I think I may have found a good way to keep the birds away from my figs, or at least it is working on my all various berry plants. I have long river canes stuck in the ground with tin plates hanging from them over the berries. But unlike last year, this year I have hung the plates on stiff wires instead of string. This makes a BIG difference.

With string you only get movement and flash, which last year did not seem to be enough. With the wire I get a screeching sound with every breezy movement of the plates! Once I put them up the birds absolutely STOPPED bothering my berries.

I am going to do the same over my figs since they are all fairly small.

pics please

Here is what my set-up looks like on some of my blueberries. Here is three bushes in a row:

 
Here is a close-up of one of the pans

 

Here is a close-up of another one

 

The key to this is using wire so it makes noise.

Gene,
keep us posted as to if it continues to be effective or if they get used to it over time

I've used the pie tins to protect my raspberries through a 4 week season, no noticeable reduction in effectiveness. And as soon as the first bird peck appeared on my blackberries I put some over those, and I've not lost a berry since.

Thanks - I'll definitely try this.

Nice!  And I spend time every year to cover my blueberry row with bird netting!  I will try that next year.

I'd better start eating pie for their aluminum plates...  :)

Thanks for the pics. I'm going to see if this will keep squirrels from digging in my container plants. Certainly easier than building a weaponized SIP.

Thanks for sharing, Gene.  Looking forward to seeing if this works on figs throughout the summer.  Will give it a try myself.

Gene,
Thx for sharing. The wire/string info is something I think I'll try.

are you sure it is not the upside down Jesus that is doing the job?

I wasn't going to ask. I really think it has an effect on true test results.

I wondered the same myself but was too shy to ask.

Got to get me one of those signs...

That can't be it because this is the "Bible-belt." Them birds are all good, card-carrying Baptists. They would flock to see Jesus if they could read.

They are Baptist alright, we are always there if they have food!

Thanks for including the pics.   You've given me some ideas.....

Unfortunately the pie pan trick didn't work for me.  A few hours after I put it up I saw a robin and later a catbird diving in for a blueberry.  Oh well, it was worth a try.  The bushes are now protected with netting - a pain to work with but I'm sure I'll get blueberries now.

Sorry it didn't work for you. Maybe Arkansas birds are more skidish than your. It has worked real well here.

Yeah, the birds here seem to be really agressive, especially the catbirds.  They seem to let out a call just before they swoop down to attack the berries, grapes, figs etc.

The upside-down Jesus is so the birds can perch on it, look down and read it right-side up. I fear the problem is that it advertises a "come to Jesus" meeting and your are just going to get more birds as The Word spreads.  Now an upside-down crucifix might put the scare in them, but you'd probably start losing neighbors at that point, too.

Let me suggest that the birds, or any animal, will habituate to anything that's there long enough and doesn't make good on a threat. You might have to switch things up every once in a while to keep them off their game.

Yeah, you know how baptist (birds) are, just put out some food and they will fill the place!

Hopefully by the berries will all be harvested by the time the birds get used to the pie tins. But then they might now work as a deterrent for when the figs are ripe. Oh no, that means i have to choose; to protect the berries or protect the figs? I am in trouble because I love them both.

I guess the birds will get a share of the berries if it comes down to a choice, because figs are "food of the gods" so I'll be protecting them. ;-)