Bird Control
 

Hi all! I am not a pilot but fly falcons and birds of prey for a living. We do all sorts including experience days and flying displays but the main part of our work is contolling problem birds (with feathers)! We can control birds in all areas and are experienced in keeping runways/airodromes clear of birds. The reason I am posting is to see if any airfields in the uk have a particular problem with birds that we could help with? The falcons really are the best solution compared to the really bad alternatives. Any info would be greatly appreciated!!

I dont think so somehow
 

mmmmmmmmm i can just see it now.

Pax airliner bought down by falcon.

Scaring birds with something that in itself could cause a problem would keep the lawyers in business for years.

digiscares and firearms are the best by a long way.


:D

Actually... (serious hat on)... one bird that can scare off 20 birds is probably safer ;)

Airports do use birds of prey to scare off other birds as they tend to stay away for a longer period due to the threat.

To the thread starter..... you're best off contacting the airport/s and asking to speak to the Airfield Ops dept.

Well Durham Tees Valley has a problem with birds, usually gulls and lapwings. Not sure if they still do but they did employ a falconer to scare off the birds. The falcon use to sit outside the tower on a perch by the taxi way. So it isn't as silly as it sounds and it works a treat. The falcon doesn't have to fly around it just has to sit there to frighten any birds away. Much like people who put plastic herons next to their pond to stop any other herons from approaching the pond.

Ahhh great days at Benson Tower in teh 1980s....

With a private BCU (Bob the Bird and Tim!) and their falcons kept at the bottom of the tower in their own mews.

used to work a treat....... but then it was a quieter airfield and quite a lot of real estate compared to most airports nowadays.

Then the cutbacks came and the cheaper option of BCU guys firing shot gun cartridges.

bring back the falcons!!!

http://www.pbase.com/kbmphotography/...wk_conservancy

There are specialist companies offering this sort of operation; the one we had was called 'Longwings', but that was many years ago; maybe Safeskys does it?

The way we work their is no risk posed by our birds to aircraft as birds are only needed to fly for a short period to scare birds effectively and then brought back in to a lure before a plane lands/takes off. We also use digiscares and firearms (shotguns) as well as the usual veri pistol in bad weather only and can say from experience the effect of these systems compared to the live birds is very minimal!

Sites
 

Thanks for your replys, the difficulty is finding airfields with a real problem which can be quite tricky by just searching in google! If anyone notices a large number of birds on a particular airfield we might be able to help and save alot of time in the process!!