This totally works against big critters that want your fruit, like deer, racoons, possums, coyotes.. JD goes out there and pees on the ground around the tree.  Not only is this good fertilizer, but, it deters the critters.  Birds, well, they fly in and don't detect the scent.  I see people down in the valley protecting their fruit with old CD's hung in the tree... 

Drink beer, and pee around your trees!!

Suzi

This usually works, but only if the pest has sufficient fear of humans as potential predators.  The groundhogs around here just laugh it off and mow down my garden anyway.

got all the animals you say and this is false. only thing that really works is trap or shot. this is for lady also. good luck and hope this helps.

I hung CDs in the trees many years ago. They did not keep the birds away, and the wind kept blowing them against the trees which damaged the bark.

The bird tape sort of works, but a determined bird will win!  Nice to know about the CDs.

Best low cost trick for birds that I found so far is to get a roll of this stuff:

 

Cut 6" x 6" squares.  Put a small hole in the middle near one of the edges and thread a 3 or 4 foot piece of string through the hole.  Tie the string to the Reflectix and hang off the branches, a fence, etc.  Works like a charm here and doesn't hurt the fig trees in the wind.