Butcher birds and Kookaburras

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mickenglish
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Location: Chifley ACT 2606
Location: Chifley ACT

I have ongoing problems with a Currawong and a young Kookaburra who regularly arrive at my aviary looking for a snack. Fortunately the aviary is plenty big enough for everybody to stay clear of the wire, however, the regular panic sessions aren't doing my finches any good. This morning one of my baby Gouldians (second day out of the nest) went to the wire and hung on there. Thankfully I hadn't yet rolled up the bistro blinds so the baby was safe, but it could have been a disaster if the blind had been rolled up. I acknowledge the old saying that "you can't blame a dog for being a dog" also applies to these predators and I wish them no harm, but I do need to find a way of deterring them. I have ordered some pump-up water pistols which I'll keep loaded and located at strategic places, but if anybody out there knows of a more effective deterrent, I would be grateful to hear of it.
Cheers
Mick
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vettepilot_6
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Reason why I use vermin mesh at all times...even if finch lands on wire..predators can't get to them....and plenty of shubbery to hide...
The Bitterness of Poor Quality Remains Long after the Sweetness of Cut Price is Forgotten
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Rod_L
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sling shot and cape lilac berries. It won't kill the birds but it stings, bruises and they tend to stay away. But you have to make sure they don't see you because they are pretty smart and will associate you with pain and take off anytime you pop outside. If you can shoot em (with a sling shot) and they don't see anyone outside when it happens, they stay away.

Currawongs are uncommon and its nice to have them around as long as you don't have birds. But they are a pain in the ass when it comes to knocking off fruit and birds in the backyard.

Sorry Rod but due to previous controversy we do not condone your previous suggestion re killing Native birds. PM the person involved if you like.

Regards Admin
death to all cats & ants
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vettepilot_6
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You cant knock off a native animal 😈 Kookaburra's and butcher birds etc are not a problem if aviary built correctly. ..finches get used to them when they have safe areas to go to...
The Bitterness of Poor Quality Remains Long after the Sweetness of Cut Price is Forgotten
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Craig52
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The poster has been warned Dave.

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finchbreeder
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I throw cape lilac berries at them by hand but my aim is not too good and my arm not too strong so it is purely bluff on my behalf. Only works for a short time too. The double layer roof is a good idea. Layer of wire with layer of alsonite above it by 12/15cms. Far enough apart for breeze, close enough to prevent predatory birds getting to the wire roof.
LML
LML
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mickenglish
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Location: Chifley ACT

Thanks all. I don't have access to Cape Lilac and anything injurious is out of the question so I guess I'll have to rely on the water treatment. Regards Mick
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Rod_L
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what about a ladder trap and relocate the offending birds?
death to all cats & ants
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vettepilot_6
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Rod_L wrote: 05 Apr 2018, 13:39 what about a ladder trap and relocate the offending birds?
Only works a short time as new ones always move in to keep the balance up..😉
The Bitterness of Poor Quality Remains Long after the Sweetness of Cut Price is Forgotten
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Rod_L
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Catch them in a ladder trap or other trap and scare the crap out of them. Hopefully the terrifying experience will get them to stay away.

The only way to permanently get rid of currawongs from an area is to remove all the big trees in the area and that is not recommended. They live in family groups so if you could catch the majority of them and take them for a drive 20km away and release them in some bush with big trees, they should stay away. Unfortunately as stated by Vettepilot new ones eventually move back into the area so you would have to do this once or twice a year.

You could try electric fence wire above and around the aviary. Have the wire about 4 inches from the main aviary and if they land on it they get zapped. Not killed just zapped, because we get told off by the mods if we do bad things to wild birds, even when they are causing problems :)

You could try a predator kite and your birds might get use to it but then again they might freak out more.

Small dogs will chase and bark at the birds and drive them off.
death to all cats & ants
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