Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Cranes and Herons

My pond attracts cranes\herons. Is this a good or bad thing? Are they primarily eating the small fingerlings, which I may want for population control, or are they taking the larger sized bream, which I want to keep? Currently, when I see them I chase them away, but maybe I shouldn't do that. What do you think? I understand they can eat a lot of fish in a single visit.

They aren't too selective regarding size. That ain't good. I would "discourage" them from visiting.

They can eat fish bigger than you'd think. And they can kill fish bigger than they can eat.

If you're not raising fish for a living you should be fine. They can't eat all of your fish.

The worst part about these birds is that they bring the yellow grub parasite to your fish. I let them live around my pond for 2 months one year and I started to see yellow grubs in my fish. Got rid of the herons and no more yellow grubs since. You can't kill the herons but you can chase them off when done properly I've never had them come back.

You have my attention bz! Please share... How do you "chase them off" properly? Or is this one of those trial and error processes where you will eventually figure it out?

I've tried all sorts of methods to chase them off. These are cool birds that I certainly wouldn't want to hurt. The one that has worked the best for me is a close shot over the head with my 17 caliber rifle. I've used a shotgun and a 22 but the birds returned the next day or sooner. My theory is that unlike the latter two guns the high speed rifle shot over the head probably makes a very loud zing and crack when it goes over. It doesn't hurt anything but for some reason they just never come back. And believe me I have lots of herons around, both blue and green. I live right in the middle of an area that has probably 100 acres of wetland in every section. These birds are all over and they fly over my pond numerous times a day. But I think once one of them has experienced that noise they remember it and never come back. I will chase a number of them away every spring and then I won't see one on the pond all summer. I'd like to hear from someone else who tries this to see if it works for them.

I think i am seeing the same effect from useing my high-powered pellet rifle. A couple of days of some very close misses, and they seem very leary of coming back. One came back the other day and just stood on the bank looking around . Like he was expecting the worst I basically aim at the head,knowing there is no way i could hit that small of a target. Now the only time we have seen them is very early in the morning. I think they know i'm not an early riser! There are exceptions to that, which they shall understand shortly

They could be coming at night!

Maybe why some are called night herons?

The Herons in our area (Green and Blue) Have learned to adapt to the habits of the people and surroundings.

I had thought I had scared off my Herons and they were just flying over my pond and looking for others. I could see them do that from both inside my house and in various areas in my yard. When I put a critter cam out, I found that they had adapted to my schedule. They would show up shortly after my wife and I left for work and leave prior to the kids getting home from school. They also showed up near or after dusk and sometimes there prior to sunrise.

I have changed up my schedule as best as I can and they do stop less frequently, (now they are over at my sisters house and pond )

Due to the steep edges on my pond (4' drop offs) they only get some minnows near the edge and some frogs. I have plenty of frogs to share. My only concern spot is my floating Island. I have seen them sitting on that and waiting for the larger fish to chase the monnows to the surface near that and then getting a good meal.

Yes these birds are very intelligent and adaptive. I had one standing on one of my cages at 3 A.M. in the full moon darkness. (I talked about this in another post). It was not a night heron either. it was a Great Blue Heron.

The idea of a "Night Heron" being the only night hunter vs. a Blue Heron or Green Heron or any other HEron is a very narrow view. Any Heron will Hunt when they have just enough light to see and catch its prey.

I only have Great Blues and Green Herons and I see them all hours of day and night.

Very true. I don't think there is any use trying to out smart them or "out patience" them. The only way to go is barriers.

Too bad you can't pellet train wading birds like you can turtles. I would much prefer them eating my feed than my fish. I did have a common grackle that was pellet trained. It was comical watching him wade in after the pellets and tiptoeing to keep his feathers dry.

Sadly what many fish farmers know who get permits to take them out is, the only way to stop them for sure is the final solution. Evolution has honed them to be very adaptive, persistent fish and other vetrebrae eaters.

Well, I don't know what I'm doing right but I don't think I get Herons either day or night. Someone is home all day and the whole family knows to watch for them. They could come at night but since I've seen no tracks in several muddy areas around the pond and I've seen no evidence of yellow grubs since I started scaring them off I don't think they are stopping by anymore. Maybe the Herons in my area are especially dumb. I'm just glad I don't have a problem with them. Hope you all can be so lucky.

One thing I have noticed that has helped is when my Black Lab Sheds around the pond. His fur must be something that tells the Herons and most other animals to stay away. Or it oculd be he just needs a good bath and the stink is keeping them away!!