Hook Traps
Or This with Metal Bars
You Decide Which To Use?
An old friend told me how he captured 3 Owls in a week. (I had my own way of getting rid of the Owls, but you wouldn’t want to know). It is a bit cruel. It is a bad thing to do but somehow you have to do it or else all your Swiftlet will be gone.
There was no nest increases in his Bh for almost 4 months. He had checked all the micros, etc and found no fault. He waited at his Bh entrance from 7 -9 pm for a week but see no sign of Predators.
So what could be the problem?
He was an avid fisherman who used to do lots of fishing which is one of his many hobbies. He used to travel to many fishing villages all over Asia to fish. Sometimes spending weeks there. He told me he got this idea from a village of Laos after seeing how the villagers there catch fishes at the rapid water fall.
I asked him wouldn’t this would also affect or injure those Swiftlets. (Some of the swiftlet may get hooked). He explained, he only put the Hook Traps there for a short period. Once the Owls are gone he would remove the hook traps. He said so far there were no swiftlet feathers on the floor of the trap neither on those hooks. There were no dead birds around the floor of the entrance hole too. This indicated the Birds are smart enough to avoid the Hook Traps.
But somehow I still believe it would affect the birds. If given the situation of “Owl invasion versus the Hook Traps injury to Swiftlets”. The Owls invasion would do greater damage to the Bh. Furthermore The Hook Traps is not for permanent use. He installed the traps for 2 weeks to a month until the colony of the Owls that invaded the Bh is captured. After that it will be removed.
I asked him again, in the event if an Owl is hooked as it won’t die instantly it would still flap its wings and struggle to fly to escape this might take days before it dies from dehydration. . Wouldn’t this would affect or scare away those swiftlets in the Bh those that try to fly in.
He said if you want to put the Hook Traps you have to visit your Bh often. In his case he visits his Bh every other days because his Bh is located not far from his house, a short 30 minute drive. He also has a neighbor next to his Bh, they will inform him when there is something at the entrance hole.(His Bh is a Dog Kennel type)
He said all Owls were caught in the 1st weeks. Thereafter the 2nd and 3 rd weeks there were none. He removed the Traps on the 3rd weeks. Ever since 3 Owls were caught now his Bh is back to normal with nests increase every month.
I asked him, didn’t the CCTV capture those Owls that fly into your Bh before the Hook Traps were installed.
He replied, I have replayed and viewed all the records of the CCTV there was nothing there. It never came to my mine that there was Owl problem in my Bh until all 3 were captured.
Well for those who have Owl problem may try to use the Hook traps. For me I still believe it would affect the birds. Then again Owl VS Hook Traps …HooK Traps win.
(Note: Use clear fishing line of 40 pound or more. Good Branded fishing hooks as they are sharper and stronger.)
I have not tested the Hook Traps yet.You guys out there may try it out and give me some feedback.
Good Swiftlet farming All!