Sandhill cranes are becoming a big problem for corn growers in some areas. The birds find newly-planted fields to be great feeding territory. Sam Walker is with Arkion Life Sciences, a Wilmington, Delaware company that has developed a repellent for the cranes.

The product has just received approval for use in Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota. “It’s been a big conflict between the cranes and farmers; we are trying to eliminate that by protecting the corn seed.” Walker says the product does not hurt the birds and in fact, they become beneficial because they stay in the fields and eat a lot of other pests like insects and rodents. “It’s been researched by the Crane Foundation, showing it doesn’t do any harm to the birds,” he adds it is supported by the Audoban Society, the Humane Society and other groups concerned about the welfare of birds.

Walker says they are not quite sure what it is about the treatment that repels the birds, “Whether it’s taste or some reaction in their intestinal tract, but when they ingest this, they don’t like it and they don’t want to be around it,” and they will avoid it once they have been exposed to it.

The treatment is available in two forms, a liquid that seed companies can apply or a dry formulation that can be applied by the producer at the planter box. Walker says it runs about $5.00 per acre.