Birds are attracted to luscious red juicy strawberries and so they are seen stealing the harvest; but, if you want to protect your strawberries, then you have to learn ways to deter them.
So, let’s get to know the 13 common and best ways to protect strawberries from the birds.
Why are birds attracted to strawberries?
Birds love strawberries because they are bright red in color which are highly visible and irresistible. Birds also love berries which are sweet and juicy, making them a nutritious treat. Strawberries also provide nectar to the birds when the flowers bloom and the strawberry plant can provide shelter and a nesting site. Strawberry plants also have a scent that birds get attracted to. Moreover, the foliage is quite less so the fruit exposure is more encouraging for the birds to steal them.
13 Methods to keep both out of strawberry
If birds are ruining your strawberry crop, then here are some prevention techniques that can help you to deter them.
Netting
This is the most basic process where you can cover the plant with a bird net and protect the strawberries. You have to drape the lightweight plastic mess over frames, hoops and supports. Secure the edges with weight such as a rock or stick and for best results you can use a mesh size of 1/4 inch; this will also exclude the small birds from resting on plants. You have to provide erect support and also check and repair the hole so that the birds cannot steal the harvest. You have to lift the netting and then replace it when you are done with the harvest.
Bagging
You can also try a method called bagging, which is quite similar to netting and they involve covering the fruits with a netted bag or mesh fabric. However, here sunlight, air, and water are allowed, but birds cannot take away the fruit. This would help to protect individual strawberries on a large tree
Scarecrow
A garden scarecrow can be the best idea for protecting the strawberries. You can use your own idea to create a scarecrow where you can make unique customisations or purchase a readymade model. You do have to position the model carefully in such a way that the birds can see them from a distance and fear approaching the plot. You must move it around the field from time to time so that the birds do not get used to the scarecrow and easily find it to be a fake.
Scare Tape
You can also suspend fleshy reflective tape or streamers around your strawberry patch which will scare the birds due to their movement and noise. You would find that the silver strips move around or shimmer in the breeze which are enough to deter the birds. To cover the entire space you can hang multiple stands but they should be at variable heights.
Berry Cage
You can also get a berry cage which is quite handy and has a frame made of wood and PVC pipe cut. It fits perfectly on the berry patch and you can attach a bird net or a chicken wire along with it. Based on your budget you can get a decorative or utilitarian one, which would be easy to lift and tilt, at the time of harvest. However, a berry cage takes up more space than a simple bird net and you have to store them perfectly when not in use.
Fake predators
Birds are usually scared of owls, hawks, snakes and other predators, so if you can set a fake model of the predator, then they would fear to enter the strawberry crop. You have to use models that look life-like so that the birds think them to be real. You have to keep moving these models around the field for the best results. Moreover, you can also install predator silhouette cutouts on tall stakes and allow them to move with the wind which will scare away the birds.
Noisemakers
If you want the birds to avoid the area you can use noisemakers which are capable of creating loud sounds which frighten the birth. The best suggestion is to use wind chimes which would provide maximum effectiveness. You can also record distress calls and play them randomly around the location where the birds are mostly seen. Alternatively, you can also use banging pans or crinkling plastic.
Cloche
You can also use a cloche which would protect the strawberry plants individually. If you have a small garden, then these are the best options. Try out the plastic fly cloches which are cost-effective. You can also get the garden-specific chicken wire cloches or use DIY means to create a cloche of your own. However, you must allow access to pollination, if you are putting the cloche while the plants are still flowering.
Shiny Deterrents
Both are also quite offended by the presence of shiny objects and prevent those areas, so you can hang old CDs or metallic streamers around the strawberry plot. You can also hang mirrors or aluminium pans or objects that are flashy, bright, spin and move in the breeze so that the birds are convinced that these are real. Also, do not allow the bird to get accustomed to the details and relocate them regularly
Strawberry Rocks
These days Strawberry Rocks have gained much popularity where the rocks of the same size as the strawberry are painted red with yellow-brown seeds and finally, they are varnished against the weather. These fake strawberries are placed around the plants during the growing season and birds get attracted to them. Thus, birds try to eat them and knowing these are rocks, they give up visiting the areas, which saves the real strawberries.
Plant Camouflage
You can also create camouflage by hiding the fruits under the foliage, which makes it harder for the birds to pick the berries. You can grow strawberry vine or any other bushy variant which would provide leaf coverage and protect the strawberries. There are also companion plants which have large flowers or vegetables or herbs that you can grow around this low-growing strawberry.
Apply Repellent
You can apply smelly repellents which would discourage the birds from feeding the strawberries. These have a non-toxic taste and are usually made of compounds like methyl anthranilate or capsaicin, which makes the fruit less tasty. You can either spray these compounds directly on the berries or spray around them. However, you have to reapply them frequently to keep the birds away from the strawberries.
Pick the Berries Early
If the strawberries are ripe, then harvest them at the earliest. The fewer berries would be left, the fewer birds would likely visit the plot. You have to stroll around the strawberry garden every day and as soon as you notice a fully ripe strawberry, pick it up; this should be done mostly during the peak season.
When Do Birds Mostly Steal Strawberries?
Birds mostly tend to steal strawberries when they are very much active, during the spring migration. At these times, their appetite increases and they start to hover around the berries, even before they ripe. When the peak harvest is hit and the bushes get filled with ripe strawberries, birds start stealing the berries. Also, when there is a period of drought, the birds seek out to get moist and juicy berries. Birds also actively steal berries right before they head south, during the fall.
Which Birds Commonly Feed on Strawberries?
The birds that commonly feed on strawberries are robbins, crows, starlings, and finches. Orioles, cardinals, jays, sparrows, and waxwings are also seen stealing strawberries.
When Should You Allow Birds to Feed On Strawberries?
Birds play a crucial role in controlling the insect pests of the strawberry garden and also enhance pollination. Thus, when the strawberry season winds up, you can allow the birds in the plot, mostly during the late summer and fall. The birds can feast on the remaining berries and also improve the crop for next year’s harvest. They also spread the seeds through droppings. So, you have to find a perfect balance, between when to deter the birds and when to allow them.
