Do Fake Owls and Other Decoys Work?

You've probably seen a plastic owl standing guard over a garden or a scarecrow perched in a field. The idea behind these deterrents and decoys is that they'll scare away birds and prevent small mammals from feasting on whatever goodies lie below. But do pseudo-avian predators and fake people do the trick?

It depends. Here's why.

Scarecrows have long been the method of choice to dissuade birds from feasting on seeds and growing crops. These stick-like mannequins dressed in old clothes are placed in fields and gardens to ward off crows, sparrows, and other hungry birds.

But one of the problems with scarecrows is that they just stand there. Sooner or later, the birds figure out that the stick guy is not a real person because he doesn't budge. Once they realize that, fear flies away.

"Many times they will turn scarecrows into a comfortable perch," writes Avian Enterprises, makers of a bird repellent.

Realizing that scare-people aren't all that scary, inventors came up with new and improved decoys. They tried owls because so many birds and small mammals, like rabbits, are frightened of the winged predator—and a frightened rabbit should be, in theory, less inclined to nibble on lettuce in a garden overshadowed by an owl.

Wising Up to Owls

Farmers, backyard gardeners, building managers, and homeowners hang plastic owls in hopes that hungry animals will recognize the owl shape and stay away. And that typically works, at least for a time.

A study by Linfield College found that songbirds are afraid of owl decoys. Researchers swapped out owl decoys for a cardboard box of the same size in an oak woodland within Oregon's Willamette Valley. Then they measured how often birds visited feeders in the vicinity of the objects and found they were much less likely to go near the feeder when the owl decoy was stationed nearby; however, they weren't scared one bit by the cardboard box. The birds did wise up over time, though. After a few days, they realized the owl was fake and returned to the feeder.

So it's the scarecrow problem all over again. If something just sits there—no matter how frightening it appears at first glance—birds are smart enough to figure out it's not all that scary.

Movement Is Key

Fake owls might work if you need to keep birds or animals away from somewhere for just a day or two. If you want to deter birds and animals for longer, consider moving your plastic owl around your house or garden so it looks like it's real. Some people also tie their fake owls to a rope so they sway and move, almost like the owl is flying.

There are also special deterrent products that move and bounce constantly to convince hungry visitors that a scary animal is keeping guard.

Terror Eyes, manufactured by Bird-X, is an effective alternative to fake owls. The brightly colored balloon has fierce eyes that follow its prey. It bounces on a spring and moves constantly so birds don't get used to it.

Some large farms have also turned to those inflatable tube men that you often see outside car dealerships. They dance and shimmy and whip their appendages all around. No bird would dare go near them.

California farmers use shimmering aluminum PET ribbons. They're tied directly to the plants, reflecting the sun and scaring off any animal looking for a snack. You could do something similar with old CDs or garden spinners, though you should still move them around occasionally to prevent birds from becoming accustomed to them. You could also get a specialized version of a spinner, such as the Reflect-A-Bird Deterrent, which uses wind power and reflective surfaces to scare birds.

On the non-object front, people have turned to gas-powered propane cannons or flash powder to make loud noises that scare birds away from everything. But birds get used to these sounds, too, particularly if they're emitted at steady intervals. Metal wind chimes can work, but they need to be placed in the garden where the plants are, not on a nearby porch. Move them around, too, to have a better chance of scaring away birds and other animals.