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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
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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 [email protected]. 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.
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