How can I keep a blue heron away from my koi pond?

Question

I have a pond in my backyard that's approximately 10 feet by 12 feet wide and 3 feet deep at it's deepest point. It has a variety of frogs, snails, goldfish and koi in it. There are lily pads and a bridge that the fish can hide under. Tonight I saw my first heron in 9 years out back walking by the pond. I saw him land and ran out and scared him off. He came back 2 hours later. Luckily, again, I saw him land right away and ran out and scared him off. What can I do to protect my fish and to scare this heron away permanently. (short of shooting him, which I believe is illegal anyway). Thanks for your help!

Answer 1

Blue herons are beautiful but they can do some damage to a koi pond!

I don't have a koi pond but I have heard of two things that are supposed to work:

Bird netting to keep them out

No shallow areas in the koi pond
Since herons are wading birds, they tend to fish in shallow water areas. No shallow water, no areas for the heron to fish. But of course that limits your koi sightings also.
Recently I was watching a small blue heron at the local botanic gardens koi pond. They didn't have any shallow areas for the bird to wade though so he was limited to standing on the bank staring at the koi in the water. He never attempted a fish grab in the deeper water.

Answer 2

My parents have a medium size pond in their back garden, with at least 20 fish in it. They are regularly visited by a heron. My father has made 3 large frames with wood, covered in wire mesh, to put over the pond. They are easy to remove, when we are out in the garden and want to see the fish and the pond. But they offer protection to the fish, when we are not. Once herons know where a pond is, they will be back again and again. We tried putting a fake plastic heron behind the pond, but i dont think herons are that stupid!!! We made the mistake one day, of leaving a small part of the pond uncovered and looked out to see one with a large goldfish in his mouth. Ive no idea if there are any other methods of deterring them, but good luck. You can`t blame the herons, its all food to them!!

Answer 3

A local botanical garden has heron statues in their koi pond- herons are supposed to be territorial, so if they see another "heron" in the fairly small pond, they'll move on.

I'd use mesh, too, though....

Answer 4

Any kind of netting laid in the pond just barely under the surface , They do sell special netting for koi ponds. It is black so it is almost invisible. But if like me, you live pay check to pay check,you can use chicken wire fencing or berry bush netting until pay day! May be the fishing line answer is pretty good also if you weave it like a giant pot holder loom!

Answer 5

Can't kill the beauty's, however much ya wanna, I had the same problem, ending up making an open framed struture, making an "roof" out of old barn wood, varies sizes, just useing enough wood to keep the heron out, and the sun flowing in, trying to have it looks as nature as the surroundings. I was lucky enough to find some timber for the corner posts.
Now I just see 'em drooling as they circle.........Look out for Heron drool....hehe.......... and good luck

Answer 6

I would try tie some mesh over the pond so that its easy enough to lift up if YOU want to clean it, but not that easy so anything else can get in.

Answer 7

Try to string fishing line over the pond so it can't get in...

Answer 8

I've tried everything everybody else has tried and in the end I had two shoot him because he will keep coming back

Answer 9

hang up some strips of aluminum foil so it will blow in the wind