Airports' Secret To Scaring Birds Away Safely

Airports employ a range of methods to scare birds away from runways and hangars. Bird strikes are a serious problem for airports, and while plane engines are designed to withstand smaller bird strikes, bird strike prevention is a priority for airports around the world. Airports use everything from air cannons and propane cannons to realistic owl figurines and robotic birds of prey to scare birds away.

Acoustic deterrents: propane cannons, pistols, and blank rounds are used to make loud noises to scare birds

Acoustic deterrents are a popular method for scaring birds away from airports. Propane cannons, pistols, and blank rounds are used to make loud noises to startle birds and deter them from entering the aerodrome.

Airports are increasingly using mobile viewers to remotely control propane cannons, as seen in Berlin Airport's use of Purivox cannons. These cannons are fired when birds are present in an area of aircraft activity.

Another form of acoustic deterrent is bio-acoustics, which allows bird controllers to broadcast natural bird calls to deter birds. This method takes advantage of birds' natural instincts to avoid certain calls, such as those of predators.

While acoustic deterrents are effective, they are not the only method used by airports. Some airports use robotic birds of prey, which chase off birds using a combination of wing and silhouette movement. These drones do not require food, shelter, or rest, making them a beneficial tool for airports. Avian dispersal lasers can also be used to startle birds by creating a strong contrast between the laser beam and the ambient light.

Firing air cannons: when birds are present in an area of aircraft activity, airports fire air cannons to scare them away

Airports are vigilant in preventing birds from perching on, roosting in, and pooping on planes. Bird excrement is highly acidic and can erode a plane's exterior.

Other methods to scare birds away from airports include using realistic owl figurines, deploying pigs to eat up gull eggs, using border collies to chase away herons and egrets, and altering the nearby landscape to be less bird-friendly, such as filling in ponds or replacing grass with gravel.

Newer technologies include airport bird control drones, which have the realistic appearance and weight of a living bird of prey, and avian dispersal lasers, which startle birds by using a strong contrast between the laser beam and the ambient light.

Altering the landscape: airports fill in ponds and replace grass with gravel to make the area less bird-friendly

Airports employ a variety of methods to scare birds away, including altering the landscape to make the area less bird-friendly. Airports fill in ponds and replace grass with gravel to deter birds from entering the area. This method is often used in conjunction with other techniques, such as the use of air cannons or acoustic deterrents, which create loud noises to scare birds away.

In some cases, airports may also deploy animals to help scare birds away. For example, Salt Lake City's airport uses pigs to eat up gull eggs, while border collies chase away herons and egrets at Southwest Florida International in Fort Myers.

Another method used by airports is the placement of realistic owl figurines in hangars to scare off birds. High-tech alternatives to this method include the use of LED screens with googly eye graphics, as seen at France's Lourdes-Tarbes-Pyrénées airport, and airport bird control drones, which have the realistic appearance and weight of a living bird of prey. These drones chase off birds using a combination of wing and silhouette movement, triggering the instinct of birds to flee.

Additionally, airports can use avian dispersal lasers to startle birds by creating a strong contrast between the laser beam and the ambient light. While this method is effective, real falconry can be more successful in reinforcing the local threat and keeping birds away.

Using realistic owl figurines: hangars place these in spaces to scare birds away from planes

Airports use a variety of methods to scare birds away from planes. One of the most popular methods is firing air cannons when birds are present in an area of aircraft activity, but airports also often alter the nearby landscape to be less bird-friendly, filling in ponds or replacing grass with gravel. Some airports use pigs to eat up gull eggs, and border collies to chase away herons and egrets.

One method used by hangars to prevent birds from perching on, roosting in, and pooping on planes is placing realistic owl figurines in the space. Bird excrement is highly acidic and can erode a plane's exterior. Hangars should place these owl figurines in spaces where birds are likely to perch or roost, such as on top of planes or in corners of the hangar. The owls should be moved periodically to different locations within the hangar to prevent birds from becoming accustomed to their presence. In addition, hangars should ensure that the owl figurines are clean and free of dust or debris, as a dirty owl figurine may be less effective at scaring away birds.

Other methods of bird control used by airports include deploying robotic birds of prey, which chase away birds using a combination of wing and silhouette movement, and using avian dispersal lasers to startle birds.

LED screens: some airports use LED screens with googly eye graphics to scare off raptors

Airports use a variety of methods to scare birds away, from simple to downright wacky. One of the most popular methods is firing air cannons when birds are present in an area of aircraft activity, but airports also often alter the nearby landscape to be less bird-friendly, filling in ponds or replacing grass with gravel.

Some airports use LED screens with googly eye graphics to scare off raptors. France's Lourdes-Tarbes-Pyrénées airport uses this method to scare off raptors "loitering" in the area. Raptors are large birds of prey, such as eagles and hawks, and can be a particular danger to aircraft due to their size. The googly eye graphic is designed to startle and confuse the birds, causing them to flee the area. The LED screens are often placed in areas where raptors are known to congregate, such as near sources of food or nesting sites.

This method of bird control is just one of many high-tech solutions being employed by airports to reduce the risk of bird strikes. Another example is the use of airport bird control drones, which have the realistic appearance and weight of living birds of prey. These drones chase off birds using a combination of wing and silhouette movement, triggering the instinct of birds to flee.

While these new technologies offer promising solutions to the problem of bird strikes, traditional methods such as using realistic owl figurines in hangars to scare off birds are still effective. Acoustic deterrents, such as loud noises from pistols firing blank rounds or propane cannons, are also commonly used to scare and deter birds from entering aerodromes.

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