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Bird deterents


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I had a quick look last night and there has been quite a bit of research on how magnetic fields influence or disrupt birds' ability to navigate.  Much of it was done using homing pigeons in the 1940s, though there are dozens of research papers since then that study the subject.  There's no doubt that migratory and homing birds use the Earth's magnetic field to find their way around. 

 

Most of the studies use magnets attached to the birds rather than land based magnetic fields.  It's well proven that this hugely reduces the ability of homing pigeons to find their way home.  When the magnets are attached to the birds wings rather than their body the effect may be greater due to the moving magnetic field.  However I didn't find any empirical evidence that magnets are an effective bird deterrent.  That's not to say they aren't and there's possibly good reason why they could be.

 

I was thinking the same as Wheels about how well other (cheaper) magnets might work.  I note the commercial units advise against dismantling, which makes me wonder if they are doing something clever, such as using a Halbach array to increase the field strength and change the field pattern.  The orientation with respect to the Earth's field seems to be important too.  Might need to find some magnets and do some experimenting.

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if its just the magnets then boats with cockpit speakers maybe are staying clean, or you  might need to hang them up in the rigging? Worth trying to see if it works if you are having a problem with birds.

It will be a different type of magnet.  With speaker magnets the magnetic field is mostly inside the donut shaped magnet.  I think the secret may be some sort of array of multiple magnets that has a wide field, rather than just one single magnet.  Just guessing though.

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What next so are there compass steering them to our boats , the reason I believe is we aren't on our boats enough , so they are left alone to do what they want I think

Totally agree Myjane.  Trouble is I need to go to work to pay for all the boat expenses, otherwise I would be out there a lot more, 

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Well if I wasn't selling my current boat I'd a couple of those magnets... on the clear understanding with the vendor that he gives a refund if they are not effective. Would the Consumer Guarantees Act back me up?

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Magnets sound like total bullshit, I think it's more that the birds move randomly. However if you threw the magnets at the birds that would work pretty good.

The fake owl has been spotted on moored boats, might work?

I tried the fake owl, and the magpie - I had two of them, nets, flags, plastic bags, buzzing lines, you name it - I tried it. The magnets really do work and I was super skeptical at first as well - but they stopped them coming back and its been over two months now - still no bird sh*t (apart from when I lost one and then they came back) Photo evidence here :) 

https://astrolabesailing.com/2017/06/11/how-a-magnet-made-me-the-happiest-girl-in-the-world/

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I have seen Birds sitting on top of those fake Owls. We have an Argosy Aircraft in display at Woodbourne and there are two fake Owls on it and the Starlings all line up beside them.
I can't say Magnets work simply because I have no experience. But yes, it has been found that many of the Migrating Birds have a small bit of Magnetic material in their Brain and they believe it allows them to navigate the vast distances of Ocean. Whether that is in every Birds head I have no clue. Whether a Magnet on a boat can have an affect n it, I have no clue. But I have seen the results (in photos) of Vicki's Boat and it has gone from filthy to clean as a whistle. And having had the issue of Swallows on my own boat, even Seagulls are not as bad as those little things. And there crap strips the paint clean off the boat.

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I have a major problem with birds when my boat is on her Putiki Bay mooring. But she is for sale and if she doesn't sell then I will bring her back to Whangamata where there is not a bird problem.

But really, the argument as to whether these magnetic devices work or don't work is a bit silly. Given the damage that bird poo does to your super expensive investment then I don't think $200 is a lot to spend to see for yourself, and if they don't work then you ask your money back.

Suck it and see, as they say

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I got told once that wringing one of the bastards necks and then hanging it in the rigging would work but I chickened out, so I threw shooting potatoes at em cos I could not find a recipe that made those palatable.

After a 40kg sack of spuds it worked which just goes to show even bung spuds are useful and that  those bloody stupid squawking grey and white sods (u know - the ones that miraculously appear out of no where when u take hot chips to the beach) can learn.

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Perhaps energy bracelets, acupuncture or positive thinking might help?

 

Failing that, move the boat for a week somewhere else so the birds find a new home!

Last summer we had 2 swallows build a nest under our cats bridgedeck on the outboard leg.  We went sailing for a week and of course the nest was washed away. When we returned they were waiting to welcome us home.   Don,t mind them 2 as they stayed under the boat , but hope they haven,t invited all there friends to stay for the winter.

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