Hey everyone,
I could really use some help with my project. I feed birds at my feeder, but recently it's been overrun by brown head cow birds. I'm trying to wire my bird feeder so I can send a small jolt to a perch of my choice. That way the brown bird will leave without scaring the wanted birds. I've drawn a basic circuit, but need your help. Any idea how to make this work? Feel free to add to the schematic

 

Birds are highly adapted to sitting on hi voltage power lines without being shocked... Maybe a water pistol?

 

The right way to deal with the cow birds is to use a feeder they can't eat from. Your idea of electrocuting birds is impractical and just plain wrong.

 

I don't know how big a cow bird is in relation to the birds you want to feed, but
https://rwinvent.co.uk/collections/...products/roamwild-squirrel-proof-bird-feeders
only allows small birds to feed, and closes up to prevent larger birds, rats and squirrels.

 

Birds are highly adapted to sitting on hi voltage power lines without being shocked... Maybe a water pistol?

Highly adapted by being small enough not to be able to touch power line and earth or two power lines of different phases at the same time.

 

I would say that power lines have not been around long enough for birds to physically adapt to them.

If you put high frequency AC into the perch that might get the bird's attention but batteries and typical AC line frequencies will not have much if any effect.

One other thing that you might want to consider in your deliberations is how you would make this safe for large animals including those that might be incidentally grounded -like humans.

 

I would say that power lines have not been around long enough for birds to physically adapt to them.

They kill enough geese and swans with wingspans large enough to touch two conductors. Small birds are simply small enough not to be able to complete the circuit. From the bird's point of view, there is no voltage, because they have no ground reference.

 

Hey everyone,
I could really use some help with my project. I feed birds at my feeder, but recently it's been overrun by brown head cow birds. I'm trying to wire my bird feeder so I can send a small jolt to a perch of my choice. That way the brown bird will leave without scaring the wanted birds. I've drawn a basic circuit, but need your help. Any idea how to make this work? Feel free to add to the schematicView attachment 237063

Maybe consider building a trap to capture and dispatch. If they are nesting in your area, the songbirds will be affected. Lots of plans on google. Starling traps in our area are staring to see captures. A solenoid to fire a cap gun charge is a possibility

 

They kill enough geese and swans with wingspans large enough to touch two conductors. Small birds are simply small enough not to be able to complete the circuit. From the bird's point of view, there is no voltage, because they have no ground reference.

We had the displeasure of cleaning up close to fifty snow geese that had run a transmission line. Lots of body parts, but no burns. We concluded that the mortality were all collisions.

 

Than you for all the feedback. My intention is not to kill the birds, but more like an electric fence for cows. I'm trying to figure out a circuit that I can turn off and on with a button. I was using a9 volt battery because I wanted safe low voltage. Any suggestions on a circuit to make that happen?

 

As noted by several, the birds won't get a shock since there is not a complete circuit path.
Running the hot wire to one half of the perch and the other (common) wire to the other half of the perch may work.
A 9V battery is safe but won't have any effect since it creates no shock (have you never touched the terminals of a 9V battery?).
It takes about 50V before you can even feel it.

You need an electric fence controller, such as they sell for farm animal control, which puts out safe, periodic high voltage pulses.

 

Hey everyone,
I could really use some help with my project. I feed birds at my feeder, but recently it's been overrun by brown head cow birds. I'm trying to wire my bird feeder so I can send a small jolt to a perch of my choice. That way the brown bird will leave without scaring the wanted birds. I've drawn a basic circuit, but need your help. Any idea how to make this work? Feel free to add to the schematicView attachment 237063

Aside from other issues, you have to understand that a bird can't be shocked on a wire because both its feet are at the same potential- this is how electricity works. A far better method is to use a laser diode and photo-sensor to put a beam across the surface you want to monitor, a couple of inches off the surface, and if the beam is broken, emit a loud squeal or horn. Much, much less problematic and weather resistant.

 

As noted by several, the birds won't get a shock since there is not a complete circuit path.
Running the hot wire to one half of the perch and the other (common) wire to the other half of the perch may work.
A 9V battery is safe but won't have any effect since it creates no shock (have you never touched the terminals of a 9V battery?).
It takes about 50V before you can even feel it.

You need an electric fence controller, such as they sell for farm animal control, which puts out safe, periodic high voltage pulses.

Is that can kill human ?, it is not very dangerous @crutschow ?

 

Than you for all the feedback. My intention is not to kill the birds, but more like an electric fence for cows. I'm trying to figure out a circuit that I can turn off and on with a button. I was using a9 volt battery because I wanted safe low voltage. Any suggestions on a circuit to make that happen?

