Bio-acoustics are a powerful tool for bird control at airports, and we have built a 40-year business on their success. However, we always stress to our clients that there is no single solution to airport bird control. Even Scarecrow technology, powerful though it is, should be one tool in a toolbox.
But this doesn’t mean that all the tools in that box are completely separate. In fact, there are several ways in which bio-acoustics can integrate with other methods for maximum effect.
Decoys
Decoys can be used in conjunction with bio-acoustics to enhance the illusion of danger. The decoy here doesn’t even need to be elaborate. Simply waving a black or white rag while the distress call is playing can look, to a bird, like the distressed creature struggling for its life. This reinforces the illusion and helps convince the birds that the threat is genuine.
Similarly, if using a predator call to frighten away birds, adding a visual element will help convince the birds of the danger. Flying a decoy that looks like the predator close to the source of the sound will be even more powerful encouragement to make themselves scarce. However, this is not appropriate for all species. Corvids, for example, may try to mob the “predator” rather than flee.
Explosions and Loud Noises
A lot of the time, you should avoid employing pyrotechnics, firearms and other startle-based methods at the same time as bio-acoustics. However, there are times when the two can be combined to achieve better dispersal than either method could alone.
You should never set these off while a call is actively broadcasting. This can create confusion and ultimately hamper your efforts to remove birds in a way that is both safe and effective. However, if you are short of time for whatever reason and you need to clear the birds as quickly as possible, you can use them after the broadcast has stopped. This does not create as much confusion as using the two methods simultaneously, and giving a shock to birds that have already been rattled by a distress call can make them disperse more quickly.
B.I.R.D Tab Data Logging and Other Methods
B.I.R.D Tab combines our market-leading bio-acoustic technology with a complete data logging solution – and we do mean a complete data logging solution. We understand that multiple tactics are needed, so the use of other methods can be logged, analysed, and reported on through B.I.R.D Tab just like dispersals using our distress calls.
Scarecrow Group has a full suite of bio-acoustic bird control tools for airports, and the knowledge to help you fit them into your toolbox effectively. Click here or get in touch to find out more.
