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Pond & Lake Managment
Predacious Birds - Part 2 - Diving Birds
The article below is the second of a two part series addressing predator birds in your pond. If you have any questions, or need additional information, feel free to call (800) 433-2950 or visit us online. Enjoy the article!
Diving Birds
American white pelicans and cormorants are large birds that can eat up to 3 pounds of fish per bird, per day! They travel in large flocks consisting of up to 100 (or sometimes more) birds and will return to a pond until it is cleaned out. They usually send out scouts that will bring all their friends when they find a good spot.
In lakes, it has been found that they primarily target schools of shad, but will eat game fish and forage fish if given an opportunity. These birds migrate, so they are a winter problem in the South and a summer problem in the North.
Diving Birds
Diving Birds 
Because they migrate, pelicans and cormorants are two of the 836 species protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Russia, and Japan. However, double-crested cormorants are such a problem that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a depredation order on March 4, 1998 for them in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. This allows commercial aquaculture facilities and State-operated hatcheries to take double- crested cormorants on their premises without a Federal permit. You must have a certified non-lethal harassment program in place. You must keep for three years, a log of the number of birds killed each day and make it available for inspection by Federal or State wildlife enforcement officers. If you use a shotgun on cormorants, you are required to use non-toxic shot; after all, they are waterfowl. If not specifically extended, this order expires on April 30, 2005. In addition to Federal laws, you must be aware of any State or local laws that apply. Even the Federal depredation order has a provision deferring to State laws or regulations. Penalties for misdemeanor violations are up to 6 months in jail and a $15,000 fine.
In order to get a Federal permit for a recreational fishing pond, you would have to be able to document the extent of the damage birds are doing to your fish populations, along with estimated values of fish lost. This makes permits difficult to obtain.
Non-Lethal Scare Tactics  Non-lethal scare tactics include anchoring helium- filled, Mylar balloons with large eyes and bright colors around the pond. You can also string reflective, shiny ribbon or cables across your pond to scare birds or inhibit their landings. There are also a number of different noise makers on the market, including propane cannons. However, birds will often grow accustomed to the sounds associated with these devices.
Probably the cheapest and most effective deterrent is to stake out a grid of floating polyethylene rope and foam floats across the pond using 50 foot spacing. This will interfere with the birds taking off and landing. Be sure to place the rope crosswise to the prevailing winds, as the birds usually take off and land into the wind. A floating rope system should run about $50 per acre in materials and is fairly easy to install.
From High-Tech to Old School
Louisiana State University is experimenting with solar powered mechanical alligators that randomly cruise a pond. Some models will even sense and then squirt birds with a stream of water. This is a great idea, but it will probably cost too much for most pond owners, at least when it first comes on the market.
There is not much you can do about ospreys and bald eagles. In the old days, fish farmers would fashion decoys with a vertical spike through the center, place it in shallow water, and let the birds impale themselves when they dove on the "fish". If you come across one of these, they are worth a lot of money to collectors, but don't get caught using it.  Kingfishers usually only eat a few small fish. They make their nests in the banks of creeks, so if your pond is near a small stream, they can become a problem. Kingfishers especially like dead trees or power lines to fish from. Cutting down trees by the pond will eliminate their natural habitat.
Thanks for reading, we hope you enjoyed this months Pond & Lake Management Newsletter. Continue on for our quick links section and more exciting pond management products!
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