ROSEVILLE, Calif. — The mystery of the loud booms heard across Roseville has been solved, according to a press release from the city the jarring sounds were due to a "bird scare cannon."
The Placer County Agricultural Commissioner's Office began investigating the loud booms after several people reported the mysterious sounds that often occurred in the evening. The commissioner's office says several farms northwest of Roseville has been using a tool called a "bird scare cannon" to help keep geese from destroying their already heavily damaged crops.
A "bird scare cannon' is also known as a zon gun. It is a small, propane-fired device that emits "thunderclaps" to frighten off birds. It does not fire any projectiles and the city says it is a standard agricultural practice that is harmless to animals.
The Placer County Agricultural Commissioner's Office says the county's right-to-farm ordinance allows farmers to use the cannons at night when geese are feeding. However, that ordinance is seasonal.
City officials say farmers likely won't need to use the cannons anymore this year once the crops mature and grow to a point where they will no longer be vulnerable to birds. This will most likely happen within the next several weeks or less.
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