Help. How to deter/stop butcher birds?

[PaigeLouise1]

I was wondering if anyone has any hints on how to deter or stop butcher birds from hanging around the aviary.

I only have basic 1/2 inch? wire on my cage would 1/4 inch stop the butcher birds from being able to attack the birds?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

[GregH]

The mouse wire (1/4 inch- 6mm) welded mesh should nbe good at stopping any predation. We have a birds of similar habits here in the Philippines (Shrikes) which are smaller than butcher birds but I have aviaries with 3 & 6 mm welded mesh and have suffered no losses from shrikes but I know guys that have barred cages outside that loose birds regularly. I think once the butcher birds realise they don't have access they will leave.

[flap]

We also have a butcher bird hanging around. We have bistro blinds and if we arenot around we make sure that the top perches near the wire are covered by the blind so the birds can't get to them. On another thread people suggested using scarecrows, owl cut outs or plastic snakes. Also hanging cds. Haven't tried any of these so cannot comment on whether they work.

[jusdeb]

The mynor birds are building up numbers here , not a good sign as they attack in groups and scare the birds to death even if they cant get at them.

[Pete Sara]

Use a wok, whats a wok u say? its what you chuck at a wabbit when you don't have a wiffle.......try hanging some cd"s old one's prefered the shinny stuff can frighten them a bit......other than that putting a barrier against the wire being either more wire a few cm away or clear perspex against the areas that perches touch the wire.........pete

[jusdeb]

Need a coffee now before I venture into the bio hazard commonly known as the boys room looking for old CDs

[finchbreeder]

Alsonite sheeting on the roof with a lip that sticks out beyond the walls is one way. The blinds already mentioned are good. Woks are good particularly if you have a good arm. A trained hunting falcon could also prove usefull, provided it didn't frighten the finches to death.
LML

[kat78]

Woks

[shox]

I have had problems in the past but seemed to have reduced the number of attacks, went to bunnings and bought some bird mesh( get black) its basically entwined string comes in about 5m x 2m, about $4. Tie to the top of aviary and then on a 45 degree angle pulled down the mesh and secure bottom to the ground, You can use anything like branches, tent pegs etc. You can see the birds come down then swoop away as realise they can't get near avairy. Eventually a couple of weeks the numbers drop dramatically as they cant get near birds. Black is bet as it does not interfere with viewing your birds, white stands out too much. See how you go.

[arthur]

Forget political correctness . . Shoot the sods!! Airgun / slingshot

Bit hard if you are in town though

Anti-conservation??

Well the question is . .

"one butcher bird or half a dozen finches??"