Wild Goose Chase & Laser Bird Deterrence in the News: Laser Company’s Founder Describes Success in Deterring Birds Near Runway at Executive Airport

Dec 29, 2021
Canada Geese Flu

The success of our bird deterrent efforts at the Chicago Executive Airport is good news far and wide.

A recent article in Research EU magazine recaps the success of the AVIX Autonomic bird deterrent system, which uses a scanning camera and laser flashes to detect and scare off birds from places where they are a nuisance or a threat.

The article describes an EU-funded agricultural project in which the system, developed by Netherlands-based Bird Control BV, is used to repel birds from food crops.

Company founder Steinar Henskes described the technology’s growing use across 100 countries and referenced a 2020 case study at the Chicago Executive Airport where the Wild Goose Chase team used a handheld version of the AVIX system to successfully manage bird populations near the runways and reduce the threat of birds colliding with aircraft.

Wild Goose Chase has been providing bird control services to the airport since 1998.

Bird strikes are an ongoing threat at airports, especially during periods of migration. The case study looked at the effect of laser deterrence using the high-powered, handheld Agrilaser Aerolaser. The study documented our efforts over two migration periods to deter seven bird species: primarily Canada geese, European starlings, ring-billed gulls, and herring gulls.

The handheld units, designed specifically for airport use, allow operators to manage bird populations more precisely.

“The human element is important to make judgments on when to scare birds and when not to scare them,” to ensure that birds do not flee into the path of a plane, Henskes told the magazine.

Technology, Biology And Expertise: Keys To Success In Nuisance Bird Deterrence

We could not agree more. Our biology-based strategies, including the use of the AVIX Autonomic system, are built around expertise and experience in bird behavior, by species, by season and by application. Even when we implement use of the automated units for farming or agricultural applications, for water treatment plants and in response to chemical and oil spills, our work is always customized and guided by biology.

Lasers are safe, humane, and effective on all species of birds with no harm to other wildlife when used properly.

For more information about our laser bird deterrent strategies to help solve bird conflicts in a wide array of settings, reach out to one of our experts.

Contact us to learn more about bird conflict management