By Clint Thompson
Cold-hardy citrus producers are reporting increased cases of bird damage to their young fruit. Jake Price, University of Georgia (UGA) area citrus agent, discussed the ongoing situation in the UGA Citrus Blog.
While this is not a major concern for growers, it is an issue that they need to be aware of when surveying their citrus groves.
Price says birds can land on fruit and then scar and scratch it with their claws. Birds also peck at the fruit with their beaks, creating small holes in it.
“Birds nest in citrus trees, too. By the time you’ve got a nest, you’ve got a lot of bird action going on in there,” said Price. “I don’t think it’s usually considered that big of a problem, but I get people asking me questions about it.”
If growers observe fruit that is scratched or scraped with tiny holes that have not pierced the fruit skin, it could be bird damage. The damage is often tan or gray in appearance, which contrasts with the green peel of the fruit.
The damage does not impact the quality of the fruit. But since it is a cosmetic issue, the fruit will not appeal to consumers.
“If the punctures go through the rind, the fruit will likely rot and fall off because of secondary diseases. But if the damage is superficial, the fruit will remain on the tree,” explained Price. “The fruit will still be edible later but will not look good, so it cannot be sold commercially. Usually there is not enough bird-damaged fruit to be concerned about. But if you see this damage, it is likely that your citrus trees are providing nice habitat for birds to hide and nest.”