“Eagle Eye” Optical bird deterrent
This unit is a surface mounted, multi-faceted, pyramid manufactured from a durable reflective material, equipped with a low-voltage motor that rotates it in a horizontal plane.
The principle upon which it operates is that the device, which must be installed above the incoming flight trajectory of birds, reflects sunlight at a large variety of angles. Due to the fact that the rotating top is chrome-plated, light is reflected throughout the entire spectrum even into infra red and ultra violet. This is important as birds see into these frequencies that are undetectable to humans, and this adds to the deterrent effect.
As birds have an eye on each side of their head, they constantly interpret two images. It is therefore confusing to them when they believe that they see sunlight from two opposing directions, and it is this confusion that creates insecurity and tends to keep birds away. It must be noted however, that once ground-borne, the device no longer affects the birds, which is why it is of critical importance that sufficient devices are installed in the correct positions in order to maximize the deterrent effect.
Early production models were found to be unreliable due to poor quality control on the part of the motor manufacturer in the far east and, as this became apparent, the developer committed considerable resource to finding a satisfactory substitute. The newly-developed motor is manufactured by a company in Europe that supplies components to the aeronautical and space industry, and carries a full replacement warranty of 18 months, with a further 6 months partial contribution to replacement. However, the manufacturer is confident that the unit should remain operational for a period of at least four years before it requires a motor replacement. With the exception of the transformer, the other components do not experience wear and therefore it should not be necessary to replace them.
For legal reasons, and for the protection of the client's interests in terms of insurance, if there is not a suitably convenient, existing electricity point, we ask the client to provide a 220v weatherproof power supply to within 10 metres of the installation, which requires the services of a qualified electrician. We will then install the transformer box and device from that point.
The manufacturer's trials suggest that, with sufficient units properly positioned it is reasonable to expect the reduction of localised bird activity to improve over the first several weeks, eventually reaching as much as 80% fewer birds in the vicinity. However, one must remember that, once established, bird communities can be difficult to shift, which means that intervention at the earliest possible opportunity is always more effective. With long-established communities it is often necessary to employ additional bird proofing techniques at points of exceptionally
high activity.
The device is available with a choice between two colours of rotating cap. The original is purely chromium finished and the latest development has an additional coating of a red, translucent material over the chrome.The latter is particularly effective for seagull activity, and also reduces reflected glare dramatically, which can be extremely important in a residential or office environment where we have previously experienced numerous complaints due to the bright reflections.
Return to Previous Page
