Landfills
Zooming in On Bird Control
John Ghan
Bird control for airports and landfills offer a significant challenge because of the fact that these areas offer a great source for birds to eat, roost and not have natural predators in the area. Landfills are regulated by the EPA and in some instances, the FAA when located within six miles of an airport. It is well known that birds, more specifically gulls, are feeding at landfill sites throughout the world. Their numbers are constantly increasing and they have become regular visitors to landfill sites where they find not only food, but also water and a place to nest and/or roost.
Their presence creates problems in many ways. Their control is particularly important for the health and safety of both employee’s onsite and the surrounding residents. Their concentration is not only hazardous to aircraft, but there have been two new studies from Portugal and the largest infectious-disease conference (ICAAC) in the United States that have shown that samples taken from seagulls harbor bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics and carry the E. coli bacteria. This is very troublesome as they are able to fly thousands of miles and are often seen at beaches, restaurant parking lots and landfills.
There are different types of seagulls in the U.S., from the less aggressive laughing seagull found on the east coast to the very aggressive California seagull found on the west coast. Seagulls, in particular, are beautiful in flight; however, they are proving to be more of a problem than once thought.
The CA seagull in the Bay area has grown 33 fold and there are currently more than 36,000 seagulls in the area. Scaring them away is a full time job as there are always new birds that come into the landfill.
Remote Controlled Eagles
Almost all bird deterrents currently offered work until the birds become acclimated to the different devices. However, all gregarious birds (flocking birds) have a natural fear of predators. The most effective form of bird removal is by mirroring what takes place in nature. The most effective form of bird control currently is using live falcons. The problem is they cannot be flown when molting, during strong winds or rain and can’t herd the birds in a certain direction. Several raptors are required to ensure that one is available to fly when needed. They require feeding, housing and constant care, and the cost of such aspects can be very high.
On the other hand, a remote controlled eagle, with an identical and natural raptor-shape, acts on the “Fear Gene” in their brain to help push gregarious birds not only to a hurried escape, but it also induces them to not come back to an area considered dangerous. A remote controlled eagle can fly anytime and for a lot less money. The R/C eagle is easy to manage, service, is always ready to use, can redirect the orientation of escaping birds to a predetermined location and is capable of scaring all species of birds.
For example, the laughing seagull will stay away for 15 minutes to an hour after flying the remote controlled eagle for just a few minutes. The aggressive CA seagull will require flying the remote controlled eagle more often. The remote controlled eagle will keep the CA gull at bay for three to 30 minutes depending on factors such as if the landfill is located next to a body of water, the amount of food available to them and the size of the working face. If there are more than 10,000 gulls the R/C eagle may need to be flown for hours each day. In addition, keeping birds from landing can detour them from coming back as long as the eagle is in the air as they expend so much energy waiting for the R/C eagle to leave.
The R/C eagle can be operated either for tactical purposes (immediate and complete bird dispersal) or strategic purposes (maintaining an area clear when no birds are present).
An R/C eagle works best when it is integrated with other bird abatement technics such as pyrotechnics, kites, streamers and sound devices. Every landfill location needs a different approach for bird control. From using the R/C eagle for an hour a day up to flying several hours a day, the best approach is to weigh your options, then call for an evaluation and a possible demonstration.
Jon Ghan is CEO of Bye Bye Birdies (Springfield, MO). He can be reached at (843) 902-9910 or via e-mail at [email protected]. For more information, videos and press releases, visit www.ByeByeBirdies.net.
Sidebar
Case Study
The Newby Island Resource Recovery Park of Republic Services in the San Francisco, CA bay area has served the public for more than 80 years. Their landfill is located next to a federally protected wetland. They are always working towards additional recycling and are part of the “Green Power” (renewable energy that provides the highest environmental benefit.) Newby Island Landfill has always worked to keep the seagulls off of the working face of the landfill for safety reasons and because it is not a natural food source for the birds. Newby Island initially used a falcon program which was very expensive and used a lot of pyrotechnics for bird control. They decided to look for an alternative solution. After Bye Bye Birdies performed a three-day demonstration for the landfill last July, they decided to purchase a remote control bird system from the company. Bye Bye Birdies located in Springfield, MO and Lucas, KS offers an eco-friendly bird control system that specializes in bird abatement control for large open areas. The main part of the system is a 7’ R/C (remote controlled) eagle using quiet brushless motors, rechargeable Li-Poly battery’s and is built to withstand actual flying for more than six hours a day. It is made from EPP plastic which is so tough it can withstand a car driving over the wing without any damage.
After the three-day demonstration, Newby Island Landfill saw not only the effect the R/C eagle had on the birds, but they also saw the significant cost savings sincethe cost of the system and paying an R/C pilot are considerably less than the cost of a falcon program. Training is available to learn to fly the remote controlled birds, do maintenance and learn to make repairs, or Bye Bye Birdies can provide an experienced remote control pilot who lives in your area. Republic Services chose to have an experienced R/C pilot from the area fly the R/C eagle. Their pilot is also training some of their staff to learn to fly.
Since implementing Bye Bye Birdies, Newby Island Landfill has not only saved money from the falcon program, but they have also cut down on the amount of pyrotechnics being used each day. The results to date have been varied, but the staff is confident that with more time, the program will prove even more effective. They agree that Bye Bye Birdies is on the cutting edge of bird control. The real test for any new system is time. Newby Island is using kites, pyrotechnics, and the R/C eagle for bird abatement. Newby Island is currently interested in implementing Bye Bye Birdies at another landfill that is currently using a falcon program to not only save money, but also for the overall success of the program.