Airport bird control is an important part of the smooth operation of any airport. This is due to the fact that airports often provide what birds crave, namely water, cover, and food. The issue is that birds can cause serious problems to an airport's operation. Bird strikes can be a considerable threat to the operation of aircraft at an airport, especially those with jets. Birds can get sucked into an engine, severely damaging it. They can also become a problem in terms of hindering visibility and causing other issues. Fortunately, there are effective ways of controlling them. Here are four products and strategies that can help:
1. Trap Doors
One option for airport bird control is a Sparrow Trap Door. Sparrows are an invasive, overpopulated species that are often found in big flocks near airports. They're typically one of the birds that cause airport problems because they breed in such large numbers.
A trap door created specifically for sparrows allows you to capture them rather than simply deter them. It works well as part of a multi-pronged strategy. One of the advantages here is that you can either use actual food as bait or not, depending on whether food bait is allowed in your area. Some of them come with a speaker that emits a bird call to attract them. It can produce different types of calls to attract the birds.
Once the bird is inside the trap, it will close. Then you can remove it in accordance with your airport's policies. It may be necessary to capture the birds rather than frighten them off, depending on the rules that govern your options.
Plus, there's always the problem that scaring birds away doesn't keep them from coming back. So, you need a two-pronged approach when you scare birds off from certain areas. Otherwise, the birds that flee will just come back. Put more traps at the edges of the airport to make this work.
You need to build up a plan with multiple parts to it so that each part supports all of the others for a truly complete strategy.
2. Scare Guns
Another effective strategy for airport bird control is to scare the birds off with light and noise. Scare guns scare birds away with sound. They often use propane to generate thunderclaps that frighten away local wildlife. You can adjust how often they go off based on whatever interval you want. They can fire every few minutes or so, all the way up to only going off once every half hour, based on your needs.
You should set this device up somewhere away from where you put the traps since these two have opposite approaches, with one attracting and the other repelling. It's also important to make sure that the gun itself won't be in a place that interferes with airport operations but where it can still affect any area that needs to be free of birds.
The guns can be mounted directly on the ground, and you should use them in a large, wide-open area at your airport.
3. Optical Gel
The useful thing about optical gel dishes is that they can repel birds in multiple different ways. It's invisible from below. But from above, birds view them as a severe threat. They look like something is on fire or smoking. Plus, the material will seem sticky, and birds won't want to get anywhere near it for that reason.
This kind of gel also has a scent that deters birds, like peppermint or citronella. The positive part of this is that these scents actually smell good to humans, even though birds can't stand them.
Put this gel anywhere you want to keep birds away. It is especially useful in high areas such as towers or roofing areas of your hangars and other buildings. You can connect them with glue or use magnets to make them stick to metal more effectively. Alternatively, you can use something like zip-ties to get them where you want them.
The dishes will last for a few years, and they are environmentally friendly. They are also easy to install.
4. Nets and Other Deterrents
Netting has long been an effective method for keeping birds away from critical systems and keeping them from roosting in areas too close to airports. Nets need to be durable and strong in order to properly deter birds from entering hangars at airports, as well as storage areas, outcroppings, balconies, and more.
First, you need to identify what sorts of birds are giving you a problem. Then, pick the right size of mesh for those types of birds. For example, you'll need a 4-inch mesh for something like seagulls. You'll need something smaller for blackbirds and starlings and something smaller still for the smallest birds like swallows or sparrows.
For areas where you may have trouble installing netting or where you may want something different, you can try an electrified track or different types of spikes.
Electrified tracks are suitable for narrow areas like ledges. They will give birds a shock without causing them harm. They will require professionals for installation. These tools are fool-proof: birds physically can't sit there. If you install nets on the more difficult to cover areas of your airport and birds are still finding their way around the spikes and nets, this is a good additional method to make sure everything works to give you full airport bird control.
Getting Started With Airport Bird Control
For more information on exactly how to set up a full strategy that involves deterrents and traps of all kinds around your airfield, please don't hesitate to contact us today. The faster you contact us, the faster we can get started making sure your strategy is the best it can be to keep birds away.
About Bird Barrier
Bird Barrier is a leader in innovative technology designed to prevent birds from landing, roosting or nesting. We specialize in urban bird control to remove birds humanely and effectively. Our website, birdbarrier.com, hosts a wealth of content to help people understand and identify bird control solutions for various problems with pest birds. Please contact us if you need help with a bird related problem. You may also benefit from our free guide, Bird Deterrents: The Complete Guide.
