VULNERABILITY TO BIRD THEFT
Denial
Owners with isolated properties housing large or small collections can be just as much of a target as somebody in the city.
Owners make comments like "nobody knows me," or "I ship all my birds," or "nobody comes to our farm/house," or "I keep to myself," or "I don't associate with bird people." These owners have awakened to empty aviaries.
Dogs alone have been very INEFFECTIVE in keeping out criminals, with the possible exception of a highly trained guard dog. Dogs have been poisoned, shot at with pellet guns, clubbed, maimed, drugged, cattle-prodded and sprayed in the face.
Owners have been known to take dogs in during bad weather. Dogs along with other security measures can be an effective tool in controlling theft. A minimum of five to 15 dogs is recommended depending on the size of the property and aviary.
Weather has played a major role in over 50% of the Miami area robberies. Aviaries have been burglarized during mild and heavy rains. Dogs, like their owners, hear nothing during a down pour.
Times of theft are documented to have occurred at all hours, with the owners being at home, and awake. Burglaries and robberies can happen in any 24 hour period. Complete cages, including nestboxes, have been taken through cut fences and loaded on the back of pick up trucks in daylight hours.
An eight foot flight holding 20 greenwinged male macaws was removed in this way. Three to four months later, these birds surfaced for sale at market price.
A full moon has also played a significant role in theft. Nights prior to and after a full moon are favorite times for thieves. Flashlights that might otherwise be used are not necessary, the "silhouetted" or "glow in the dark" bird is an easy target.
Fowl under cages in your aviaries or free ranging on your property, can add to your security program. Geese, guineas, ducks and chickens, can become very vocal at the slightest sounds alerting you to intruders. While some of these species can be a bit messy and loud for residential areas, they provide insect control and cleanup services. You will need no batteries for these walking alarm systems! This can be an amusing and inexpensive investment.
Lights have been very effective in keeping the criminal element at bay. You can strategically place lights in and around your aviaries to reflect shadows and movement.
While it does take some time for birds to adjust to artificial lighting, breeding seems not to be affected. Birds are minimally distracted even with the use of hi-watt lights. Some "night fright" species do very well.
A 20 foot moat housing Alligator mississippiensis can also enhance your security program!
Security Guard services can be expensive. Live persons have been very effective in keeping thieves from entering properties. Owners are found patrolling properties 24 hours a day. A two-way radio is used to communicate and contact is made at certain times to assure that "all eggs are being incubated in their respective places."
Maintain Equipment by removing overgrown shrubs, grasses and tree branches. At a farm where six macaws were removed by thieves, the owner hearing sounds that were seemingly "normal for those birds," looked out a window, but did not go outside to check because the motion sensor lights never came on. After the theft dense foliage was removed from the front of the motion light sensor.