Scarecrows
What It's All About
A familiar figure across the British countryside, the scarecrow is a human-shaped decoy dressed in old clothes and stood out in open fields and gardens. Used the world over, they serve one simple purpose: to deter birds from disturbing and feeding on freshly sown seed and growing crops.
How They Work
Scarecrows rely on tricking the natural instincts of cautious but clever birds like crows and blackbirds. When these animals see a tall, humanoid figure standing in a field, they perceive a threat and fly away. Because crows are so intelligent, though, they can quickly figure out the trick if a scarecrow stands completely still for too long. To keep them effective, farmers often move the scarecrows to different spots within the field, alter their clothing or add moving elements — like shiny ribbons — that flutter in the wind, and even work in motion sensors, reflective surfaces or automated noise-makers.
How to Build a Basic Scarecrow
Anyone is welcome to enter the Scarecrow Competition — this year's theme is Traditional Scarecrows. Here's how to build a basic scarecrow from scratch.
You will need
- A sturdy stick or bamboo cane, about 2m long
- A second cane, about 1m long
- A third cane, about 30cm long
- Old clothes — a shirt or jumper, trousers, a hat, an old pair of tights, a coat
- String
- Straw or leaves for stuffing
Making the Frame
Tie the 1m cane tightly to the 2m cane about 15cm from one end, in a cross shape, then tie the 30cm cane the same way about halfway down. This is the frame for your scarecrow.
Making the Head
Cut one leg from an old pair of tights and fill it with straw. Push the straw firmly to the end and shape it into a head, tying string around the tights to keep the straw in. Paint on a funny or scary face — glasses and a beard work well — then tie the head to the top of the frame, above the longer crossbar.
Dressing Your Scarecrow
Place a shirt on the top crossbar and trousers on the smaller bar — or clothe your scarecrow however you wish. Tie off the trouser legs with string and stuff them with straw or leaves, button up the shirt and tie the ends of the arms before stuffing the sleeves, and push some straw under the hat to dangle out like hair.
Get Involved
Ready to take part? Get in touch with us or check out the available resources.