Super Scarecrows Fighting Bird Flu with Technology

Farmers are laser-focused on protecting their flocks from the main carriers of bird flu: wild birds. 

Betcha didn’t know:Minnesota farmers are implementing technology that protects farms from avian influenza with bird-repellent laser beams.

Soundbite: “Green is the brightest spectrum of light for birds. While humans see a green dot, birds perceive a moving laser beam as a predator. It scares them off, keeping them away from critical areas.”  — Craig Duhr, Bird Control Group

Skyward success: For decades, airports have used lasers to ward off bird-plane collisions (which can be catastrophic to airplanes during takeoff or landing). Now, poultry producers are using similar systems to defend their flocks from a devastating disease.

Sounding off: Another tech-savvy solution to scaring wild birds? Air cannons. Sending a periodic BOOM across farms deters potentially infected birds from roosting near chicken and turkey farms. 

A rapid spread: Bird flu spreads through the  saliva, mucus, and feces of infected birds. Since 2022, the virus has led to the deaths of 166M wild and domestic U.S birds. 

new policy: These high-tech scarecrows have been so effective in Minnesota that lawmakers have proposed a new grant program to provide funding for producers to defend their flocks. 

Until the industry designs a more finite plan to stop the spread of avian influenza, farmers will continue to find innovative solutions to protect poultry health.