Bird control: preventing bird strikes

How do you stop birds from landing on your ponds?

Bird Strikes and the Importance of Effective Bird Deterrence: A Comprehensive Look

Bird strikes have long been a critical concern in aviation due to their potential to compromise flight safety, particularly during takeoff, initial climb, approach, and landing. These incidents occur when birds collide with aircraft, and they can result in significant damage to engines, fuselages, and windshields. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has reported around 19,400 bird strikes at U.S. airports in a recent year, averaging more than 47 strikes per day. Although modern aircraft are designed to withstand certain levels of impact, severe strikes can lead to serious accidents, sometimes with tragic outcomes. Historically, bird strikes have been linked to over 491 fatalities worldwide and the destruction of more than 350 aircraft since 1988. Such collisions not only threaten passenger and crew safety but also generate enormous expenses through repairs, inspections, and operational disruptions. In the United States, the annual cost of bird strikes has been estimated at around $1.2 billion, once all the direct and indirect expenditures are calculated.

While the aviation industry has implemented various deterrence strategies to minimize the incidence of bird strikes, it remains an ongoing challenge. Many airports are located near bodies of water or landfill areas that attract wildlife and create a higher risk of bird incursions. Bird activity is particularly prominent in the daytime, and certain migratory patterns can bring large flocks through flight paths at inopportune times. Efforts such as habitat management, avian radar systems, and the use of deterrent devices (for instance, lasers or noise cannons) have been introduced to reduce the number of birds congregating on or near runways. Although some measures have seen modest success, results can be mixed, and many strategies require ongoing research and refinement to remain effective.

Birds are also drawn to fresh water ponds and man-made storage ponds built near runways to meet various airport needs. These ponds often become prime attractions for waterfowl and other bird species seeking both food and resting spots. In the past, some airports have used netting to cover these water sources, but netting does not camouflage the water and, therefore, still draws birds looking for a habitat. Because netting allows sunlight to pass through, algae and weeds continue to flourish, thus making these net-covered ponds an even more appealing place for feeding and roosting birds. Additionally, netting can suffer from reduced durability in cold climates where snow and ice accumulate, leading to the need for frequent repairs or replacements.

Given the limitations of netting and other deterrents, more airports are exploring floating cover solutions as an effective and cost-efficient way to address the challenge of bird strikes. Floating covers such as Armor Ball® and Hexprotect® AQUA have proven to be exceptionally successful at camouflaging the water surface, significantly reducing bird activity around these previously open water areas. By blocking sunlight, these covers prevent the algae and weed growth that makes ponds attractive to birds. This approach creates a less hospitable environment for waterfowl, thereby discouraging them from landing on or near the runways. Airports also benefit from the robust and low-maintenance nature of these floating solutions, which are approved by the FAA and are easy to install.

The key to effectively reducing bird strikes lies in implementing strategies that alter the factors drawing birds into risky proximity with aircraft. Although surveillance, habitat modification, and wildlife management programs are essential components, the most effective and economical way to keep birds from landing on bodies of water is by using floating covers. This method addresses the root cause of the problem—open, sunlit water—and transforms attractive feeding and nesting sites into unappealing places for bird populations. The result is enhanced flight safety, reduced infrastructure damage, and significant cost savings for airports facing the persistent challenge of bird strikes.

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