Fake owls on gas stations, liquor stores — what they mean

Mattster: Being the designated dad in my family of six, I am usually too busy to watch the passing scenery during our local travels via the family wagon (actually it’s only a hatchback...). But my small backseat passengers have noticed lately that nearby businesses — gas stations, liquor stores, and the like — have an owl perched atop the building. Not a real owl mind you, but it got me to wondering i why so many of these wise guys are atop local shops. A “night watchman”? — Dad with observant children in Escondido

Tell the kiddies they’re bird scarers. It’s axiomatic that you can fool all of the birdies some of the : time with statues of predator owls. They encourage pigeons and sparrows to roost elsewhere. But , you can’t fool all of the birdies all of the time. Once they realize the “owls” don’t move, they’ll be back to their old hangouts. Close up, the owls are probably covered with pigeon poop.