Why are airports

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Why are airports attractive to
wildlife ?
Food Water Cover HABITAT
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Water management
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Retention/Detention basins

• Large retention basin at a mid-western airport
• Not accessible by vehicle until a fire road was
  built several years ago
• Wildlife harassed with pyros and lethal removal
  conducted

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Retention/Detention basins continued

• Pumps installed to discharge water
• Dramatically decreased waterfowl use of the area
• Vegetation still grows in area, but working with
  city to mow so the little water that is left is
  visible for control efforts
• Aggressive management for wildlife control

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Airport in Cleveland, OH
Dredge spoil containment area
RWY 06L/24R6,198x150
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Poor airfield drainage along the runway
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Out of grade safety areas collect water during
rains
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Standing water
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Hard surfaces can be out of grade too
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Beaver created habitat
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proper construction reduces wildlife use of storm
water ponds
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Applying chemical repellent (methyl anthranilate)
to repel gulls
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Structure management
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1996 Military Bird Strike with Most Fatalities
Aircraft Lockheed C-130 Location Eindhoven,
Netherlands Damage 34 fatalities Wildlife
Species European Starlings
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New Terminal Canopy built in 2003
The architect was told that exposed steel I-beams
were a bad idea because they make a perfect
nighttime winter roost site for starlings. But
the architect responded that exposed I-beams were
essential for the architectural esthetics of this
structure.
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Fall 2003 The word quickly spread in the avian
world and starlings gathered to check out the new
bird hotel. Most starlings planned a
long-term stay!
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Dec 2003 As predicted, starlings found the new
canopy to be ideal for night-time roosting during
winter
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Dec 2003 Starlings checking out the new Digs
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Dec 2003 Now what was that about exposed I-Beams
and birds?
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Dec 2003 A Starling Resort Condo!
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Jan 2004 OK, the birds did show up but we can
get rid of them. Lets buy a 5,000 sonic
system. The salesman says this system will work.
Then we will spend 20,000 to clean up the mess,
and be done with it.
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Feb 2004 The starlings are ignoring the sonic
system, 20K has been wasted on cleaning, and the
problem keeps getting bigger and more serious.
Wheres the phone number of that biologist?
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We have a big problem! Help!
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Entrance to Terminal
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Finally, a simple solution that works Compressed
air blasted at birds as they enter the structure
at sunset.
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Bye-bye Starlings! Now we just have to clean up
the bird crap.
By the way.., as bad as the feces and disease
issues are, they are not the most serious issue
about starlings at airports. Starling flocks
crossing airfields have caused two
large-transport aircraft to crash, killing over
100 people.
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Long-term solution will be to redesign structure,
with input from biologists, to prevent starlings
from roosting in first place
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Another example of airport structure designed
with ideal perching sites for birds
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Parking shade structures can be magnets for
pigeons
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Shaded ledges attract pigeons too
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Check the FOD board
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EXCLUSION for wildlife control
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Wildlife/Security Fencing
Wildlife fences are AIP eligible
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11 foot deer fence
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fences must be maintained to be effective
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coyote slides
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skirting deters coyotes from sliding under fence
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buried skirting
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excluded drainage ditch
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inside a parking structure
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netting as bird exclusion from buildings
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perching raptors
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exclude perches
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exclude perches
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Exclusion must be installed properly to be
effective!
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grid wires on rooftop
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Cliff Swallows
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Cliff Swallow nests
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Netting installed in culvert to exclude Cliff
Swallows