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<p>Conflicts between wild birds and human activities pose persistent challenges in wildlife management. Red flickering light at 15&#xa0;Hz has recently emerged as a novel aversive stimulus, with only one study to date documenting its effects in birds. This frequency can induce brainwave entrainment—a neurophysiological response known as photic driving—that causes discomfort across diverse vertebrate species. Unlike conventional deterrents, this mechanism does not depend on novelty. Previous research showed that 15&#xa0;Hz red flicker elicited deterrent effects in crows that persisted for over a year. To assess its broader applicability, we conducted field trials involving crows, ducks, herons, and great cormorants (<i>Phalacrocorax carbo</i>), exposing birds to flickering red light at sites they regularly used. We evaluated escape responses and changes in site use to determine whether repeated exposure leads to site abandonment or behavioral sensitization across multiple bird taxa. We recorded bird numbers before illumination and measured escape latency after exposure to evaluate temporal trends. Crows, ducks, and cormorants abandoned the sites within 15 days, suggesting clear evidence of aversive learning. In contrast, herons continued to use the site but exhibited progressively shorter escape latencies, consistent with behavioral sensitization. These results indicate that flickering light can induce either immediate avoidance or increasing responsiveness, depending on species-specific traits. Our technique is a practical, nonlethal deterrent for diverse bird taxa, as demonstrated across four avian orders. Its mechanism, grounded in neurological discomfort rather than neophobia, may help sustain effectiveness over time.</p>

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A nonlethal and scalable bird deterrent: field validation of 15-Hz red flickering light across multiple species

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年2月6日

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  • Takeshi Honda,
  • Hiroki Tominaga,
  • Hirofumi Konishi

摘要

Conflicts between wild birds and human activities pose persistent challenges in wildlife management. Red flickering light at 15 Hz has recently emerged as a novel aversive stimulus, with only one study to date documenting its effects in birds. This frequency can induce brainwave entrainment—a neurophysiological response known as photic driving—that causes discomfort across diverse vertebrate species. Unlike conventional deterrents, this mechanism does not depend on novelty. Previous research showed that 15 Hz red flicker elicited deterrent effects in crows that persisted for over a year. To assess its broader applicability, we conducted field trials involving crows, ducks, herons, and great cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo), exposing birds to flickering red light at sites they regularly used. We evaluated escape responses and changes in site use to determine whether repeated exposure leads to site abandonment or behavioral sensitization across multiple bird taxa. We recorded bird numbers before illumination and measured escape latency after exposure to evaluate temporal trends. Crows, ducks, and cormorants abandoned the sites within 15 days, suggesting clear evidence of aversive learning. In contrast, herons continued to use the site but exhibited progressively shorter escape latencies, consistent with behavioral sensitization. These results indicate that flickering light can induce either immediate avoidance or increasing responsiveness, depending on species-specific traits. Our technique is a practical, nonlethal deterrent for diverse bird taxa, as demonstrated across four avian orders. Its mechanism, grounded in neurological discomfort rather than neophobia, may help sustain effectiveness over time.