Photo courtesy of ~fb~ at Flickr.com.
Crows, starlings, and blackbirds are so fond of fruits, especially grapes, that they can be infuriating when they won’t stay away from yours. Fortunately, there’s an effective new generation of bird repellents that make use of methyl anthranilate, which is one of the natural chemicals that (ironically enough) contributes to the flavor of Concord grapes. In fact, it’s used to flavor artificial grape-flavored bubble gum.
It’s been used for years to keep migrating geese off golf courses, but it works just as well for lawns, and now the EPA has approved it for use on fruit trees and vines. Fair warning: though methyl anthranilate is a natural food additive that was originally isolated from natural sources, the version in bird repellents (and chewing gum) is usually synthesized.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Lars,
Thank you for this write-up. We here at Bird-X use only natural products including methyl anthranilate, such as FruitShield: http://www.bird-x.com/products/fruit.html
We feel it is very important to humanely keep pest birds away from your home, and so produce only environmentally friendly, non-lethal pest solutions.
Hi there, here I am driven to the internet to seek ideas on what to do with those vandalising blackbirds causing me so much work and heartache !!!! mmm not sure about the chemicals, but have tried chook wire (not a good look ) and have to clear the driveway every time I want to take the car out, (waste of my enery)..any other tips apart from a slingshot !!!!!! Grrrrrrrrrrrrr angela