Eastern Wildlife Damage Control Conferences
Date of this Version
September 1985
Abstract
A rookery composed of an estimated 10,000 herons and egrets (family: Ardeidae) located in Van Buren, Crawford County, Arkansas was successfully dispersed in the Spring of 1983. A diversified scaring program was planned and initiated prior to the onset of courtship display and nest building. The roost relocation was subsequently followed by habitat alteration procedures to make the 5-acre stand of primarily Eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) unattractive as a future roosting site. Although no nesting occurred at the site in 1983, the lack of an early scaring program in the Spring of 1984 resulted in the uncleared portion of the area being used as a roost site. Guidelines were established to deal with future rookery problems.