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carrie751

HELP - Roadrunner problems

carrie751
15 years ago

Does anyone know of anything to deter a family of roadrunners from living in my yard. I like them in their place, but they are devouring all my lizards and frogs.

I have tried to chase them with a water bazooka, but they seem to like that (drat!), so does anyone have a suggestion short of destroying or injuring them?

TIA

Carrie

Comments (35)

  • bossjim1
    15 years ago

    Carrie, I would suggest that you get yourself a coyote, but it seems that even that isn't fool proof, even with the aid of the Acme Co.
    Jim

  • carrie751
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Well, Jim, I have a coyote, but he must be Wiley Coyote as he has not been able to handle the roadrunners ...LOL.

  • pjtexgirl
    15 years ago

    Send it to my house! OMG I love roadrunners. I see your point about the lizards and toads tho. I'm GUESSING survival of the fittest will come into play and that the fast lizards and stealthy frogs will prevail as in nature. PJ

  • carrie751
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Well, I would not mind "prevailing as in nature", PJ, if this were not such a smorgasbord for them. They need to get out and hunt for their food, not steal what I have worked hard for ......

  • justintx
    15 years ago

    I think if you got a dozen or so komodo dragons, the roadrunners would leave. Better keep those little dogs in the house, though.
    ; - )
    J.D.

  • carrie751
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I thought I may trap them and relocate them, JD. Wonder how they would like living in Justin????

  • bossjim1
    15 years ago

    Carrie, they wouldn't stay in Justin. Nothing for them to eat over there but hummingbirds.
    Jim

  • pjtexgirl
    15 years ago

    Hummingbirds are pretty quick too. Especially the ones at Jim's house. Those are SPECIAL hummingbirds. LOL!PJ

  • rick_mcdaniel
    15 years ago

    Hawks are a natural predator, so maybe Hawk cries, played on one of those bird control systems, like they use in the city?

    Might drive them to your neighbors property, anyway.

  • justintx
    15 years ago

    Hey, send the RR's over here. I need something to keep the whooper company.
    J.D.

  • carrie751
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    They will be over this week-end, JD. Mama and all four babies.......

  • pjtexgirl
    15 years ago

    *in a snit!* NO whooper crane,no roadrunner,no bunnies and some jerk ran over my only dam squirrel!
    Imagine you're driving home and your DH says,"Um honey I think someone ran over your squirrel". There is no justice in the world!!! PJ

  • carrie751
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    OH, PJ, I am so sorry about your squirrel ---- I will accomodate you, also, with a dozen or so squirrels for your place. My squirrels don't eat my lizards or frogs, and they are fun to watch, but I do have an abundance of them.

  • bossjim1
    15 years ago

    Seriously Carrie, you might try one of those balloon owl decoys. I don't know that it would work, but I guess it would be worth a try.
    Jim

  • pjtexgirl
    15 years ago

    *sniff* thanks Carrie! I guess if squirrels and such can't live here I'll move to Burleson. Are these behaved squirrels that leave birdfood alone? LOL! PJ

  • justintx
    15 years ago

    Carrie,
    We put up an owl windsock decoy and drove a bunch of grackles away. Maybe that would be an option for you. Might drive some other birds away also, though.
    J.D.

  • justintx
    15 years ago

    Actually, there a lot of us who would like to live in YOUR yard, Carrie! Your road runners just have good taste (pun intended)!
    j.d.

  • carrie751
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    PJ, my squirrels have their own feeder so mostly they leave my birdfeeders alone. They do eat off the ground with the other ground feeding birds, though.
    JD, thanks, I will pass that info on to the roadrunner, and he will probably leave as "having good taset" would probably ruin his reputation. I chased one of the smaller ones with the lawn mower this morning --- did not seem to fase him one bit. May have to get a little tougher with the water treatment. Oh, and BTW, I hope he does not carry my rubber snake off that I have to deter the birds from my tomatoes.

  • pjtexgirl
    15 years ago

    "Oh, and BTW, I hope he does not carry my rubber snake off that I have to deter the birds from my tomatoes."

    ROFL!!!! I'd pay good money to see that! What a hoot! PJ

  • justintx
    15 years ago

    Carrie,
    The mental picture of you chasing a roadrunner on your lawn mower - priceless!
    J.D.

  • carrie751
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Got tougher with the water treatment --- he just flew higher in the tree with the lizard in his mouth. I think this is beginning to be too much for me.....

  • bossjim1
    15 years ago

    Pellet gun time!
    Jim

  • pjtexgirl
    15 years ago

    Bite yo' tongue Mr. Jim! PJ

  • carrie751
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I don't have a pellet gun, PJ, and I am still hoping for another solution ---- other than running out of frogs and lizards.

  • natvtxn
    15 years ago

    When I first saw this post, I thought you meant roadrunner cable problems.
    I use to pick up a little boy for vacation bible school. One day he said, "oh look, a runroader!".

  • justintx
    15 years ago

    Jim,
    Did you ever see the movie, "Caddy Shack"? I think I hear, "I'm alright, nobody worry 'bout me". She'll be using dynamite next.
    ; - )
    J.D.

  • bossjim1
    15 years ago

    10 4 on the dynamite!!
    Jim

  • carrie751
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Not a bad idea, JD and Jim - may even coordinate it where I want a big hole dug......

  • justintx
    15 years ago

    I have more trees for your holes. Got a Horstmann's Silver Curls Korean fir for my B-day today!! I'm 'about' 30, now?
    ; - )
    J.D.

  • carrie751
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    You are supposed to say 30ish -------
    Happy belated BD, JD ---- many more!!!

  • pjtexgirl
    15 years ago

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I'm 30ish too but it's not my birthday until year after next. :) PJ

  • beachplant
    15 years ago

    I have been laughing my you know what off reading this, I can see it now, woman chases roadrunner with lawnmower, ballon owls bouncing behind, throwing dynamite and spraying water, followed by a pack of coyotes with Acme t-shirts. Oh, and she was trying to blow out candles on a cake as she ran.
    Have a great memorial day.
    Tally HO!

  • denisew
    15 years ago

    Tally - Yeah, I had a lot of those same visions reading this too! :-D Too funny! I'm also remembering the character Bill Murray played in Caddy Shack - trying to get that ground squirrel or prairie dog or whatever you want to call the little rodent.

    As far as the road runner problem goes, when you run out of the food source, the road runners will go elsewhere. You might want to contact a local Audubon Society to find someone who can give you some help with this. Here is a link to the Audubon Society's interactive map to find a group near you. Click on the state then the dot nearest to where you live.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Audubon Map

  • carrie751
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Tally, your description is pretty accurate ---LOL>
    And Denise, I know the roadrunner will leave once his food supply is gone --- the whole purpose of this thread was to try to make him "gone" while I still had frogs and lizards. And I am still trying ... he (or she) does not come as often since the one good blast with the water.