Kansas City Drug Treatment: Up, Up and Grounded – Keeping Birds at Bay

Relatively speaking, humans are novice fliers. Though there is much debate over the exact time, scientists believe birds have ruled the sky for over one-hundred-fifty million years. They started out as an extension of dinosaurs: clawed, wings of skin, and terrifying. They eventually evolved into the feathered creatures as we know them today and have been sailing the atmosphere ever since.

We, on the other hand, have only flown for a little over 100 years. By the time aircraft came around, cities were flourishing and airports had to be built in available areas: unclaimed, swampy, marsh-type lands. Prime real estate lands already inhabited by birds. And now today, sharing the sky, and land for that matter, is a pressing issue causing airports and airlines major problems.
The friendly skies get a lot deadlier whenever a bird crosses paths with a 300 ton aircraft. Although most strikes are essentially harmless, a bad encounter is only one large bird away. Since 1988, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said there have been 200 deaths worldwide related to bird strikes. The FAA also reported that the U.S. aviation industry spends nearly $ 600 million annually on bird strike repairs.

Financially, the cost to clean up the birdie-bombs can be catastrophic. Bird droppings are acidic and erode surfaces if left to dry. Airplanes cost $ 8,000 – $ 10,000 to repaint. Add this to the monthly fee it costs to store the aircraft and pay the painters and the owner is out of a great deal of money.

Another financial disaster? The liability factor. Some species can produce up to 1.5 pounds of fecal matter a day. Slip-and-fall incidents are all too common these days. Unassuming passersby and workers can stir up a stink. The New York Transit Authority was ordered to pay a man millions after he slipped on pigeon droppings on subway stairs. Can your company afford a multi-million-dollar lawsuit?

Birds are attracted to airports for a multitude of reasons. According to the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management, hangars and other structures provide cover for nesting, resting and roosting. Since most airports are built on publicly owned property, landfills are usually nearby. Birds’ attraction to landfills is obvious; the food supply at a landfill is plentiful and there are many appealing loafing spots.

Then there is the issue of food; airports provide birds with several dining options including seeds, berries, grass, insects, earthworms, small birds and small mammals. Many airports house large bodies of water for aesthetic purposes or for waste and flood management. These supply small fish, tadpoles, frogs, insect larvae, other invertebrates and edible aquatic plants. Gulls, waterfowl, shorebirds and marsh birds are pulled to this environment.

The massive food supply is not limited to lakes and ponds. Airports generally have inadequate garbage disposal systems which lead to careless waste management. Like with landfills, if there is excess garbage, birds will set up shop. The layout of the facility is also alluring; large open spaces attract geese. And pigeons and starlings like the look of engines and hangars.

With all this in mind, know that there are many ways to combat the birds. Although airports are very attractive roosting grounds, technology and human brain power is always a step ahead.
A good start is to install ultrasonic sound devices. They deliver ultra high-frequency sound waves that are beyond the normal human hearing threshold. The sound annoys the birds, discouraging them from inhabiting areas in earshot. Ted Wilson, facilities manager for Gainesville Utilities, used a device similar to this at his construction site and was pleased with the results.

In a Power Engineering magazine article, Wilson described his problem with the pigeons roosting on steel beams at his construction site which is similar to noisy, busy airfields. The odor and mess the pigeons caused was disrupting the progress and bothering the workers. Those before him made the mistake of bad bird-control devices and had no luck in getting rid of the pests. After he put up the ultrasonic device, though, the pigeons left almost immediately.
Birds are disturbed by the taste of certain chemicals. One of which, Methyl Anthranilate, is a common flavoring used for candy, gum, soda and certain drugs. Spraying this chemical on land gives birds a similar sensation to what humans get when exposed to the scent of bleach. Though completely harmless to the birds, it bothers them to the point where they must get away from the source.

Putting spikes anywhere attractive to the birds, like wires and beams, will prevent them from roosting. The spikes produce an uneven surface, making it inconvenient for birds to set up shop. Gels are also available. It is applicable to all surfaces and makes them sticky, forcing the birds elsewhere. Just ask Gary Iori, the manager of the Pittsburgh (Kansas) Municipal Airport. One of his most insistent problems in his over 20 years of managing the facility was starlings.
“They’re nasty birds,” he says. “Starlings crawl right into the engine intake and make a nest on top of the engine. They make a mess all over the wiring and the engine, often causing mechanical problems — to the point that the engine can catch fire.” He saw flames erupt when a maintenance crew member started up a plane. Luckily, the plane was on the ground.

Eventually, he used a transparent gel which he applied to every area birds like to roost: ledges, beams, rafters, cornices, ornamental copings and similar favorite “landing sites.” The birds were no longer an issue after only a few days.

Correct bird control can save your airport thousands of dollars in clean-up costs, labor and lawsuits. Using any of these methods on their own will definitely send the birds a message, but using them in conjunction with other effective bird and pest control devices is bound to make your airfield pest free for life. Addressing multiple senses is the best approach to making the birds less inclined to call your property home.

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