Aeronautical safety encompasses disciplines that extend far beyond the mechanics and operation of aeroplanes, as bird control at airports.
One of the most critical and fascinating of these is wildlife management, a field where ancestral techniques such as falconry play a leading role in modern airports.
This synergy between ornithology and aviation is fundamental to protecting flight operations. Here, we’ll explore an effective method of bird control near airport surroundings. Shall we begin?
In aviation lexicon, a ‘bird strike’ is defined as any collision between a bird and an aircraft.
Although modern aeroplanes are built to incredibly high standards of resilience, such an impact, particularly during take-off or approach manoeuvres, can severely compromise safety.
A paradigmatic example of this risk is the emergency landing on the Hudson River in 2009, an incident caused by a flock of geese being ingested by both of the plane’s engines.
Airport environments, with their wide, open plains and potential food sources, are highly attractive to birds like gulls and pigeons. Therefore, managing their presence is an indispensable task to mitigate danger and ensure the integrity of every flight.
Among the spectrum of bird control strategies, airport falconry stands out as one of the most effective and sustainable.
Its main advantage over artificial methods, such as sound devices or pyrotechnics, is that it prevents habituation. The real presence of a predator triggers an instinctive flight response that birds will never ignore.
The mere sight of a falcon soaring over the operational area is a sufficient natural deterrent to keep runways and their immediate surroundings clear of other birds.
The selection of birds like the Peregrine Falcon is no coincidence. It is because they are highly specialised aerial predators, whose diet primarily consists of other birds, which they catch in mid-air.
This characteristic positions them as the most direct and feared natural threat to the species that commonly frequent airports.
Their hunting behaviour is perfectly suited to the open spaces of an aerodrome. They patrol from a great height, visually dominating a vast territory. Their silhouette is an innate danger signal to other birds, creating a “safety bubble” around them.
This perception is reinforced by their extraordinary speed and agility, consolidating a constant and superior deterrent effect compared to other birds of prey with terrestrial habits.
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