Subject: Herons & Koi
Date: Aug 14 18:00:25 1995
From: Jon Anderson - anderjda at dfw.wa.gov


On Mon, 14 Aug 1995 tardis at tardis.seanet.com wrote:

> A Heron landed in my backyard to munch my Koi. Anyone else have this
> happen...and do I replace the Koi just to have it happen again?
>
> Ellen Lee Mignogna
> West Seattle, WA

Ellen,

Herons will definitely take koi, and at the cost of replacing them, you
should certainly consider taking measures now, before the heron teaches
his buddies where your heron-feeder is.

Although it might disturb the 'ambiance' of your koi pond, suspending a
section of bird-netting, available at many nurseries and/or fish pond
supply outfits, might be the solution. Keep in mind that if you just lay
netting over the top of the pond, herons can spear right through it for
the fish. Suspending the net above the pond creates a visual barrier to
these "shitepokes". Don't have the net TOO high, though, or the herons
can just crawl right under it to get to the fish.

Having a noisy large dog in the yard to scare away the birds is an option
(one a friend of mine uses down south of Olympia), but might not be worth
the hassle... You have to love dogs to put up with them as fish-shepards.

Herons are opportunistic, and are attracted to backyard ponds with
visible fish. They will kill and swallow appropriately-sized food, and
might just jab a few bigger ones in the "hope" that they can eat it.
I've seen herons take trout up to 17" in length, and just gouge the meat
off the side of the carcass.

Herons cleaned out regular "goldfish" from a small pond neighboring my
in-law's place in the Seahurst area, south of Seattle. They came right
into a fairly small, wooded, backyard and cleaned out a pond of 6-10"
fish in about a week and a half. As expensive as koi are, *I* certainly
couldn't afford to feed them to herons. Good luck :-)

Jon. Anderson
Olympia, WA
anderjda at dfw.wa.gov