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Vineyard Scarecrows Study tests 'air dancers' as bird deterrents in U.S. vineyards and orchards W atkins Glen, N.Y.—Inflatable dancing tube men, a.k.a. "air dancers," are a familiar sight across the country as advertising devices at auto sales lots and car washes. Now, these 20-foot-tall, fan-driven characters are being tested as "scare dancers" to drive away birds in vineyards and orchards. Dr. Catherine Lindell, associate professor of zoology at Michigan State University, is coordinating a Specialty Crop Research Initiative Project funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and titled "Limiting bird damage to fruit crops: Integratwinesandvines.com ing economic, biological and consumer inLearn more: Search keywords formation to determine testable management "Vineyard scarecrows." strategies for the future." The long-term goal of the study is "to provide producers with cost-effective, environmentally sustainable bird-management strategies." Researchers at Michigan State University, Cornell University, Washington State University, Trinity Western University and Oregon State University are participating in the study. As part of that project, researchers from Cornell worked with four wineries in the Finger Lakes region this past summer to test the use Waterloo_Nov10.qxp 8/26/10 11:36 AM Page 1 of air dancers to reduce bird damage in vineyards. The inflatable Dr. Catherine Lindell is conducting a study to see whether inflatable 'air dancers' prevent bird damage in vineyards. dancers have flapping arms, reflective hair and "fingers," bright colors and wide smiles. While the dancers can be found in heights ranging from 6 to 20 feet, the taller inflatables are preferable in a vineyard location so they can be seen above the vines. One potential problem for locating the air dancers in a vineyard is that the air blower used to inflate the dancer must have a power source. Chris Stamp, winemaker at Lakewood Vineyards in Watkins Glen, N.Y., told Wine East he thinks the inflatable flapping tube man, known as "Wacky Wayne" at Lakewood, did his job. While the researchers want to see what impact the inflatables have on specific varieties of grapes, and if there is any influence of distance from the inflatable on bird damage, Stamp reported: "It's my sense that it worked. It sure scared our horses to death!" Ted Marks, owner of Atwater Estate Vineyards in Burdett, N.Y., has tried air cannons, prerecorded bird distress calls and shiny balloons. He reported that "Mr. Pinot" at Atwater "has done the best job of anything." —Linda Jones McKee Win es & Vin es F EB RUA RY 20 14 73