KNDO/KNDU Tri-Cities, Yakima, WA | Falcon 'air force' guards C Wash blueberry crop
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Associated Press - June 29, 2009 1:25 PM ET
BURBANK, Wash. (AP) - The falcon "air force" watching over Jim Lott's blueberry fields has been so successful that the Burbank, Wash., grower has hired nearly a dozen falconers to manage the birds. And now he's hiring the raptors out to other berry farmers to scare away other birds that eat the crops.
During the past year, Lott, the owner of Applegate Orchards, has acquired and bred about 70 aplomado falcons, a species native to South America. The falcons chase off starlings, robins, finches and other birds that would otherwise snack on his berries.
He tells the Tri-City Herald that the program is now self-sustaining and he's getting lots of interest from other fruit growers looking for an environmentally friendly way to protect their crops.
Information from: Tri-City Herald, http://www.tri-cityherald.com
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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