How do I keep herons away from my garden pond?

Your garden pond is in perfect condition: no excessive moss, no dead leaves on the surface, clear and oxygenated water, healthy fish, etc. In short, everything is fine.

Too much perhaps, because it ended up attracting attention and envy. A heron has been visiting her regularly for some time, and recently managed to fly away with one of your fish. And there is now little chance that it will stop in such a good way: your pool risks finding itself quickly emptied of all life.

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to repel herons, or at the very least prevent them from entering your body of water. Methods that range from the simplest and most natural to a few others, sometimes much more original.

It's up to you to find the one that suits you best and which, above all, will get rid of these elegant but voracious birds. Click here to discover all the solutions to scare herons away .

Surround and protect the pond with a fence

Protection made of aquatic plants

Concealing a pond and surrounding it with obstacles can be enough to keep predators at a safe distance. The simple act of growing tall aquatic plants around the edge of the water can provide a simple, natural and effective barrier that can deter intruders.

You may also be interested: our selection of oxygenating plants for ponds

A floating protection in the form of cobwebs 

It's actually a pack of 10 floating grids to assemble that covers your pond . The Floating Pond Protector System is easy to install and it can protect your pond from cats/herons and other natural enemies (the attached clip is easy to install and use).

> You can easily order it by clicking here.

The safety net: a possible alternative

Placing a net at least thirty centimeters high all around the pool follows the same logic: to prevent herons, but also other animals, especially cats, from approaching the fish. Discreet, this device is one of the most effective.

Picket fence and fishing line

Planting stakes and tying them with clear nylon fishing line can also be effective. Large birds like herons that suddenly find themselves caught in invisible threads have little desire to repeat the experience. It is therefore likely that they will look elsewhere.

You can also go for fencing kits with fishing line, such as those offered by Velda.

Click here to discover all the fences to protect your pond from herons .

Electrified fences

If transparency doesn't do its job, electricity probably will: stretch low-voltage electric wires between the stakes, which present no danger, but which will certainly leave a very bad memory for herons.

The mosquito net

If the pool is not surrounded by plants, small rocks or various devices, in short if these surroundings are flat and clear, it is also possible to cover it with a mosquito net. Discreet, almost invisible, this protection is extremely effective.

A heron can clearly distinguish the fish in the clear water, but he will not be able to feast on them. If these classic artifices are not enough to protect a garden pond from potential predators, other more original ones may be more dissuasive.

Decoys, sound and light devices

The lures

A false heron proudly installed near the water is sometimes enough to dissuade others from approaching. Males have a natural tendency not to covet an already occupied territory. Unfortunately, this has absolutely no effect on females.

Another option: install a bird scarer, that is to say a kite imitating a bird of prey. Connected to a long flexible rod by nylon threads, this fake bird, animated by the breeze, flies constantly above the pool. Very effective.

Would you like to order a solution against herons? Click here our collection of decoys to keep herons away from your pond .

Motion detectors with sound or light signal

Motion detectors are not only useful inside a house or an apartment. Some models in fact are specifically developed for outdoor use and to react to the irruption of intruders in very particular ways. Among them there are those that automatically emit a sound signal, which scares visitors.

Check out this system here :

Others trigger light signals, whether flashes or laser beams. There are even some that project a jet of water towards the intruder as soon as it is detected. More discreet than sound signals, ultrasound has a repellent effect on many animals, while remaining completely inaudible to humans.

Click here to discover our collection of motion detectors to fight against herons .

Birds of prey eyes

Finally, although they seem somewhat esoteric, other methods are renowned for their effectiveness. This is the case, among other things, of the false raptor eyes made of holographic materials.

Like CDs, which some hang on trees, they scare herons away by reflecting light. The principle is the same with the balloons which also feature raptor eyes. The difference is that instead of being suspended, the device floats on the surface of the water. Herons do not like it at all and most often go their way.

With these multiple strategies, herons should stay away from your pond. But we must not forget that these birds are individuals and, as such, they each have their own personality. Among them are specimens that are more fearful than the others, but also increasingly adventurous...

Discover the reflectors and raptor eyes available in our shop!

Here are different means of protection available to you to protect yourself from the heron: