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Horned Larks | Horned Lark Damage Assessment | Horned Lark Damage Management | Horned Larks Resources | Horned Larks Acknowledgments | ICWDM | Wildlife Species Information |
Contents |
Damage Prevention and Control Methods
Exclusion and Habitat Modification
No methods are effective.
Frightening
Auditory stimuli are the most common control tools currently used in California to frighten horned larks from field crops. For sounds to be effective they should be used immediately when numerous horned larks are observed congregating over a recently seeded crop. The most widely used sound device for minimizing depredations has been the propane exploder. The units should be moved daily to prevent horned larks from becoming habituated to the sound. Exploders are most effective when they are supplemented with other methods such as shotgun blasts, shell crackers, and bird bombs or whistles.
Raptor-mimicking kites suspended from helium-filled balloons or tethered to stationary posts have been used to scare horned larks from small areas. Their effectiveness is enhanced when used in conjunction with propane exploders or exploding shells.
The stake and flag method of frightening horned larks from various crops was developed in California during the 1930s. It consisted of driving stakes in the soil over the crop bed rows and then attaching strips of cloth or paper to the tops. The wind movement of the cloth or paper frightened the horned larks from the seed bed. This control method is seldom used today because of changes in irrigation and farming practices.
Avitrol® Mixed Grains (0.5%) is a toxic chemical that produces flock-alarming reactions in birds that ingest a sufficient quantity. It is currently registered in California to control horned larks that may damage sprouting crops. Prebaiting with untreated grains (fine chick scratch) is usually necessary to establish a feeding pattern. The prebait should be placed in trays in the same area where the treated bait will be exposed. Avitrol®-treated chick scratch must be exposed in trays only. Set trays out in the field after the crop is planted and before horned larks have moved into the area. Each bait tray should contain one part Avitrol® Mixed Grain concentrate with 2 to 9 parts of untreated fine chick scratch. The quantity of treated bait to expose per tray will vary depending on the amount taken by horned larks during prebaiting. Several trays should be placed where the birds are normally observed. Bait should be replaced if it becomes water soaked, or depleted.
Repellents
None are currently registered.
Toxicants
No toxicants are currently registered or available for use against horned larks.
Trapping and Shooting
Trapping or shooting are not effective or practical for controlling damage.
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Horned Larks | Horned Lark Damage Assessment | Horned Lark Damage Management | Horned Larks Resources | Horned Larks Acknowledgments | ICWDM | Wildlife Species Information |
