Geesebusters vs. Other Methods
Border Collies (dogs)
In our opinion, anyone who said that a border collie is supposed to resemble an arctic fox is only a dog breeder trying to sell an $8,000 dog. Municipals, school districts, corporate buildings, and golf courses can end up paying a lot of money for a service that doesn’t work! The reason this method is ineffective is that a border collie, or any other dog, is not a natural predator to birds. Border collies must run multiple times a day as geese return as soon as the handler leaves the property. This leads to continued bird droppings and a method that can get quite expensive and still leave you with a mess. Dogs are just a nuisance to geese; they can easily fly away when the dog comes close. This is not a real threat to geese. Border Collies are also ineffective against seagulls and brands (smaller geese). Dogs can’t be used year-round (i.e. molting season). To remove geese from water, the handler must put the dog in a boat with a life vest, then paddle out, chase after the geese hoping the dog barks. This is very ridiculous, time-consuming and also very dangerous. Unfortunately, a few years ago, a handler lost his life when his boat overturned. If you own a dog, you know what the price of food is costing you today not counting vet bills, grooming and don’t forget the babysitting time. The average use of a working dog is only three years!
The Geesebusters “animal scaring device” blows-out birds for a 1/4-1/2 mile radius and further. It is a threat to birds while flying in the air. Since birds are territorial they leave the area because of their fear of our eagle. Border collies can never cover the ground that we can! Running dogs is now an outdated method. Our method controls nuisance birds throughout the year and we’re the only company to control geese during the molt. (See video)
DeTect’s MERLIN Aircraft Bird Radar system
85% of damaging and hazardous bird strikes at airports occur below 500 feet during the aircraft’s take-offs and landings. Trailers like the one below can cost about $400,000 each, and buying enough equipment to cover an entire airport can reach $2 million.
Wow $2 million, and all you get for that is to know where birds are. I can look out my window with a cheap pair of binoculars and get the same results. Planes are delayed costing millions of $$$ in lost revenue and giving many travelers a headache by missing their connections.
For $ 2 million Geesebusters will eradicate any bird problems at any airport for that price! Look at the methods that tax payers are paying for and putting our safety at risk.
JFK Airport uses a SUV to chase birds off the runway
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/03/nyregion/03birds.html
New York Post “Shoot out at the JFK Airport”
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/err_gun_at_jfk_uTUWb9Dy5BrxrHovXCYqEM
Egg Oiling
Egg oiling keeps geese on the nests for over 4 – 6 weeks, sometimes longer. During this time geese are very aggressive towards any person that comes within 30 feet of a nest. This method keeps the birds around all summer along with last year’s goslings (now adults) leaving droppings everywhere and eating into your budget. The same geese return to the same location every year, not moving them anywhere. Geese are harassed off the nests with umbrellas and this stresses out the birds and causes them to be even more aggressive towards humans. If egg oiling is not done properly, goslings can hatch deformed. Also the active ingredient in the egg oiling process is Oil, which in its basic format is very dangerous to our waters and since geese use ponds and waterways as their refuge, the water may be easily contaminated from the chemical oil. Question, if egg oiling worked, then why are the numbers increasing dramatically every year?
Egg Oiling = Geese
Nest Removal
When our method is used in the early part of mating season (late February), we scare out pairs immediately before they get too comfortable, this cuts down on pairs trying to nest in the coming weeks. A permit is first filed with Fish & Wildlife Services. When a nest is found the one or two eggs are thrown out before any incubation takes place and the nest is removed. The area is conditioned with the “animal scaring device” and whistle. This prevents geese from returning to the old nesting site. Removing nests in areas not suitable for geese, by this method will prevent geese from returning next spring. After several seasons this problem will be eradicated for good. The idea is to send the message to the geese to move off your property and nest somewhere else, where they are not a bother to you or anyone else. The actual removal of eggs and nest has been cheaper and more effective.
We recommend to all our customers that they remove all the nests from their sites.
Nest Removal = No Geese
Culling
This method is used by USDA for well over 30 years now. The USDA has failed miserably in their attempts to control the bird population in the United States. Geese are rounded up during the molting season (June-July), put into crates and then carted off to the gas chamber.
The meat of the bird (tested for toxins), is then given to the homeless. This is to justify the needless killing of these birds.
Lakes, ponds and golf courses will stay clean for 4-5 weeks of geese until late August, when geese in the area grow their wing feathers back and begin to fly again. Geese will see a vacated lake, pond or a golf course and move in, so this is the most disgusting method of all, as you see our system is very effective, very humane, where the killing of birds is unnecessary. For over 30 years, government has poisoned, gassed and shot tens of millions of birds!
Propane Cannons
Cannons are used at airports and most farms. This method is only marginally successful in scaring birds as the cannons must be moved frequently. Birds seem to find this method to be just a nuisance as they quickly return. It’s totally devastating to the neighbors who live in the area. The cannons are very loud, from 120 to 135 decibels. The human pain threshold for noise is about 120 DB’s. Birds return rapidly as the cannons must be set to fire every five minutes. This has a very negative effect on the area were it’s being used.
Goose Repellent, Sprays
This is another inhumane solution. Geese experience a digestive irritation, usually within 30 minutes after they eat grass treated with flight control. One gallon of spray will cost you over $250.00 and only cover 1 acre. Your grass must be clear of debris and leaves before applying and this is a time consuming process when this product must be re-applied over and over again. This does not get rid of your geese; they still come back and look for grass that has not been treated. Geese will leave droppings on sidewalks and parking lots and will still nest in these areas.
Let the Grass Grow
Allow grass to grow taller at least 6 inches, geese don’t like to walk through tall grass. As you can see the picture’s below, this is another myth.
Goose Sound Deterrents
The recording sound of a goose or bird in distress can get very annoying when this sound is repeated over and over during the day. After a short time the birds will have no fear and quickly return with the absence of a predator. These devices can run a thousand dollars. Don’t get our name mixed up with theirs. The “goosebuster” is the name for this recording device.
Geesebusters “animal scaring device” is visual and audio, a method that never wears out and works forever.
Live Falcons and Hawks
Some of these bird companies’s charge well over $350.00 per hour, and that can get very expensive. There is also liability in this method, if any small domestic animals are in the area, they may get attacked when the falcon, hawk is released. Using falcons and hawks at airports, pose a liability issue as birds have flown into jet engines many times. This service can only use one falcon, hawk at a time and will lead to cleaning only a small area. A live falcon and hawk can’t scare geese.
Geesebusters low cost, “animal scaring device” covers 1/4 -1/2 mile radius per eagle, multiple eagles can be used to cover even larger areas like airports, stadiums, race tracks and boardwalks.
Cut Out Dogs and The Plastic Owl
These picture’s explain this method!
Bird Netting, Stringing Mono filament Lines, on Buildings, Docks or Other Areas to deters Seagulls from Landing and Roosting!
This is not a humane solution according to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and other animal rights groups. Many birds get caught in the fishing line and died agonizing deaths. You can also face fines of up to $15,000.00 for every federally protected bird maimed or killed by the netting. It does not deter the gulls and mono filament lines are also an eyesore.