On The Up: Laser bird deterrent saves Hawke’s Bay kiwifruit orchard from seagull invasion

The AVIX Autonomic laser keeps the birds off the overhead net in Hastings.

As over 600 seagulls descended on his property, Simon Horsfall could have easily been in a scene from Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds.

Horsfall has a 60-hectare kiwifruit orchard in the sunny Hawke’s Bay region.

He uses overhead nets to keep his kiwifruit safe from hail, wind and birds.

And that is where the trouble began.

While bird netting is usually the solution to a problem, this wasn’t the case for Horsfall, as 600-plus seagulls decided it was a great sanctuary every night.

The result was bird droppings contaminating the crop, fruit damage and serious hygiene concerns during harvest season.

In short, a total nightmare.

“The bird netting didn’t keep the birds out; it gave them a roof,” Horsfall said.

“It was costing me tens of thousands in lost fruit and cleaning efforts.”

Frustrated by traditional methods, Horsfall knew the solution must be out there, so he partnered with local bird control expert Michael Krause.

Krause introduced him to the AVIX Autonomic Laser Bird deterrent, sold by the Dutch company Bird Control Group.

This is an automated, environmentally friendly solution using green laser beams to scare birds away without harming them.

The principle of laser bird deterrents is inspired by nature.

Sight is the most developed sense in birds, and they perceive laser lights on the green spectrum like physical objects.

When the laser moves toward the birds, it triggers their natural fight-or-flight instinct, causing them to flee.

While this sounds a bit sci-fi, once the system was installed strategically throughout Horsfall’s orchard, there was a significant drop in seagull numbers within days.

Over time, the gulls’ nightly visits were completely over.

“The laser changed everything,” Horsfall said.

“It was immediate, effective and far more sustainable than netting or other deterrents.”

Horsfall estimated savings of over $105,000 per year from reduced fruit loss, lower cleanup costs and improved harvest quality.

“Michael’s local support and the Birds Control technology made this possible,” he said.

“It’s not just a tool, it’s a game-changer.”

With increasing scrutiny on the limitations of bird netting in New Zealand, growers are looking for alternative solutions, such as laser control.

The system used by Horsfall has already been adopted in over 100 countries worldwide and is gaining traction in agriculture, airports and industrial zones for its efficiency and eco-conscious design.

As climate conditions change, so does bird behaviour, making crop protection more important.

A laser bird deterrent could be an innovative solution to a safer working environment for growers and their crops.