by Brett Fogle
Notice any fish disappearing lately? While herons are presentyear-round, water gardeners notice the challenges they bring tothe pond in spring and early summer when herons feed their young. An adult heron needs about 13 ounces of food daily, which isequivalent to three 6" koi. If herons find an easy source of food(i.e. colorful fish in a shallow pond), they'll return on severalconsecutive days. They can quickly decimate your fish population. They're generally shy birds who typically visit early in themorning or in the evening, when everything is quiet. Prevent herons from attacking your fish with these simpleprecautions. If you do lose some fish, don't resort to harming orkilling the herons; they are a protected species. • Netting: The most effective deterrent for herons is to suspenda net 6"-12" above the pond surface. Make sure the net is tautand cannot fall into the pond if the heron tried to land on itand spear the fish through it. • Heron Scarers: Some work on a "trip-wire" basis, producing aloud noise while others use a sound inaudible to the human ear.Others sense the presence of heron using infrared detection, andscare them away by spraying a high-pressure jet of water. • Plastic Herons: Based on the principle that herons areterritorial and don't feed close to one another, artificialplastic herons are popular. Unfortunately, they aren't effectiveyear-round. In late winter and early spring, herons' search for amate may actually attract more herons to your pond. • Pond Design: Dense growths of tall marginal plants or shrubsaround the pond will limit the herons' access to the water.Ensuring the pond side is steep and the water is 8"-12" below theedge of the pond also helps since the heron will not be able toreach the fish. **************************************************
Brett Fogle is the owner of MacArthur Water Gardens and several
other pond-related websites includingMacArthurWatergardens.com
and Pond-Filters-Online.com. He also publishes a free monthly
newsletter called PondStuff! with a reader circulation of over
9,000. To sign up for the free newsletter and receive our FREE
'New Pond Owners Guide' visit MacArthur Water Gardens today!
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