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Scaregrine Falcon

To keep pesky birds away
 
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This is a robotic Peregrine Falcon with sensors to detect incoming birds on an approach vector with your lawn and/or garden. It sits perched on the edge of the roof, mounted to the rim of your rain gutter. Upon detecting the incoming bird, the Scaregrine Falcon spreads its wings and lets loose a raptor warcry, the bone-chilling cry that all birds fear. It then moves along the rain gutter like a train on a track, back and forth, squaking for all it's worth until the pesky birds have gone. If the birds get wise to your trick, and decide to risk it all and land in the yard anyway, the Scaregrine Falcon will race along its track to the point nearest the offending bird and "dive" off the roof, straight down. It is connected to the rail by a retractable cord, and protected from shock damage by an inertia reel that quickly slows it's descent for last few feet, and stops it just above the ground, then reels it back up. The engineers at 21st Century Quest Engineering recommend at least 2, one on the house, one on your fence (maybe one on each side of the yard) and if you have a detached garage or shed, one on the roof of that, as well. I have personally ordered four of them, and can't wait to show those pesky crows and magpies that I mean business.

Note: Scaregrine Falcons also serve as an excellent deterrent against pesky cats and weasels. If your local pests aren't deterred by the diminutive falcon, we also have Dreadtail Hawks and Scold'n Eagles.

21 Quest, Oct 01 2009

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       This is my favorite idea for quite some time. Make it take a daredevil head dive off the roof, like the real ones do, and that would be even better. (On a retrievable cord, of course.)+
blissmiss, Oct 01 2009
  

       Skip the cord, an extending wand and a track that runs along a downspout should permit a controllable dive towards the bird (or at least the center of the yard).
MechE, Oct 01 2009
  

       I kinda like the cord idea... post has been edited to include it. For maximum effect, some track extensions jutting out from the roof would give it the ability to get right over the offending bird and swoop straight down at it. Guaranteed to scare the white stuff out of even the bravest bird!
21 Quest, Oct 02 2009
  

       I don't understand why you want to scare birds away.
tatterdemalion, Oct 02 2009
  

       Quit the apostrophe abuse.
BouncyPaw, Oct 02 2009
  

       Quite a few reasons to keep them out, Tatter. First, to protect my other half's garden. Second, to keep other birds of prey from snatching my ferrets or my other half's small dog. This is known to happen in northwestern USA. I also can't stand that irritating chirping when I'm trying to sleep in on my days off.
  

       And Im real sorry 'bout the mis'plac'ed apos'trophes'. This damn'ed spellcheck'er keeps' putti'n 'em in the wr'ong plac'es.
21 Quest, Oct 02 2009
  

       I expect the "raptor warcry" won't keep you awake at all.
tatterdemalion, Oct 02 2009
  

       After the first few days, it won't be much of a problem. Once the Falcons make their grand debut, those pesky birds will wisely keep their distance. The Falcons could also move about at random throughout the day, opening and closing their wings and 'pacing' back and forth, so the birds will see them from a distance and not think they're letting their guard down.
21 Quest, Oct 02 2009
  
      
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