October 23, 2019
A new science study reports on Birdsbesafe® cat collar covers' effectiveness at protecting birds from cats. Entitled "Birdsbesafe® collar cover reduces bird predation by domestic cats (Felis catus)", the report was published in the Journal of Zoology on October 8, 2019.
This field study, conducted on Isle of Man (UK) and in Scotland (UK), showed a 78% reduction in the number of birds caught when pet cats wore the Birdsbesafe® cat collar cover. This is a high level of bird protection and the first formal scientific validation of the product in the U.K., although anecdotal successes have been reported to us for a decade.
The authors, Catherine Pemberton and Graeme Ruxton, a professor at St. Andrews University wrote:
"The domestic cat (Felis catus) is one of the world’s most damaging invasive species, especially threatening to local bird populations. This study examined the efficacy of the Birdsbesafe® collar cover at reducing predation rates by household cats on avian populations. The vivid colours of the Birdsbesafe® collar cover are assumed to alert nearby birds to the cat’s presence, allowing them to escape safely. Overall, 19 cats were trialled over 8 weeks and the Birdsbesafe® collar cover resulted in a reduction of 78% in the number of birds killed."
The study was quickly cited in the popular press, in Biorama, an Austrian magazine, in an online article here by Thomas Weber. You may need Google translate to help you, if you don't speak German. Look for a related article in their print magazine in December.
The first study of our product in the United Kingdom, the recent scientific report validates our product's effectiveness with local British songbirds. The results nearly mirror the U.S. field study results, which showed an average of 87% reduction in birds caught over two seasons.
The Birdsbesafe cat collar covers' bright colors around the cat's neck make the cat easier for songbirds to see. With further studies underway, in other locations, we at the Birdsbesafe company are grateful to the scientists, cat owners and others who are independently testing our product across the northern hemisphere.
The future for birds versus cats is getting brighter every day!
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