How to Repel Rabbits with Sonic and Ultrasonic Rabbit Repellers

The article “Best Measures to Reduce Rabbit Damage in Agriculture,” describes four effective methods for repelling rabbits.

In this article, we will focus on one of those four methods, specifically Sonic and Ultrasonic Rabbit Repellers. We will learn:

How Sonic Rabbit Repellers work
How Ultrasonic Rabbit Repellerss work
The Advantages and Disadvantages of each type of Rabbit Deterrent
Commercial models of Rabbit Repellers and where to obtain them
Customer references using these deterrents to repel rabbits

How Sonic Rabbit Repellers Work

Sonic Rabbit Repellers emit audible sounds (that humans can hear) that simulate the presence of predators in the area.

The sounds emitted by these rabbit repellers are a combination of predator sounds (wolves, coyotes, wildcats, packs of dogs) and intimidating sounds (gunshots, engines…)

To prevent animals from getting accustomed to the sounds, the deterrents vary the order of the sounds, the frequency level, and the order of sound emission through the speakers each time. These sonic rabbit deterrents can also be programmed to emit sounds only during the day, only during the night, or continuously 24 hours, depending on the specific needs of each case.

Sonic rabbit deterrents can cover large areas of land. A single device can repel rabbits in an area of up to 2.4 hectares of crops.

How Ultrasonic Rabbit Repellers Work

Ultrasonic rabbit repellers have an infrared motion detector that detects movement. The motion detection occurs both during the day and at night. When the ultrasonic rabbit deterrent detects the passage of an animal, it emits an adjustable frequency ultrasonic beep.

Ultrasonic waves are emitted at a frequency higher than 20,000 Hz, which is beyond the human hearing range. However, they are audible to rabbits and other animals, causing them discomfort.

Some models of ultrasonic rabbit deterrents also include the option to activate a light flash along with the ultrasonic beep when the animal’s movement is detected. This flash of light feature is especially useful for repelling rabbits, as they tend to attack crops particularly at night.

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions from our customers before installing an ultrasonic rabbit repeller:

Do Ultrasonic Devices Work to Repel Rabbits?

The answer is a resounding yes. Rabbits have a keen auditory ability and can perceive sound waves in the ultrasonic range. In fact, rabbits can detect sounds up to 49,000 Hz, far beyond what humans can perceive, typically up to 20,000 Hz. Rabbits even have better hearing capacity than dogs, which can hear up to 45,000 Hz.

If we think about it, it’s understandable that rabbits have such a good auditory capacity. Rabbits are prey animals. Like many other evolutionary advantages, rabbits developed their hearing due to the stress of being threatened by predators. Wild rabbits rely on their sense of hearing more than anything else to detect predators and threats and to be able to escape.

What is the Hearing Range of a Rabbit?

The average hearing range of rabbits is between 96 Hz and 49,000 Hz. To put this into perspective, the hearing range of humans is typically from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. While humans can hear lower frequencies, rabbits are much more sensitive to higher frequencies and can perceive a wider range of sounds than we can.

How Far Can Rabbits Hear?

Rabbits can hear sounds originating from a distance of up to nearly 3 km. Depending on the strength or pitch of the noise, this distance may vary. Low frequencies travel farther than high frequencies. Rabbits can even move their ears independently of each other to capture sounds from specific directions.

Can Rabbits Hear Ultrasonic Sounds?

The answer is yes. Frequencies above 20,000 Hz are classified as ultrasonic. As we have seen before, ultrasonic waves fall within the hearing range of a rabbit.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Each Type of Rabbit Repeller

The following table presents a comparison of sonic-based rabbit repellers and ultrasonic rabbit deterrents based on various criteria: coverage, effectiveness, price, weather resistance, annoyance to people:

	Sonic-based Rabbit Repellers	Ultrasonic Rabbit Repellers
Coverage	Greater coverage – Up to 2.4 hectares per deterrent	Smaller coverage. An ultrasonic rabbit repeller covers about 200 m2
Effectiveness	Effective	Effective
Price	More expensive (around €700 – €1000, depending on the number of speakers)	More affordable (around €70 – €100)
Weather Resistance	Yes	Yes
Acoustic annoyance to people	Yes	No
Power source	Can be powered by electricity or a 12V battery	Can be powered by electricity or batteries
Includes additional flash of light functionality	No	Yes, but only some models

Commercial Models of Rabbit Repellers and Where to Get Them

You can get your rabbit repeller from the online store of BirdGard Iberia. Below are the links to the product pages where you will find all the information and can place your order: