Getting rid of mockingbirds

[150mph]

Hi all

First post. I joined castboolits to ask for help after a Google search for answers to my problem turned up this post (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?219076-What-is-the-most-quiet-air-rifle)on this forum with very helpful member suggestions.

We have a bad mockingbird problem - they're ruining our quality of life with constant screeching starting at 2am and going all day long. They've found strategic places where the noise echoes the most, and aggressively attack other birds we like and even cats.

After a years of putting up with them, keeping windows closed, shooting hardened palm seed projectiles at them with a wrist rocket slingshot, nothing has worked.

Now, I want to shoot them. (There, I said it). But would still consider anything else to drive them off permanently, short of cutting down trees, putting out poison. We like other birds and don't mind the squirrels, possums and raccoons in our 2 small orange trees.

I don't own any guns but would like to buy a quiet pellet rifle. The above post is 4 years old and maybe a quieter pellet rifle / newer technology is available?

We live in a densely populated Los Angeles neighborhood so I don't want to "discharge a firearm" in city limits. I can't just stalk the neighborhood with a rifle, but the back yard is enclosed by 6 ft. stone walls, so as long I don't leave the yard, I should be good to pop off a few pellets when no one is outside (eg dawn). Trouble is, the birds know to stay out of our yard when I come outside, and hang out in neighbors trees and power lines, between 50-150 ft. away. Have to hand it to them, they are clever birds...

1) Alternative suggestions for driving them away?

2) Suggestion for quiet pellet rifle with this range up to say $200?

thanks
Pat

[Pipefitter]

You live in Kommiefornia? Sorry, but your best bet is to move to a friendly state......

[ShooterAZ]

Hi Pat, Gamo does make some quiet(er) airguns. Having said that, I would strongly recommend checking your local ordinances regarding discharging even a pellet gun. In my rural town I don't think it's legal...go figure. You also run the risk of a nosy neighbor seeing something and turning you in. Were it me...I'd probably not take the risk. I know some birds such as crows are incredibly intelligent. If you shoot at them once, they stay away. Not sure how smart mockingbirds are.

[Jeff Michel]

I would find out what your adjacent neighbors think about the birds. Get them on board before you start an eradication program. Let them know what your plans are and listen to any ideas they might offer up. I don't know if mockingbirds are under any sort of protection, but everything else in California is so I would cover my bases ahead of time. If everybody is made aware, the finding of a dead bird with hole in it won't cause any unforeseen disturbance. Just an opinion, others will have different ones. FWIW, RWS model 34 is a real nice pellet rifle, they offer them in .177 or .22. Another option is use a live trap, Havahart use to offer several different types. Once caught, you would probably want to set the trap in a wash tub full of water to dispose of the birds. If you take them out of town to release them, I would be willing to bet they will probably beat you back to the house.

[tigweldit]

get a lazer pointer. red or green,birds hate them and leave right away.

[melloairman]

I under stand the problem well . But the real problem is they are considered a song bird and protected . Now starlings are not and their removal is talked about all the time . Marvin

[Kosh75287]

...To KILL a MOCKINGBIRD!?! Dear me, what would Harper Lee think?!?

[Omega]

More likely a native bird vs invasive species. There are sonic appliances which are used in hangers and parking structures which work well, and will legally get rid of them.

[country gent]

Most cities suburbs neihborhoods have ordanances against not only the discharge of firearms, but also airguns bows and muzzle loaders. You need to check on this first. Then decide if a neighbor who sees or is told about this will try and make an issue out of it. Last is to have a safe direction of fire. The laser pointer sounds like a good way to go it would be selective as to species of birds also. The repellers may work but arnt selective the same with wind chimes pie pans and other things to scare them. The draw back to the laser pointer is in bright sunlight the range will be short with fadeout.

[oldblinddog]

Don't point the laser at airplanes.

[M-Tecs]

Per post #3

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=476989

Sec. 66-11. Discharge of weapons.

It shall be unlawful for any person to discharge any firearm, gun, rifle, or other gun or device discharging, by the use of powder, air, or springs, any bullet or shot of any kind or any sling or slingshot in the city, except in shooting galleries and on pistol and rifle ranges, the location of which has been approved by the city; provided, however, that this section shall not apply to police officers acting within the scope of their official duties or to persons acting in the necessary defense of their persons or property.

(Code 1965, § 4127; Ord. No. 235; Ord. No. 839)

Taken from here:

http://www.ci.concord.ca.us/citygov/...chapter066.htm

[9.3X62AL]

Laser the noisy BLEEPS. Mockingbirds are NOT protected by CA law; crows are to some extent. The LAST thing I would do is discharge a pellet rifle in the City of Los Angeles. LOTS WORSE THINGS can happen than putting up with raucous birds.

Have a "target" when using the laser pointer. Keep the lasing at low angles, and shut it down when aircraft are anywhere close by.

