Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences => Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution => Topic started by: EmmaHildyard on 02/08/2019 13:41:21
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Jerry has asked...
Can you suggest an ultrasonic blocking device? I have a neighbour who is directing ultrasonic animal repeller into my yard - it is a small habitat for wild birds. I would appreciate any information to help block this.
Can you help?
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A hedge would work quite well.
However, I suggest that you talk to your neighbour and ask them to stop.
If they refuse to do so then you can report them to the local authority for being a noise nuisance. (I'm assuming you are in the UK).
Their noise is significantly interfering with your enjoyment of your land.
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Can you suggest an ultrasonic blocking device?
Concrete or bricks is an effective ultrasound blocker - but more unsightly than a hedge.
I have a neighbour who is directing ultrasonic animal repeller into my yard
How do you know?
- By definition, ultrasound is inaudible.
- Which might make it hard for the local council to confirm your complaint...
- You may need to get an ultrasound detector so you can prove that the ultrasound is present.
If your neighbour really wanted to discourage birds in your yard, they would just mount the ultrasound emitter higher than the hedge or brick wall.
Is this actually affecting the birds in your yard?
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Can you suggest an ultrasonic blocking device? I have a neighbour who is directing ultrasonic animal repeller into my yard - it is a small habitat for wild birds. I would appreciate any information to help block this.
Birds, like humans, are deaf to ultrasound, (i.e. sound >20kHz), so it should not be a problem.
Bats, cats. rats, mice, & dogs are a different matter ...
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5d/Animal_hearing_frequency_range.svg/600px-Animal_hearing_frequency_range.svg.png)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hearing_range#In_animals
If the ultrasonic device deters cats, your neighbour may be doing the birds a favour.
[ BTW if you can hear it it's not ultrasound, & it could be tinnitus (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinnitus) ].
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Cat and mouse deterrents are the only common commercial ultrasound repellers. They work at 20 - 50 kHz and seem to have an effective range of only a few meters. Ultrasound is strongly attenuated in air, so bats can "see" short distances but aren't confused by clutter from other bats.
Given RD's table above, it is unlikely that a mouse repeller could upset birds in a next-door garden, and if someone wanted to keep pests out of his property, it would be counterproductive to direct the repeller at someone else's property.
That said, it would be fairly easy for an audio enthusiast to rig up a transducer (essentially a high-frequency microphone) and locate the source and intensity of any alleged nuisance. Such evidence would be the basis for a piece of litigation history!