Donegal County Council has issued a reminder to farmers over the use of crow bangers and the impact it may have on neighbours.

The local authority has asked that if farmers have problems with birds affecting crops or grain storage areas, to "make sure that crow bangers are not impacting on" their neighbours’ sleep.

Don’t use them near residential buildings between sunset and sun rise and use bales or barriers to screen from houses, it added.

Donegal County Council has suggested that electronic bird scarers, which use distress and danger calls along with harassment sounds of predator birds, are a better alternative causing the birds to relocate to a safer location.

Donegal County Council have advised that if all such alternative means of scaring birds are unsuccessful, the following steps may be taken to avoid causing a nuisance with the traditional banger:

When in use, the disturbance of bangers on nearby hospitals, homes or schools should be minimised. For example, place them as far away as practicable, align them to point away from neighbours, and use baffles;
Avoid using bangers within at least 200m (220 yards) of sensitive buildings before 8:00a.m, or before sunrise and do not use after 6:00p.m, or after sunset;
Take account of the prevailing wind when siting bangers & remember that noise travels much further downwind or from elevated sites;
Where mechanical timers are used, ensure that they are regularly re-set to take account of continuous changes in sunrise and sunset times;
Use reflective metal baffles or absorbent straw bales to concentrate the sound onto your field and away from neighbours wherever nuisance could be caused. These can be very effective in reducing noise levels in the required direction;

Ensure that your neighbours have the name of a responsible person to contact if the control on a scarer fails. Also display the name and telephone number at the nearest point of public access;
Ensure that scarers are properly maintained and checked regularly to detect any malfunctions that could cause complaints.

Place scarers as far apart as possible so that their combined effect does not cause a nuisance, taking account of the lie of the land, atmospheric conditions and plant cover;
Position scarers so that they are pointing downwind (where nuisance is not a problem) – even a slight wind can affect the distance sound travels – and take particular care with devices that swivel with the wind;
Prolong the effectiveness of scarers by hiding them – but not where they could cause a risk of fire.

Donegal County Council has also advised to reinforce the effects of the scarer by shooting, so that the noise is associated with real danger.

The local authority also recommended to try placing a scarer inside a brightly-coloured container and place several similar, but empty containers in the field. Occasionally move the scarer from one container to another.

The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) stated:

Firstly, it may be possible to explain to whomever is causing the noise and come to some mutually acceptable understanding.

If this does not resolve the matter then there are a number of courses of action that individuals may take when dealing with a noise nuisance issue. The options will depend on the nature of the noise and the status of the complainant.

To make a formal complaint to the district court, the DECC recommends to contact the clerk of your local district court.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recommended that if members of the public have a complaint over the noise of crow bangers, that the neighbour should be contacted in the first instance, and that if it is still unresolved, the local authority should then be contacted.