptors by providing perches, nesting boxes and material can provide protection from both rodents and birds that cause crop damage. Barn owl families consume over 3,000 rodents before the young owls leave the nest.
Attracting owls and using falconry works quite well since they are active and ‘hunting’ during different times. Employing natural solutions is always a winning scenario.
Falconry continues to be more successful than attempting to overcome bird damage with technology. Using an ancient tradition and a concentrated effort by falconers and their winged security force hired to patrol orchards and vineyards during fruit ripening ensure flocks go elsewhere for easy meals saving the agriculture producers millions of dollars in fruit and vegetables.
Henar Langa Unsplash Falcons in vineyard
