Herons are large, fish eating birds that can eat or kill many fish in a pond’s stock. Herons will not only eat the fish in a pond, but they may also injure the fish, cause severe stress to the fish, and spread diseases throughout different bodies of water that they visit for hunting. It is illegal to harm these birds because they are a protected species. There are, however, a few preventative measures that a pond owner can take to keep the pond fish safe, without harming the birds.
Install a heron scarecrow to frighten a heron landing in the shallow end of a pond. A sprinkler scarecrow is motion activated, throwing water and making noise when an animal is detected.
Provide hiding places for the prized pond fish to escape from fishing herons. Create cover with cut pipes or terra cotta flowerpots, and provide surface plants, such as lily pads or floating plants, for the fish hide from predators.