Article Surfing Archive

1. What is a scarecrow?
A. A device to scare birds
B. A device to keep farmers company
C. A device to motivate gardeners
D. A device to entertain visitors

A. A device to scare birds
TOPICS: A scarecrow is a device (traditionally a mannequin) that is used to discourage birds such as crows from disturbing crops.

2. Why is it a scarecrow instead of a scarebird?
A. Crows are more easily frightened
B. Crows are not easily frightened
C. Crows are the biggest problem bird
D. Crows are the least problem bird

C. Crows are the biggest problem bird
TOPICS: Crows are large and eat a lot plus they are smart and tend to congregate in large groups. The combination makes them one of the biggest problem birds for farmers and gardeners.

3. What other types of "scares" do gardeners and farmers use to repel crows?
A. Reflective ribbons
B. Noise guns
C. Dead crows
D. Pictures of cats
E. A, B, and C

E. A, B, and C
TOPICS: Modern scarecrows seldom take a human shape. On California farmland, highly reflective aluminized PET film ribbons are tied to the plants to create shimmers from the sun. Another approach are automatic noise guns powered with propane gas. In the southern Appalachians another common method of scaring off crows was use of a dead crow hung upside down from a pole.

4. How are crows a problem?
A. Eat recently cast seed
B. Pull up recently sprouted corn and other plants
C. Return to the same place nightly
D. Gather in a group of 20 to 30
E. All of the above

E. All of the above
TOPICS: Crows can be a problem in Spring gardens. They can work down a row pulling up recently sprouted corn to eat the remaining seed/seedlings. Not only do crows feed on recently cast seed, they also gather nightly, starting with groups of a half dozen which then unite to form a group of 20 to 30 and so on until the flock is quite large and noisy. It is their habit to return to the same place each night.

5. According to L. Frank Baum, author of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz", the scarecrow wanted what more than anything?
A. A home
B. A brain
C. A heart
D. Courage

B. A brain
TOPICS: The scarecrow was commonly used in 19th century English Literature, as shown by its presence in the L. Frank Baum tale The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, as one of the main protagonists. The Scarecrow of Oz was searching for brains from the Great Wizard. In the film The Wizard of Oz The Scarecrow of Oz was portraited by Ray Bolger.

6. In the United Kingdom, where the use of scarecrows as a protector of crops goes back to times immemorial, and where dialects were rife, there are a wide range of alternative names. Which is not another name for scarecrow?
A. Mommet
B. Murmet
C. Hodmedod
D. Tattie bogle
E. They are all scarecrow names

E. They are all scarecrow names
TOPICS: It is the Mommet in Somerset, the Murmet in Devon, the Hodmedod in Berkshire, and the Tattie bogle in Scotland.

7. One of the oldest designs of bird scarer is the scarecrow in the shape of a human figure, but humans have created many different forms of bird scarers. Which is a real bird scarer?
A. Bubbles
B. Balloons
C. Kites
D. B and C

D. B and C
TOPICS: It's true both balloons and kites are used to scare birds although reportedly the kites are more effective as many species of bird are also naturally afraid of predators such as birds of prey.

8. Are there any living scarecrows outside of the Wizard of Oz?
A. Humans
B. Dogs
C. Cats
D. Birds
E. B and D

E. B and D
TOPICS: The control of birds by trained border collies has been used at aerodromes, golf courses and agricultural land. Falcons and hawks have also been used successfully to control not only birds but rodent populations. The success of this method of bird control is based on the fact that many birds have a natural fear of falcons and hawks as predators, so their presence in the area encourages problem species to disperse.

9. What "toy" is often used to scare birds?
A. Squirt gun
B. Model airplane
C. Bicycle
D. Baseball bat

B. Model airplane
TOPICS: Radio-controlled model aircraft have been used to scare or 'haze' bird pests since the early 1980s, mainly over airfields, but have also been used over agricultural areas, fisheries and landfill sites. This method has been shown to be very effective and birds habituate more slowly to a treatment in which they are being actively hazed.

10. Ultrasonic scarers are electronic devices that produce what kind of sound?
A. Too high a pitch for people to hear
B. Too low a pitch for people to hear
C. Too bass a pitch for people to hear
D. Too treble a pitch for people to hear

A. Too high a pitch for people to hear
TOPICS: Ultrasonic scarers are electronic devices that produce high volume ultrasound. The sound is designed to be too high pitched for people to hear, but audible to most birds. This has the advantage to preventing disturbance to neighbouring households. However, these can be heard by some people, particularly females and the young, and although this ability is generally lost with age it can cause discomfort and even headaches for those in proximity who have sensitive high-range hearing.