Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Wildlife Management Floating alligator decoy

(Sorry if this is in the wrong section. ??)

A few years ago, I interviewed someone in the Air Force about bird strikes, which obviously are detrimental to planes.
He said that at his location, they had achieved some success keeping ducks and geese off area ponds by using a floating alligator decoy because the birds think it's a real alligator.
Never mind that they don't have alligators in Kansas...the birds don't know that!

I'm curious if anyone here has tried something like this to deter herons or other birds. I'm considering trying one just to see if it works.

Here is a link to one I found online. I'm sure there are many others. Floating alligator decoy

Boy, now that's a hoot! I'm going to get one of those suckers and put in my pond! I don't care if it keeps geese away or not - that's just cool!

It is a cool looking novelty item! I told DH I'm definitely going to order one for our pond, but I was curious if anyone had tried it to deter birds.

Down here we don't need decoys. Want me to ship you one?

P.S. Alligator hunting opens end of August, would a 10 footer do?

If you'd keep the herons down there, we wouldn't need an alligator look-alike in Oklahoma!

I saw a show on this very subject and they pretty much said that the floating alligator was just a that. It did not deter the Herons. All they did was move down a little. And they said after a few weeks they were 5 or 6 feet next to the thing. So if you had a very small pond they may work. Like 20 foot round pond, but nothing of any size according to this show. I think it was on the nature channel or a specail on the Animal planet or something. I cant remember but I wouldnt waste your money! I have heard one of the better things to use it a garden hose with one of those motion sensor ends on it that will send out a hard fast stream of water for so many feet. But you would have to have them all around your pond as well. They even said the cannon's you can buy with the propane hook up to make a real loud bang doesn't work for very long and they get used to it. Bottom line is there is only one thing that will work permanetly and thats illegal. SSS baby!!!

attach a remote controlled submarine model to the bottom of the gator head piece

air rifle works good on scaring herons away, (does not kill them) I have one that returns every other day just hearing the pop it flies away. it usually lands 300 yards away so there is no way I can hit it, but I can get close. i find now I just shoot the ground & when it hears it it takes off quick! I plan on making a heron decoy with wings out to see if it will scare them away as well. I have seen herons fight very hard on our pond when two are present.

That would only work for a short while. Here's why:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNTw7GH325U&feature=related

Fricken birds they are to smart for their own good! That video is pretty cool actually.

Yeah, that is cool.

I'm still gonna get one just for the "cool" factor.

And y'all are right that nothing will work indefinitely. Since our 1/2 acre pond is in our back yard and I work from home, I keep a close eye on things. My presence (armed or unarmed ) is usually enough to scare them off for awhile.