Will a plastic owl scare a pigeon?

The replica plastic owls or fake owl decoys are among the most common items that are used in order to scare the pigeons and other pest species away from roosting and perching sites on buildings in the city centers or towns. The plastic owls are put in an open area where the pigeons can see them easily. These places may be railways stations, shops or canopies. The plastic owls are life sized models of the real owls, and they can stand from 12 to 23 inches high according to the product that has been chosen and the species that has been replicated. The quality of these replicas depends on the models and some look just like real owls. Some of the fake plastic owl decoys do not have moving parts, but there are some models in the market that have a rotating head which moves with the air currents. The latest advanced owl decoys move on a rail and then they flap their wings and make hooting sounds.

The principal of using a plastic owl is that it will scare the birds away since it is a natural predator of the pigeons, and the pigeons will keep away from the breeding, perching and roosting areas. According to the distributors and manufacturers, these replicas may be used in scaring away different species of pest birds in agricultural and urban areas. This product is humane and it offers great appeal to the people who want a non-violent and non-lethal method for keeping away the pigeons.

However, many people do not agree with the use of these plastic owls and they say that it is the greatest joke in the control of wildlife. The pigeons are terrified to see the owls, but they will learn quickly that the owl is not real and it will not harm them. Some pigeons may learn that they are fake and they can even stand on it. The real owl will eat the pigeons around them, so if it is observed that the owl is not moving, then it will diminish the fear factor in the pigeons.

When it comes to the plastic owl, it is an easy and cheap way to keep away the pigeons, but it may not be effective in the long term. The most effective products used are netting and bird spikes. When the owl fails to work, then the spikes can take care of these problems. When you use this system, you may end up wasting time and money that may have been used for the real solution.

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