Bird Netting In Vineyards

Alice Wise & Libby Tarleton

Cornell Grape Research Program

Why are birds a problem?

• Eat the crop – why? It is a low level food source with very little

nutrients.

• Peck the fruit – cause wound sites that lead to problems with fruit flies, sour & bitter rot,

botrytis

• Impact fruit quality

• Costs associated with fruit loss

What birds are a problem?

Potential Problem Birds

Vineyard Variability

• Presence or absence of other varieties

• Vineyard size

• Distance to perching sites

• Landscape/habitat

• Weather

• Migration patterns – impact from climate change

Severity of bird damage varies

Bird Control Options

Bird Netting since 1980’s

VSP

Primary training system on Long Island.

Fruiting wire ~ 30” high

2-3 pairs of catch wires

Canopy 6-7 ft. high

Narrow but well-filled canopy.

Fruit zone exposed for spray and light penetration

Vertical Shoot Positioned Canopy

Standard Net

extruded black

plastic with ¾” mesh

14’ & 17’ widths

5000 ft. rolls

OK for very low to moderate pressure

Cheapest net

available

Different Types of Net

Fine Mesh

Wildlife Control Technologies/Conwed

16 - 19 mm

1/3” square

17’ width

Gintec ProGuard

Gintec Shade Technologies

originally shadecloth

11% shade

~ 4 x 7 mm mesh

2.6’ & 3.3’ width

3000 ft. rolls

hooks on catch wires

bottom fastened

w/zip ties

Damage to Gintec nets at LIHREC

Gintec Fine Mesh

Gintec Shade Technologies

10-15% shade

3 x 3 mm mesh woven

2.5 ‘ width

3000 ft. rolls

Same attachment protocol

as standard Gintec

Vineside®

Donaghys/Gale Pac.

6% shade

15 x 14 mm square

mesh, knitted

2.74 & 4.29’ widths

1650’ rolls

fastened w/twist ties or staples

Windbreak Plus®

Gale Pacific

~ 3 x 3mm

38% shade

3.28’ width

164’ roll

PermaNet®

Gale Pacific

5 x 7 mm 1/3” square

Est. 7% shade

4’ width

Tightloch®

Spec Trellising

5 x 5 mm square

mesh, knitted

2.6’ widths 1650’ rolls

fastened at top w/hooks or zip ties

bottom with twist or zip ties

Tek-Knit

Tek-Knit (Canada)

5x5 mm square mesh, “locked”

2.6’ widths 1200’ rolls

Attach same way

as Tightlock

Merlot Bird Damage 2005 through 2008

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

2005 2006 2007 2008

standard

standard w/spacers

Gintec

Vineside

Vineside EZ 10

Gintec Proguard

% Bird Damage

Side Netting Pros and Cons

1. Provides good results, but the net has to have lock stitch technology (increases the cost)

2. Easy to apply

3. Can store in vineyard

4. Labor savings in catch wire lifting w/early application

5. Also help keep out other wildlife: raccoon, opossum, fox, deer etc.

1. Need to open net for shoot and cluster thinning

2. Labor intensive to tie net at top and bottom.

3. Hard to fruit sample

4. Difficult to repair

Windbreak Plus, Gintec fine mesh, PermaNet, Tightloch and Tek-Knit

All fine mesh with lock stitch technology. So far provided good protection in both replicated and observational plots.

LIHREC – std. net vs. Windbreak Plus

Birds learn – will they

eventually figure out

these fine mesh nets?

Expensive – but worth the cost?

No ripening or disease concerns thus far

Damage to Windbreak Plus

nets at LIHREC

Bird Netting - Cost Fruit Zone or

over the row

Width Cost/acre

Vineside® Fruit zone 1.3m 1650. (2009)

Windbreak Plus® “ 1.0m 3550. (2005)

Gintec fine mesh “ 0.8m 5250. (2007)

Gintec ProGuard® “ 0.8m 1746. (2009)

PermaNet® “ 1.2m

0.8m

2277. (2013)

2200. (2013)

Tightloch® “ 0.8m 2200. (2013)

Tek-Knit® “ 0.8m 2800. (2012)

Standard fine mesh OTR 18ft 1100. (2007)

Standard OTR 17ft 1574. (2009)

*Based on 8ft rows

Summary

No silver bullet – multiple strategies

Companies are coming out with new designs – side net with small mesh size and lock stitch technology at a better price (lighter net).

We continue to investigate new netting

Spacers

Thank you

NY Wine & Grape Foundation

Long Island wine industry

Gintec Shade Technologies

Donaghys / Gale Pacific

Michael Schmidt, Spec Trellising

Questions?