With the start of the cherry harvest season in Iğdır in Eastern Anatolia, farmers are protecting their crops from crows and other bird species with a solar-powered machine they call the "crow deterrent," (karga savar in Turkish).
The mechanism works with solar energy and can be set to work on a timer. Thanks to the machine making loud noises at desired time intervals, birds and wild animals stay away from the field.
Farmers in Iğdır's Yaycı village said that they are protecting their vineyards and orchards with this mechanism.
A farmer named Caner Akkoç, who has a cherry orchard on 12,000 square meters (around 129,167 square feet) of land in the Yaycı village of Iğdır explained that he has been using the machine for three years and is very satisfied with its performance.
“I bought this product that I have been using since 2018 as a bird repellent. In this region, we call this mechanism the crow deterrent. We repel birds such as crows and magpies with the help of the product. Birds were causing us a lot of harm, especially during the diversifying period that we call early cropping." He said.
"It works with a small gas tank and since it is adjustable, we can adjust it according to the time we want. I set it to make loud sounds every two minutes. It keeps all wild animals away from the garden, not just birds.”
Akkoç explained that the product is sustainable and easy to use since it only needs solar power and a gas tank.
“The product is working with solar power. There is no need to check it frequently. We use a small gas tank and just change it when it is finished." He added.
