Pepper vine as deterrent to miracle fruit bird thieves

[Hollywood]

I just ran into a neighbor who said he found a solution to a problem he was having with birds stealing his miracle fruit crop. He got a pepper vine with red berries that look similar to miracle fruit and are super spicy (can't remember the cultivar). The mockingbirds went after it as soon as he put it out and haven't been back since.

[dongeorgio]

Brilliant!  Can you find out what type?  I get my fair share of bird casualties with my miracle fruit crops.

[Illia]

Those birds must have quite the taste trip eating miracle berries

[dongeorgio]

Typically with me I see one or two pecked and that is my warning.  Within 24 hours I am picked clean.  I have mine in pots so I have moved them to a more discreet location in my yard since the last avian theft and it has helped.  But it is only a matter of time before they discover my new location and resume their miracle party.  I would love to get my pepper vine in place prior to their discovery.

[Hollywood]

Brilliant!  Can you find out what type?  I get my fair share of bird casualties with my miracle fruit crops.

I don't see the guy very often. But I know he's good friends with Jason of Pepe's Plants, who is on the forum. So Jason probably knows the cultivar and source. You should PM him.

[MassSpectrum]

Get cats! Problem solved

[From the sea]

we use netting draped over right before they turn. the birds fly into it and then fall its kinda funny

[Doglips]

Netting sounds like the real simple solution on a smaller bush like a miracle fruit.

[BrettBorders]

raccoon pluck mine right at the peak of ripeness. using chicken wire with limited, partial success.

[jcaldeira]

The birds love to eat my various chili peppers.  I'm surprised the mockingbirds don't like them.  I thought birds can't feel the 'hot' capsaicin of peppers.  Maybe it's something other than the 'hot' that's working.

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1857/are-birds-immune-to-hot-pepper-enabling-them-to-eat-vast-amounts-and-spread-the-seeds

[fyliu]

I'm as surprised as john. Birds clean my small red pepper bushes. I don't have the same problem as I don't have an abundance of fruits and they're still green.

[CoPlantNut]

I got the impression from the pepper vine description that it is probably a Piper species (where black pepper comes from) and not a Capsicum species as you all seem to think...  I know birds are immune to the effects of Capsicum compounds, but I'm guessing they aren't immune to compounds from Piper species?

   Kevin

[jcaldeira]

I'm curious to learn the species name for this red-berried pepper vine.

[Doglips]

Mockingbirds tear up my black and raspberries, they don't touch the red (color) hot peppers, they gotta see them.