8/2/2019 Zooming Birds

1/2

Bird control for airports and landfills offer a significant challenge

because o the act that these areas oer a great source or birds to eat, roost and not

have natural predators in the area. Landlls are regulated by the EPA and in some

instances, the FAA when located within six miles o an airport. It is well known that

birds, more specically gulls, are eeding at landll sites throughout the world. Their

numbers are constantly increasing and they have become regular visitors to landll

sites where they nd not only ood, but also water and a place to nest and/or roost.

Their presence creates problems in many ways. Their control is particularly important

or the health and saety o both employees onsite and the surrounding residents.

Their concentration is not only hazardous to aircrat, but there have also been two

new studies rom Portugal and the largest inectious-disease conerence (ICAAC) in

the U.S. that have shown that samples taken rom seagulls harbor bacteria that is

resistant to antibiotics and carry the E. coli bacteria. This is very troublesome as theyare able to fy thousands o miles and are oten seen at beaches, restaurant parking

lots and landlls.

There are dierent types o seagulls in the U.S., rom the less aggressive

laughing seagull ound on the east coast to the very aggressive Caliornia

seagull ound on the west coast. Seagulls, in particular, are beautiul in

fight; however, they are proving to be more o a problem than once thought.The CA seagull in the Bay area has grown 33 old and there are currently more than

36,000 seagulls in the area. Scaring them away is a ull time job as there are always

new birds that come into the landll.

RTL| Recycling | Transer Stations | Landflls

LandfllsZooming in On Bird ControlJohn Ghan

48 WasteAdvantage Magazine March 2012

Jack Cooper, Bye Bye Birdies Partner, at the Newby Island landfill.

Photo courtesy of Bye Bye Birdies.

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 landll is located next to a ederally

protected wetland. They are always working towards

additional recycling and are part o the Green Power

(renewable energy that provides the highest environmental

benet). Newby Island Landll has always worked to keep

the seagulls o o the working ace o the landll or saety

reasons and because it is not a natural ood source or the

birds. Newby Island initially used a alcon program which

was very expensive and used a lot o pyrotechnics or bird

control. They decided to look or an alternative solution.

Ater Bye Bye Birdies perormed a three-day demonstration

or the landll last July, they decided to purchase a

remote control bird system rom the company. Bye Bye

Birdies located in Springeld, MO and Lucas, KS oers

an eco-riendly bird control system that specializes in bird

abatement control or large open areas. The main part o

the system is a 7 R/C (remote controlled) eagle using quiet

brushless motors, rechargeable Li-Poly batterys and is built

to withstand actual fying or more than six hours a day. It is

made rom EPP plastic which is so tough it can withstand a

car driving over the wing without any damage.

Ater the three-day demonstration, Newby Island Landll

saw not only the eect the R/C eagle had on the birds, but

they also saw the signicant cost savings since the cost o

the system and paying an R/C pilot are considerably less

than the cost o a alcon program. Training is available to

learn to fy 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

rom the area fy the R/C eagle. Their pilot is also training

some o their sta to learn to fy.

Since implementing Bye Bye Birdies, Newby Island Landll

has not only saved money rom the alcon program, but

they have also cut down on the amount o pyrotechnics

being used each day. The results to date have been varied,

but the sta is condent that with more time, the program

will prove even more eective. They agree that Bye Bye

Birdies is on the cutting edge o bird control. The real test

or any new system is time. Newby Island is using kites,

pyrotechnics and the R/C eagle or bird abatement. Newby

Island is currently interested in implementing Bye Bye

Birdies at another landll that is currently using a alcon

program to not only save money, but also or the overall

success o the program.

As Seen In

www.wvm.m

http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/

8/2/2019 Zooming Birds

2/2

RTL| Recycling | Transer Stations | Landflls

Remote Controlled EaglesAlmost all bird deterrents currently oered work until the birds become

acclimated to the dierent devices. However, all gregarious birds (focking

birds) have a natural ear o predators. The most eective orm o bird removalis by mirroring what takes place in nature. Currently, the most eective orm

o bird control is using live alcons. The problem is they cannot be fown when

molting, during strong winds or rain and cant herd the birds in a certain

direction. Several raptors are required to ensure that one is available to fy when

needed. They require eeding, housing and constant care, and the cost o 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 fy anytime and

or a lot less money. The R/C eagle is easy to manage, service, is always ready to

use, can redirect the orientation o escaping birds to a predetermined location

and is capable o scaring all species o birds.

For example, the laughing seagull will stay away or 15 minutes to an hour

ater fying the remote controlled eagle or just a ew minutes. The aggressive

Caliornia seagull will require fying the remote controlled eagle more oten.

The remote controlled eagle will keep the Caliornia seagull at bay or three to

30 minutes depending on actors such as i the landll is located next to a body

o water, the amount o ood available to them and the size o the working ace.I there are more than 10,000 gulls the R/C eagle may need to be fown or

hours each day. In addition, keeping birds rom landing can detour them rom

coming back as long as the eagle is in the air as they expend so much energy

waiting or the R/C eagle to leave.

The R/C eagle can be operated either or 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 landll location needs a dierent approach or bird control.

From using the R/C eagle or an hour per day up to fying several hours per day,

the best approach is to weigh your options, then call or an evaluation and a

possible demonstration. |WA

Jon Ghan is CEO o Bye Bye Birdies (Springfeld, MO). He can be reached at

(843) 902-9910 or via e-mail at ino@ByeByeBirdies.net. For more inormation,

videos and press releases, visit www.ByeByeBirdies.net.

2012 Waste Advantage Magazine, All Rights Reserved.Reprinted from Waste Advantage Magazine.

Contents cannot be reprinted without permission from the publisher.

http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/http://www.wasteadvantagemag.com/