Using Falcons to Protect Vines
An interesting article written by Blake Gray appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle’s wine section today highlighting how Falcon’s are used to police vineyards before harvest. The enemy is the European Starling, numbering around 140 Million in the United States, whose favorite snack is ripe wine grapes around harvest time. Falconers can fetch $600 a day by bringing in a task force of efficient birds to guard the vineyards. Starlings avoid vineyards known to be patrolled by the Falcons, which can be easily distinguished from hawks by their pointed wings.
E. & J. Gallo Winery has used falcons to protect its grapes for several years, a company spokesman said.
Read [Sfgate.com]
(Chronicle photo by Chris Stewart)
November 3rd, 2006 at 3:29 pm
Very cool! Great job fer’ dah’ birds… We’d catch starlings in the nets some times, hard fraught to put a band on them, though…
Our in house nick-name for ‘em: “Star Dogs!â€
When releasing a Stat Dog, post data acquisition, we’d usually have a long conversation with them, albeit one sided, then release them suggestively–never to return…
How you doin’ bud? Long time no hear! Talk to you soon…
Best,
Dave