You may not intend to kill the birds, but the way you restrict a feeder is by making sure they are structurally appropriate for the species you are trying to feed. Cowbirds are large. If you use a feeder designed for sparrows, finches, and the like, they will not be able to use it.

Cowbirds are surely the jerks of the bird world, but pain compliance is just inappropriate for wildlife.

If you are determined to use active measures, since your design is attended, you could use the water stream idea @SamR alluded to. You could put water jets pointing at the perches and spray the birds you don't like. Cowbirds are pretty tough, but I don't think they'd like that very much.

Also, my favorite feeders have a spring-loaded perch. If a cowbird lands on the feeder I have out for the smaller birds, it shuts and they can't get any food. This works very well, also, for squirrels.

 

Hey everyone,
I could really use some help with my project. I feed birds at my feeder, but recently it's been overrun by brown head cow birds. I'm trying to wire my bird feeder so I can send a small jolt to a perch of my choice. That way the brown bird will leave without scaring the wanted birds. I've drawn a basic circuit, but need your help. Any idea how to make this work? Feel free to add to the schematicView attachment 237063

At least 70v DC can kill that birds, 9v isn't enough, put's terminal battery to your tongue, you even may can't sense, and that absolutely can't shock nor harm you, even kill a birds

 

I have cats. Love cats. Appreciate all wild and domesticated animals (except the neighbors dogs who bark all day at anything that moves - including the breezes). Since I first brought up cats - here's a problem I had: One cat in particular was coming around and spraying. First I enticed him in with free food. The metal bowl sat on a small ceramic tile that sat on a wire mesh. The cat could not reach the food without standing on the wire mesh.

Using an electronic fly swatter (high voltage discharge) I connected an old cell phone charger to the fly swatter circuit. That charged a capacitor to a high voltage (not more than 300VDC). When the cat stood on the wire mesh and sniffed the food, making physical contact with the food, the cat got a good snap to the nose and paws. In the videos the cats (yes multiple) ran away uninjured. However, the sprayer came around again and again. After the first time zapped on the nose he was smart enough to not fall for the same trick. So I began setting up double wire meshes where he was marking. And yes, he lifted and sprayed, he got a good snap to his little sprayer. He never came back to spray my house again. It took a while, but he learned better.

Your birds: As others have said before, unless they complete a circuit they won't feel much of anything. Since you differentiate between small and "not" small birds, setting up something like what I've described will allow you to selectively encourage birds not to come around. Keep in mind two things: First, this is not enough energy to harm wild life, and second, powering MY rig by battery is not practical as you will go through batteries like water through a civ. Two wires spaced far enough apart that small birds can not complete the circuit will mean they are not going to get zapped, while larger birds that CAN bridge the two conductors Will.

 

9v isn't enough, put's terminal battery to your tongue

Birds feet are not like the moist flesh of your tongue. Put a 9V battery across the back of your hand and you will feel nothing. 12 volts - you'll not feel anything. Not sure about 24V, but the point is that dry skin (or birds claws) are not going to get a shock from a 9V battery. Besides, if you have a metal bar for a perch and the bird lands on it - it's not going to get a shock because there is no completed circuit. With the 9V and tongue - you have a completed circuit.

 

Birds feet are not like the moist flesh of your tongue. Put a 9V battery across the back of your hand and you will feel nothing. 12 volts - you'll not feel anything. Not sure about 24V, but the point is that dry skin (or birds claws) are not going to get a shock from a 9V battery. Besides, if you have a metal bar for a perch and the bird lands on it - it's not going to get a shock because there is no completed circuit. With the 9V and tongue - you have a completed circuit.

Yes.. I just want to make instruction that 9v isn't dangerous, and can't even kill a birds, 12v DC is not yet feel, 36v or more is we can feel, that's my experience, also touch 42v DC directly with dry and not broken skin still safe, more than 50v DC - 70v DC is dangerous and can kill birds

 

This is not relevant to any device the TS could build but the general idea of birds and power lines may include some mythical components about invulnerability. This is interesting and informative (and not directed at any one who posted in this thread).

https://www.fws.gov/birds/bird-enthusiasts/threats-to-birds/electrocutions.php

 

Birds feet are not like the moist flesh of your tongue. Put a 9V battery across the back of your hand and you will feel nothing. 12 volts - you'll not feel anything. Not sure about 24V, but the point is that dry skin (or birds claws) are not going to get a shock from a 9V battery. Besides, if you have a metal bar for a perch and the bird lands on it - it's not going to get a shock because there is no completed circuit. With the 9V and tongue - you have a completed circuit.

My assumption is bird was electrocuted with 9v closed circuit, like electric fence, also it's can't kill that birds