To get rid of oppressive pests, no other option is as effective as ultrasonic pest repellers. These devices are marketed as non-toxic alternatives to chemical pesticides. But are ultrasonic pest repellers safe for birds?
This is one of the most controversial questions when it comes to the use of an ultrasonic pest repeller. The research on it says that birds are unable to hear such high frequency of sound and thus, ultrasonic pest repellers are safe for birds.
Though ultrasonic pest repellers do not bother birds, but indirectly, it may affect them. In this article, we have explained whether ultrasonic pest repellers are safe for birds, how it might affect them, and how you can mark your per bird safe from ultrasonic pest repeller devices. Let’s explore them below!
Does Ultrasonic Pest Repellers Affect Birds?
The simple and most straightforward answer to the question is no, ultrasonic pest repellents don’t affect birds. At least not directly. Birds can’t detect the high frequency of the sound produced by an ultrasonic pest repellent. However, it may affect other animals like cats and dogs but not birds.
We haven’t found any evidence that ultrasonic sound affects birds. But here is the evidence for other animals: After studying animal noise effects, Dr. Jeremy G. Turner from SIU School of Medicine noted in 2015 that cats can develop “feline audiogenic reflex seizures” from ultrasonic sounds.
Why Ultrasonic Pest Repellers Are Safe For Birds?
To understand why ultrasonic pest repellents are safe for birds, you need to understand the mechanism of the device and the hearing sensitivity of birds. Let’s explore them below:
1. The Science Behind Ultrasonic Pest Repeller
Ultrasonic pest repellers work by emitting sound waves between 20 kHz to 65 kHz. These sound frequencies are above the range of human hearing. The science is that these high-frequency sound waves are irritating to pests. It disrupts the behavior of pests and drives them away from the area where the repeller is active.
2. Bird’s Hearing And Sensitivity
The average hearing range for birds is 1 kHz to 5 kHz. However, the range differs among the different species of birds. For example, the Horned Lark hears between 350 and 7600 Hz, the House Sparrow from 675 to 11,500 Hz, the Canary from 1100 to 10,000, and the Long-eared Owl hears from 100 to 18,000 Hz.
According to the research of the USDA Wildlife Services National Wildlife Research Center, there are no bird species that have the sensitivity to ultrasonic frequencies over 20 kHz. This simply proves that birds are not affected by ultrasonic sounds and Ultrasonic pest repellers are completely safe for birds.
Indirect Effect Of Ultrasonic Pest Repellers On Birds
There could be some indirect effects of ultrasonic pest repellers on birds such as –
1.As insects are the primary food of birds, they may not find food under the range of ultrasonic pest repellers.
2.The high frequency may interfere with natural bird vocalizations and communication.
Do Ultrasonic Pest Repellers Safe For Your Pet Birds?
As you learned above that ultrasonic pest repellers are completely safe for birds, you don’t need to worry about your pet bird if you are using this device in your house. However, some birds can be sensitive to ultrasonic sound and in that case, it can be harmful to them. Pet birds won’t necessarily react to the sound if they can pick it up. But you can be sure about whether your bird is sensitive to that device or not by observing some basic symptoms. Here are they:
- If the feeding patterns of your pet bird change.
- If you notice any changes or problems with their feathers.
- If your bird becomes extra aggressive.
- If you notice any changes in their vocalization.
If you notice any signs from above, you should immediately stop using the ultrasonic pest repeller or move the habitat of your bird out of the range of that device.
Conclusion
From the above discussion, it is proved that ultrasonic pest repellers have no effect on birds and this device is completely safe for them. Hopefully, you have found this article helpful in getting your answer. If you have any other questions regarding this topic, don’t hesitate to ask in our comment section below. Thanks for reading!
(FAQs) Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
1.Are Ultrasonic Pest Repellers Safe For Cockatiels?
Cockatiels can hear frequencies between 200 Hz to 8000 Hz (8 kHz) which aren’t the same as the frequency of an ultrasonic pest repeller. This means they can’t hear the sound of ultrasonic pest repellers. As a result, ultrasonic pest repellers are completely safe for cockatiels.
2.Do Ultrasonic Devices Work On Birds? No, there is no evidence that birds can hear the ultrasonic sounds. For this, ultrasonic devices are useless for birds.