Residents in subtropical and tropical eastern Australia have long faced the dilemma of what to do about the destruction wrought on their gardens by the Australian Brush-turkey. The birds scratch up large quantities of leaf litter for their nesting mounds, frequently resulting in extensive damage to gardens. Following problems with the birds in my Sunshine Coast garden, I initiated a Facebook discussion which resulted in a novel solution. The strategic placement of a large mirror will drive the bird away. That happened in my case, with the bird calling it quits after a couple of days fighting its image in the mirror.
After putting the mirror away when the male bird was deterred last season, he was back for the beginning of the current nesting season last week. After again digging up half the garden, the mirror was back in place. Another bout of fiurious fighting with its reflection, and the bird again backed down and has left us in peace.
This was a $10 mirror from Lifeline
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip. A couple of days ago, I mounted a mirror next to where the turkey attempted to make a mound. He's been staring down, charging and pecking at his own reflection for hours at a time and hasn't been working on the mound since.
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