BIrds eating the ends

[the chief557976]

Has anyone else faced this problem?  We have red=winged blackbirds landing on the ears, and then shredding the husks and eating the corn kernels.  They are taking anywhere from the top 1 inch to half the ear.  THey are in our most-developed corn and hitting anywhere from every 6th ear to every ear.  They are causing huge losses.  

What can we do?  Darn near impossible to shoot them all, Plus we think they are protected.

[hanktbd]

Chief -- Years ago I knew a blueberry farmer who had terrible problems with songbirds eating his berries. Robins, Bluejays, Redwing Blackbirds, you name it.  He used some kind of automatic timed air cannon to make shotgun noises to scare them away. Claimed the effect wore off after awhile. Also bought shotgun shells by the case. I'm guessing the air canon helped disguise the sound of the real shotgun going off. Blueberry field was about 30 acres. Not sure how it would work on a quarter section. 

[buckfarmer]

Had that problem one year. They didn't hurt the grain much just a few kernels per ear. But the shredded husks alowed to much moisture into the ear and we got some mold. The birds went away and haven't been back.

[buckfarmer]

Cousins that raised a few hundred acres of vegetables had one of those propane cannons. The effect wore off for them too. Then youngest cousin put it in the bead of his pickup and drove around town till the sheriff came looking for him.

[old man]

You have a problem this year. Maybe next year a variety with longer husks and a BT variety would help. I know the birds like ear worms