A computer-controlled scarecrow has had a successful trial in a Hastings berryfruit orchard.
Birds have plagued growers in Hawkes Bay for decades, causing thousands of dollars of damage each year as they winter in the region's relatively mild climate.
Ngatarawa boysenberry grower Greg McNicol and aircraft engineer Bruce Chambers developed the mechanised scarecrow after years of battling the bird problem.
"In the 20 years I've been growing boysenberries I've tried everything, from gas guns to kites," Mr McNicol said.
"We can lose up to 10 per cent of the crop to birds and we can't shoot in the orchard because of the danger of lead pellets getting into the fruit."
The scarecrow has been designed to silently scare birds before they land.
"It's like World War Three out here during the summer with gas guns going off everywhere," Mr McNicol said.
"We wanted something that would stop the birds landing without creating a noise nuisance."
The mechanical scarecrow works from a standard car battery. The arms, which carry brightly coloured flags, move up and down on a 15-second cycle with a random number of movements. The random programme means they could move up and down any number of times between one and six.
Light reflecting from mirrors set around the neck of the scarecrow and in its eyes also deters birds.
At the recent national agricultural field days, where the bird scarer received an invention improvement award, it went for three days continuously without the battery having to be recharged, but future models will include a solar charger.
The scarecrow moves around in the wind on its revolving base.
Mr McNicol and Mr Chambers are looking at commercial production and believe they could market the scarecrow for about $1000.
- NZPA
High-tech scarecrow gives those hungry birds the pip
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.