[melloairman]

Laser the noisy BLEEPS. Mockingbirds are NOT protected by CA law; crows are to some extent. The LAST thing I would do is discharge a pellet rifle in the City of Los Angeles. LOTS WORSE THINGS can happen than putting up with raucous birds.

Have a "target" when using the laser pointer. Keep the lasing at low angles, and shut it down when aircraft are anywhere close by.
Take a look at the list .Marvin http://www.pacificwildlife.org/info/online%20docs/fmbtalist.pdf
http://lsjunction.com/bird.htm

[Merc41]

All the more reason to live outside the cities and towns. Rural is the way to go.

[150mph]

Thanks for all the helpful info, especially about ordinances and the Federal migratory bird act, which complicate things in this case.

It's good advice I should get the neighbors on board before making more deadly or expensive plans. The ones most affected live on another street. Their back yards abut ours, but of course with the high stone wall we never meet. Such is the state of urban life unfortunately.

The trap is worth exploring too. I have a feeling I'd catch mostly dumber birds and squirrels though.

The laser pointer is interesting. We're all too aware of the seriousness of people abusing them, what with LAPD choppers buzzing about regularly. The downside would be getting out of bed at dawn daily just for 2-3 seconds of pointing at the place where the birds perch - in the dark, when I couldn't even see them fly away. That might be more annoying to me than the birds. But definitely worth exploring.

I didn't mention before but I tried playing loud recordings of hawks and other raptors I found online - to no avail. It's rare to see a hawk or owl in this urban neighborhood, so the mockingbirds might not know they're a threat or just don't care. Anyway thats just throwing noise at noise.

Also I set out a big realistic ceramic hawk from a gardening store. It works as intended to make squirrels think twice about scurrying about on the roof but the mockingbirds aren't even slightly fooled.

[trapper9260]

Here is a link of what birds that are protected under the fed migratory bird act, also here is another site for it also
http://www.pacificwildlife.org/info/online%20docs/fmbtalist.pdf
https://www.fws.gov/laws/lawsdigest/migtrea.html
Fed out rule state. So it is up to who ever what they looking to do,just know what you will get yourself into what ever you plan to do. Or if so do the SSS.

[Texas by God]

Get a couple of the meanest scarred up tomcats you can find and put a leash on them and tie them just out of fighting range . Feed them sparingly but keep water near at all times. When the Mockingbirds attack, sooner or later old Tom will get one or two. Just kidding! Being Native Texan, I would never kill a Mockingbird. Now cats are a different story.......

[w5pv]

In Texas they are the State Bird and are protected by law.

[opos]

Might try a couple of rubber snakes placed in areas around the yard...some birds are very wary and afraid of snakes..maybe the mocking bird is one of them...

[Texas by God]

If you get close to a nesting mama bird, she will give you some acupuncture on the head!

[30calflash]

Might try a couple of rubber snakes placed in areas around the yard...some birds are very wary and afraid of snakes..maybe the mocking bird is one of them...

I know this works with other birds, a friend used it exclusively to keep them for decorating his nearby deck. He placed them in some shrubs in front of the deck.

Another thing I've heard is to tape a mocking bird on a recorder and play it when one sounds off. They are supposedly territorial and the recording will drive the others away.

[Good Cheer]

Forty years ago I had a cat that laid in the grass to get dive bombed by birds and watched for the pellet rifle to ease out through the kitchen window. She really hated blue jays. Couldn't get her to tree squirrels but she did come when called by name and answered to a whistle. Mighty fine cat.

Nowadays I whistle tunes to mockers for fun. In 1991 had one behind our place in Spring, Texas that would answer with a few bars of La Cucaracha. Got one around the place these days that has a tizzy when that bird he can't find keeps challenging his kingdom. They're funny little dinosaurs. The way mockers act I reckon we're lucky the big ones died off.

[BAGTIC]

Of course you know that shooting mockingbirds is a federal felony. There go your gun rights, voting rights, etc. Buy some ear plugs.

[bedbugbilly]

Better than playing music or hawk sounds would be to play Hillary crying about loosing the election. . . the neighbors probably wouldn't complain but I'm sure the birds would leave en masse as fast as they can. Sorry, couldn't help it.

If I'm not mistaken, pellet rifles shoot lead pellets for the most part and isn't lead banned by your state? Not to mention you are talking about a protected songbird? Where our house is in AZ, we're right across from a stretch of open desert and there are all sorts of critters and pests . . . but . . . even as open as AZ is as far as gun laws, etc., a pellet rifle is a no no inside the city limits. In your situation, in a densely populated area, all it would take as a pellet falling on a car, window or person and I have to believe you'd be in a whole heap of trouble. I'm not a "bird person" but I would guess that one of their reasons to be so populated where you are is that something is giving them a good food source - remove the food source and they'll thin out but I'm guessing that it would be hard to get the neighbors to remove their plantings, etc. that are furnishing them food.

