An object or device which is meant to confuse (or even scare) scavenging birds enough that they'll stay away from the surrounding field. This is a good idea, since that usually keeps crop losses down, all other things being equal.

Character in the Oz books, who was once a regular scarecrow but came alive and wanted some brains. He ends up becoming ruler of Oz after the Wizard of Oz leaves for Kansas in a hot-air balloon, and after the restoration of Ozma, hereditary ruler of Oz, remains a trusted advisor to the government.


The name of a movie from 1973 directed by Jerry Schatzberg and written by Garry Michael White. It starred Gene Hackman and Al Pacino. Hackman made the remark once that this was his favorite piece of work.

It's the story of an ex-con, Max (Hackman), who has been saving his money to achieve his dream of opening a car wash in Pittsburgh. Pacino plays Lionel, a guy trying to find his kid who was born while he was at sea.

It's a buddy movie, and one of the best of the genre. The title comes from the fact that Lionel believes that instead of scarecrows scaring birds, birds find them amusing.

I'm not sure if this film would stand the test of time, but I do know that when it came out, I assigned my freshman college English class to see it and write about it. Most of them seemed to like it as much as I did.

Scare"crow` (?), n.

1.

Anything set up to frighten crows or other birds from cornfields; hence, anything terifying without danger.

A scarecrow set to frighten fools away. Dryden.

2.

A person clad in rags and tatters.

No eye hath seen such scarecrows. I'll not march with them through Coventry, that's flat. Shak.

3. Zool.

The black tern.

[Prov. Eng.]

 

© Webster 1913.

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