Herons are beautiful, majestic birds that have one major flaw. Herons love to feast on Koi, and where better then to find Koi then an unattended Koi pond or garden?

Of course, finding one of these birds, with their rather large wingspan, in your garden is a pleasant surprise under different circumstances. But not if you have a pond in your garden. If you do then you do not want these birds to be visiting it in order to feast on your Koi.

If you notice that you are missing some of your fish then chances are that a Heron has paid your garden a visit. There are often other telltale signs to indicate if a Heron has been there. For one thing, you might find fish lying a distance away from the pond. More than likely it was caught by one of these birds and then dropped and left for some reason. Also, sometimes the birds misjudge and the fish gets away with its life but with a nasty wound on its body, caused by the Heron’s impressive beak. To date, no deterrent exists that effectively prevents these birds from visiting your pond once and for all, but there are some things you might want to try:

There are some kinds of technical equipment that can act as effective Heron deterrents but unfortunately they do not tend to be long lasting.

Various other types of equipment attempt to detour Herons by causing them discomfort. This only works until the Heron gets use to it, or just finds a way around it.

Basically, the only thing you can do is to keep a watch out for them. You cannot prevent them from coming but you can reduce their presence.

1)Constantly change your routine. Herons are smart and know when you will typically be present. Visiting your pond frequently at various times during the day will greatly increase the chance that you will catch the Heron in action. If you are unable to vary your routine, you may consider enlisting others to visit your pond as well. Older, trustworthy children in the neighborhood may delight in visiting your pond at various times of the day. Giving them permission to visit whenever they want will allow others to visit when you are unable too.

2.When the time comes and you come across a Heron about to indulge in a feast of your Koi, do your utmost to frighten it as much as you possibly can. Jump, scream, bang things, etc, only do not harm the bird in any way. The idea is to give it such a scare that it will not visit your Koi pond again, at least not for a while anyway. It does not always work but it is definitely worth a try.

3.Koi owners who design their ponds to look natural include hiding places that the fish can use when a Heron is around. Although the birds can still manage to catch some fish they certainly cannot enjoy as much success as they do in ponds without hiding spaces. If your pond does not have any, try making or purchasing some in order to provide your fish with some degree of protection. The Koi will not mistake you for a heron so you do not need to be concerned that they will hide from you, too.

4.If Herons have succeeded in depleting your collection of Koi you should resist the urge to add more fish to the pond straight away. If you leave it empty the birds might decide to move somewhere else where there are more Koi to catch.