Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/72545
VINEYARD birds. The 1973 report mentioned the type of damage, but several reports have followed with similar observations describing damage as either "plucked" or pecked;" this can sometimes assist a grower in determining the bird species caus- ing the bulk of the damage. Large birds, i.e. starlings and robins, "pluck" the fruit, thereby remov- ing the entire berry. Smaller birds like house finches, goldfinches and bluebirds "peck" the berry, leav- ing the skin intact with some of the pulp or seeds removed. Though the complete loss of a berry may appear more menacing, some researchers suggest that a berry that is "pecked" is suscep- tible to a bunch disease, thereby causing more extensive damage over time. These approaches are useful for policy development or planning, but fail to address specific damage at a specific location, thereby limit- ing available information needed to address local problems. For exam- ple, it may not do a grower much good to know that bird damage in a state or region is responsible for 1% of crop loss when his vineyard is experiencing 10% or 15% dam- age loss to birds. It is important to recognize that bird damage can be affected by season, grape variety, geographic location and surrounding habitat. Damage can be diffused across an entire vineyard or localized within Keep Birds Out of Your No Nets! No Sprays! GUARANTEED! Vineyard W hen birds approach a vineyard protected by Bird Gard, they immediately change course and find somewhere else to feed. Bird Gard uses the language and natural instincts of birds to effectively repel them. Digital recordings of distressed, injured and alarmed birds, along with the sounds of their natural predators trigger a primal fear and flee response. Bird Gard protects millions of acres of the finest grapes, worldwide! Bird-damaged grapes often have a "pecked" appearance. Photo: Courtesy UC Davis Market economists tend to be lumpers and they often talk about market trends, geographical ten- dencies or hedonic pricing mod- els to quantify amenity values like aesthetics. Much of the past litera- ture written addressing bird dam- age to vineyards has been written by economists at this global level. WWW.VWM-ONLINE.COM The World Leader in Electronic Bird Control If you are not completely satisfied with the results simply return it for a full refund of your purchase price. Try Bird Gard for an entire year. www.BirdGard.com 888-332-2328 JULY - AUG 2012 VINEYARD & WINERY MANAGEMENT 55 KEEP BIRDS OUT for as little as $116/acre