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ARTICLE INFORMATION:
Author:  Brett Fogle
Title: Heron-Proof Your Pond
Summary:  Several methods are described: nets, noise and water spray gadgets, plastic herons, limiting access.
Contact for editing purposes:
e-mail: brett@macarthurwatergardens.com
Date first published:
Publication:  Pond Stuff, newsletter of:   http://www.macarthurwatergardens.com
Reprinted from Aquarticles:		 ARTICLE USE: 
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Brett Fogle,
MacArthur Water Gardens,
1698 SW 16th Street,
Boca Raton.
FL 33486
USA

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Save Your Fish: Heron-Proof Your Pond

by Brett Fogle
Reprinted, with permission, from Pond Stuff,
newsletter of http://www.macarthurwatergardens.com of Baton Rouge, Florida
Aquarticles

Herons are beautiful, graceful, and . . . hungry. When you notice fish vanishing mysteriously, think “heron” – especially in the spring and beginning of summer when new, baby herons need feeding.

Grown herons consume almost a pound of fish daily. That amounts to about three, seven-inch, $40 koi of the lower-priced variety. Or if you're really unlucky - a heron could fly away with a several hundred or thousand dollar show koi (which I've seen before)!

Colorful, flashing fish in a shallow pond tempt herons beyond any far-fetched capability to resist. If you don’t do something quickly, your fish will soon be history.

Characteristically timid, herons usually make their feeding forays in the quiet hours of early morning or evening.

To hamper herons from feasting on your fish, here are some simple solutions. But don’t lose your temper and harm or possibly kill one of these protected-species birds.

Erecting a net six to twelve inches above the water of your pond proves the most successful method in protecting fish. Tautness is critical, though. Some herons may try landing right on top of it, and when it collapses, will impale fish right through the netting.

Gadgets used to frighten herons are fairly effective. With some, when the bird trips a wire, noise scares it away – sometimes inaudible to humans, depending on the type. Infrared-detection devices spray jets of water to scare them off.

Some people try plastic herons because of the heron’s territorial reputation and the fact that the birds don’t like to feed near other herons. These work pretty well until mating season rolls around. Then these faux herons may actually serve as heron magnets.

Limiting heron access to your pond may be the best idea yet. Plant densely growing, tall marginal pond plants around your water garden and make the pond sides steep, with water at least a foot below the pond edge.
If the birds can’t reach the water, they can’t reach the fish, and hopefully, they’ll fly off to better fishing luck elsewhere.

Brett Fogle is the owner of MacArthur Water Gardens and several pond-related websites including macarthurwatergardens.com and pond-filters-online.com.
He also publishes a free monthly newsletter called PondStuff! with a reader circulation of over 6,000 pond owners. To sign up for the free newsletter and receive a complimentary 'New Pond Owners Guide' for joining, visit http://www.macarthurwatergardens.com