[9.3X62AL]

Of course you know that shooting mockingbirds is a federal felony. There go your gun rights, voting rights, etc. Buy some ear plugs.

U.S. Code Title & Section, please. News to me, if so.

[Walter Laich]

In Texas they are the State Bird and are protected by law.

+1

course the armadillo is the state mammal (small) and we still keep running over them. I really think they are a suicide species--you know, 'death by car'

[sparkyv]

Interesting that they make a raucous at 2am. I can't say that I've ever heard Mockingbirds making noise so early in the morning.

[Multigunner]

I checked and was surprised to find the Mocking Bird is in fact protected by Federal laws covering migrating birds.

Don't know what the penalties might be for killing them, perhaps just a fine but it would be best to find out first.

The Mocking Bird is also the Tennessee state bird.

[vzerone]

http://www.pacificwildlife.org/info/online%20docs/fmbtalist.pdf It's a very old law.

[jmorris]

They are protected here. If not in your area, get rid of the nest, that is what they are protecting.

Years ago we had a Siamese cat that lived outside, it was a killing machine. It would lay in the grass flicking it's tail when the Mocking birds came around. When they dove down to attack, it was the last dive they ever made.

The offspring of that cat were completely feral so we trapped them and took them to our farm.

Every now and then you could catch glimps of one, come in the barn and the tractor seat was warm, etc. one year there were kittens on top of the hay, eating squirrel.

[texasnative46]

bedbugbilly,

Being exposed to SCREECHING "Hillary ROTTEN Klintoon" would likely drive the Mockingbirds away. - They ARE Texas birds after all.

Btw, here in TX we chuckle about the things done by our official State bird. = One in our neighborhood has learned to sound exactly like a CAR ALARM.

yours, tex

[BAGTIC]

If you get close to a nesting mama bird, she will give you some acupuncture on the head!

So will jays and blackbirds

[9.3X62AL]

Hmmmmm.......mourning doves are PROTECTED under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, but are lawful for take during set seasons that comport with Treaty co-signers (principally Mexico, in this instance). Treaty states that no listed dove species can be taken in the United States prior to Sep. 1, and that no State can depart from those guidelines. Not trying to be didactic here, but "protected" is NOT the same as "cannot take".

[MusicMan]

SSS
S. shoot
S. shovel
S. shutup

[35 shooter]

The Mocking bird is the MS. state bird also, as i see it is in several other states from the posts above. I didn't realize it was so favored by other states before reading this.

Anyway, i stepped outside about 8 0'clock last night with a hurricane brewing about 90 miles south of us, and one was singing away like he didn't have a care in the world.
I guess he knew the hurricane was going to hook east and north of us?
Lol, he was singing in the rain, though we didn't get much of that either.

[tunnug]

Interesting that they make a raucous at 2am. I can't say that I've ever heard Mockingbirds making noise so early in the morning.

We had one make a home in our orange tree for a few months, he would be whistling and making a racket at all hours of the night, during the day he'd be on the neighbors pine tree up high doing the same thing, he eventually moved away.

[Geezer in NH]

Hmmmmm.......mourning doves are PROTECTED under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, but are lawful for take during set seasons that comport with Treaty co-signers (principally Mexico, in this instance). Treaty states that no listed dove species can be taken in the United States prior to Sep. 1, and that no State can depart from those guidelines. Not trying to be didactic here, but "protected" is NOT the same as "cannot take".
Using your method show us an open season on them.

No season means protected.

[9.3X62AL]

I have no idea what I'm writing about, obviously. I asked above for a citation of U.S. Code Title and Section in order to assess Federal law and its elements. You will recall that I am not the the one with the mockingbird problem. They are a nongame species in CA, and in absence of Federal statute and enabling language incorporating State law, I had no ability to cite someone taking a mockingbird in my state, and would have ignored it enthusiastically in any event. Dove seasons/limits are set by state law FOR A BIRD DESCRIBED IN THE FEDERAL MIGRATORY BIRD ACT--which is the law under review here. So are ducks and geese--and state officers can enforce regs covering seasons, limits, take methods, etc. But a Migratory Bird Stamp is not required to take doves and pigeons. In short, the law is a patchwork of agenda-driven statutes and regulations, and unless a course of conduct was specifically described in violation elements--I stayed out of people's hair. I suspect most conservation officers feel the same way--life was interesting enough chasing jacklighters and bear parts smugglers without having to monitor mockingbird eliminations & executions.

[luvtn]

FWIW Mockingbirds do not migrate. They stay year round. Probably protected as a songbird? In my area the Mockingbirds have become furtive,cover seeking, like the Brown Thrashers. Of course there are a pair of Coopers Hawk that cruise through!
luvtn

[The Lord Flashheart]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiN3Z-MkAB4

Get a drone with a NV camera, get even .:D