Falcons lend wings in fight against bird hits at airport
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Having failed for long to resolve the problem of bird hits, Chennai
airport is now looking at a possible solution — Peregrine falcons.
A proposal from UK-based bird enthusiast and environmentalist Walton Woollard Browne to train these magnificent predators that can reach speeds in excess of 320 kmph to scare away smaller birds that keep getting sucked into engines of flights landing and taking off at Chennai Airport is being studied by Airports Authority of India. Unchecked growth of vegetation, an open gutter and garbage in the airport's vicinity attract birds that caused at least 50 accidents in 2013, up from 38 in 2012, say AAI officials.
Most of the birds involved were kites. If Browne's method is adopted, trained falcons circling the airport could force smaller birds like pigeons and kites to leave the area. "This technique is used in several places around the world, including by the Royal Air Force and officials at Sofia International Airport in Bulgaria," said Browne. "The idea is to get the birds when they are young. When you hand-rear them, they depend on you for food. Once set free at the airport, they fly up to 2,000 feet and circle within a radius of around 10km before being lured back with meat," he said.
Officials at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York city, who employed this technique for 15 years till 2011, now prefer to shoot down birds, said Browne adding that using falcons was more effective and environment friendly. "You need to use shot guns to bring down birds. This will mean a lot of bullets — made of lead — polluting a concentrated area. Also, how long can you keep shooting birds? It is not the right thing to do," he said. Browne's proposed project, which will include acquiring five pairs of falcons, a pair of hawks, a freezer for the food and bird-handling equipment, is estimated to cost `11 lakh.
AAI has floated a tender to hire a consultant to advise on the best method to curb bird-hits. "The consultant will do surveys and see what is required in Chennai. There are several methods that can be used now — including reflectors and sound emitters," said Harbhajan Singh, assistant GM, public relations of AAI. The current method of using firecrackers to scare birds is dangerous as they could trigger fires.
A proposal from UK-based bird enthusiast and environmentalist Walton Woollard Browne to train these magnificent predators that can reach speeds in excess of 320 kmph to scare away smaller birds that keep getting sucked into engines of flights landing and taking off at Chennai Airport is being studied by Airports Authority of India. Unchecked growth of vegetation, an open gutter and garbage in the airport's vicinity attract birds that caused at least 50 accidents in 2013, up from 38 in 2012, say AAI officials.
Most of the birds involved were kites. If Browne's method is adopted, trained falcons circling the airport could force smaller birds like pigeons and kites to leave the area. "This technique is used in several places around the world, including by the Royal Air Force and officials at Sofia International Airport in Bulgaria," said Browne. "The idea is to get the birds when they are young. When you hand-rear them, they depend on you for food. Once set free at the airport, they fly up to 2,000 feet and circle within a radius of around 10km before being lured back with meat," he said.
Officials at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York city, who employed this technique for 15 years till 2011, now prefer to shoot down birds, said Browne adding that using falcons was more effective and environment friendly. "You need to use shot guns to bring down birds. This will mean a lot of bullets — made of lead — polluting a concentrated area. Also, how long can you keep shooting birds? It is not the right thing to do," he said. Browne's proposed project, which will include acquiring five pairs of falcons, a pair of hawks, a freezer for the food and bird-handling equipment, is estimated to cost `11 lakh.
AAI has floated a tender to hire a consultant to advise on the best method to curb bird-hits. "The consultant will do surveys and see what is required in Chennai. There are several methods that can be used now — including reflectors and sound emitters," said Harbhajan Singh, assistant GM, public relations of AAI. The current method of using firecrackers to scare birds is dangerous as they could trigger fires.
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