What About Robins?

Obviously, my main focus has been on the Starling as the central blueberry culprit. Since it primarily arrives in the berry field for feeding in what could be large numbers (flocks), it does the most damage.

But anyone will recognize robins are present too. They inflict considerably less damage or consumption of blueberries. This mostly because they are not a flocking bird...they come and go as individuals. Also they seem not to hang around for long. They come, snatch a berry and fly off. Starlings are more damaging because not only do they consume and remove fruit, they also puncture the fruit's skin for the flesh and juice, leaving the damaged fruit behind. Robins don't seem to do that as much.

The number of robins putting pressure on the field is far less as well. Yet they do take fruit.

So what will repel them? My experience from the past 3-growing seasons suggests -very little!
I have not seen one thing keep them at bay. Even Lp cannons are useless after about a day or so. I have seen robins perching on the next row-post near a "triple-shot" cannon going off, and they sit tight. Equally so, the use of JacKites or Helikites repels in limited ways.

The only thing I have heard that will work is using sprays (Migrate http://www.rejexit.com/ag.html ; or sugar) that cause pain in their mouths.

One grower simply resigned himself to, "Well you know, the birds have to eat too." He figured he can't prevent total losses, only minimize the major ones from Starlings.

CS

REMEMBER: The Starling is the villain. It is not the grower.