Modern Bird Strike Prevention - Stop Birds from Hitting Airplanes!

Bird Strikes at Airports

BirdStrike collisions are a problem that needs to be taken seriously as the number of commercial and private aircraft bird strikes continues to grow worldwide. The United States alone spends over $500 million annually to repair damage to aircraft and worldwide the cost is over a billion. 

•       The first fatal accident occurred in 1912
•       Since 1960, approx. 400 aircraft have been destroyed
•       Over 370 people killed as a result of bird and other wildlife strikes

Bird Strikes typically involve birds or bats striking windshields of aircraft or getting sucked into engines. Bird Strikes can also cause damage to building or structures on the ground if a serious accident were to occur. The most common locations for bird striking aircraft is during take off and landings, although there has been occurrence’s at higher altitudes.  Probably the most famous bird strike is when a US Airways flight was struck by a massive flock of geese causing it to loss power and heroically landed in the Hudson River. Luckily everyone walked away from the accident unharmed, but since that day the airport has increased man power and money spent on bird strike prevention and the number of bird strikes has gone up not down.

Bird Strike problem birds & wildlife

In the United States gulls and geese are the common cause of bird strikes do to their large size and populations. But other birds like turkey vultures, kites, pelicans, starlings and pigeons can also contribute to aircraft collisions. Large animals like deer and coyote have been known to run in front of aircraft during take offs and landings, which often causes more damage to the aircraft then birds. An often over looked bird strike hazard is the presence of rabbits at airports. Rabbits can indirectly cause bird strikes by getting run over by ground vehicles and planes; they generate a large amount of droppings, which attracts mice. All of this is not that bad except mice attract owls.

The United States relies on outdated Bird Strike prevention techniques.

The US tax payers spend millions and millions of dollars a year on Bird Strike products and labor and getting very little in return for their investment. BASH bird strike programs currently used in the US are labor intensive - typically involving personnel in trucks shooting bird bangers or outright killing in addition to other harassment techniques that fail to permanently modify roosting or flight conditions. Similarly, other sub-par audio systems  are also deployed but seldom produce a permanent solution as birds habituate to the  'same sound, same speaker syndrome'. Some airports in the US have set up radar systems to warn them of approaching bird flocks. These systems are very expensive and often times misidentify the potential treat. At best, radars give workers a heads up to a potential threat - only to resort to the same obsolete harassment techniques.  

Combine the Zon Gun Mark IV Propane Bird Scare cannon, which is best when used with a tripod and timer, with multiple visual scare products that are problem bird species specific. The Mark IV rotating tripod provides 360 degree coverage of the control area, while the while the Quartz timer allow you to set when you would like the bird cannon to turn on and off.  Airport problems can be complicated because of the layout and it is often multiple species of birds that are in the area. Feel free to call us to discuss a custom solution of bird control products designed for your airport at 855-741-3222 or email us at mark@birdsgottago.com


 

Geese problem solutions using audio & visual geese deterrents

Canadian geese no longer migrate as frequently as they once did. Now we have ever-growing numbers of non-migratory geese taking up residence wherever they please. This includes ponds, parks, golf courses, rooftops, reservoirs and residential urban and suburban backyards which create annoyances for their human neighbors with their noise, aggression and droppings. However, the biggest threat is to airplane safety - consider the fate of the USAir flight that was forced to land in the Hudson River due to a bird strike.

Aside from their oversize droppings geese can also be very aggressive, sometimes resulting in injuries to humans or other animals, particularly if near their nesting site. The complaints from all sectors have increased exponentially owing to their protected status by both Federal and State agencies, which limits the ways to move these birds from a particular location.

Geese Problem Bird Deterrents

Geese problems on lake front properties

Established flocks of non-migratory Canada Geese can be difficult to deter so implementing a geese harrassment campaign should commence as soon as possible after they begin to frequent the area. The geese deterrent campaign should include a combination of Audio & Visual Bird Deterrents to make the threat of a potential predator more convincing to the geese. When practical regular movement of the bird scare deterrents increases the effectiveness.

Geese on Water front landscaping –
If you are experiencing a problem with geese entering your property from the water, the first line of defense should be visual deterrents anchored in the water. Dead Goose Decoys can be deployed in the water and on land to create the illusion that the area is not safe for other geese. FireFly Bird Diverters mounted on a post and floating life raft ramp up the feeling of potential threats in the bird scare campaign. Also place a Cat Decoy Scares Birds which a realistic looking cat with a  moving head and tail.
 A new product to add to the mix is “Away with Geese,” a solar powered bird deterrent that disrupts sleep patterns causing geese to move away quickly.   For reservoirs, wetlands, retention ponds and large bodies of water where geese are unwelcome, the Wetlands Bird Wailer can be adapted to float on the water or mounted on land.

To keep geese from coming ashore, visual bird deterrents like Holographic owls, FireFly Bird Diverters mounted on Whip Rods should be set up on the shoreline.  This will create a frightening and unwelcoming environment. Holographic Repel Strips and sections of Flash tape can also be tied to short stakes so that the visual products can move freely in the wind. Place a Cat Decoy Scares Birds near the shoreline to create the effect of a real cat moving around. Move the Cat Decoy Scares Birds every few days to increase effectiveness Another common waterfront deterrent is to build a small fence on the water’s edge to encourage the geese to move in to a different area off the lake. The fence can be constructed with stainless steel grid wire and posts; the fence only needs to be 2 to 3 feet high. Tie Holographic Repel Strips and mylar tape every 5’ to increase the effectiveness.

Contact us at mark@birdsgottago.com with details about your bird problem and we can work with you to determine the best bird control products to deter the birds from your property.

BirdsGottaGo.com

1-855-741-3222