Case Study: Smith Seeds Ltd Successfully Deterring Birds from Radish Crops Using Pyrotechnics

Bird pressure on radish crops has long been a persistent challenge for Smith Seeds Ltd, based in Ashburton. Despite deploying a range of conventional bird control methods such as kites, bird banger machines, chemical sprays, and netting, these tools often lacked portability and immediate impact across multiple fields.

With increasing crop damage from birds, Smith Seeds needed a more flexible and effective bird deterrent that their field reps could easily carry and deploy across multiple paddocks - without compromising on performance.

After learning about the Maintrac Group Pyrotechnics, Smith Seeds purchased a kit to trial in several radish fields. The kit included both bangers and screamers - projectiles designed to emit loud, high-impact noises to scare birds away.

Upon delivery, the team visited high-pressure radish paddocks and began testing. First, they launched several bangers and were immediately impressed by the intensity of the sound. Then came the screamers, which were even louder and traveled the full width of the paddock, producing a sharp, alarming scream that sent birds flying instantly.

Reps began using the pyrotechnics kit during every field visit, firing 4–5 banger shots and the same number of screamers. In areas with heavier bird pressure, follow-up visits were scheduled. When used in combination with other tools like bird kites, the effectiveness increased significantly.

The Pyrotechnics Kit proved to be a game changer for Smith Seeds’ bird control program. Birds evacuated fields quickly and did not return shortly after, unlike with some other methods. The kit’s portability, simplicity, and effectiveness allowed field reps to respond quickly across multiple locations without the need for permanent installations.

“The Pyrotechnics Kit is something quite unique, and I would highly recommend it to any farmer or merchant looking for an easy-to-use and highly effective bird control tool.”
— D. Jemmett, Smith Seeds Ltd, Ashburton

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Whether you're growing radishes, leafy greens, or high-value crops, the Pyrotechnics Kit offers a fast-acting, mobile, and highly effective bird deterrent solution.

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