Geese and other birds have been a frequent problem for airlines, especially during 2012.  When birds collide with airplanes they can shatter windshields, dent fuselages and ruin engines and even place passengers’ and airline employees’ lives at risk.

The most recent and high profile bird strike occurred two weeks ago: on July 31 a collision above Denver Airport put a massive hole in a United Airlines jet as it prepared to land. The perpetrator (cue: the Law & Order or CSI theme song whichever you prefer….) is believed to be a large bird. The collision tore a big chunk from the nose of the plane right below the windshield.  Fortunately the blow didn’t severely damage the plane.  The pilot said that the strike caused damage to the airplane’s horizontal stabilizer and air speed indicator but didn’t affect the engines or landing gear. No one on board was hurt.

In April, a JetBlue plane bound for West Palm Beach, Fla., made an emergency landing at Westchester County Airport north of New York City due to a bird strike. That followed a Los Angeles-bound jet that made an emergency landing at Kennedy Airport after a bird strike on the right engine a few days before.

This of course follows the most famous bird collision incident. In January 2009 US Airways flight crashed into birds on its ascent, and the captain safely landed the plane in the Hudson River. (While most rightfully hail the pilot Captain Sully Sullenberger as a true hero, geese have another perspective – shared during two very clever Saturday Night Live Weekend Updates. Click here for the 2009  and 2010 videos.)

Bell Environmental knows that birds can be considerable pests in airports and other transportation areas.  Typically the largest numbers of strikes happen during the spring and fall migrations. Most accidents occur when the bird hits the windscreen or flies into the engines. Annual damages have been estimated in the hundreds of millions in the United States.

Bell Bird Control removes gull, pigeon and goose populations that swarm open areas like airplane hangars, and nest in eaves, ledges and other tight quarters. These pest birds can be an aggressive nuisance and pose a significant health hazard that threaten your investment and put ports at risk for legal action.

Reach out to Bell Bird Control to set up a free consultation. Or, call us at 877-406-2473 to speak with a bird control expert today!