Drone Eagles vs. Seagulls: 'You'd be surprised how well this works'
CALDWELL, Idaho (KBOI) - Seagulls at a Canyon County landfill are getting some new neighbors.
Officials at the Pickles Butte Landfill are using Avian Mitigation Drones, which, in other words, are remote-controlled eagles that are keeping the birds away from the landfill.
"You'd be surprised how well this works," said Jack Biddle, landfill director. "The first time we flew one of the eagles, within seconds there was a flock of seagulls scrambling to get away from it."
The so-called Avian Mitigation Drones are made out of expanded polypropylene, a durable type of foam. Their bodies are approximately two and a half feet long with close to about a five-foot wingspan.
They were purchased from a company in Taiwan, China and cost about $135 per fake eagle body. The landfill currently owns two drones. | Photos of the Eagle Drones
The seagulls are considered a nuisance because when they're airborne the droppings can pose a possible health risk - as well as an unpleasant mess.
The drones are only able to fly with little or no wind.
The landfill staff also use kites, firecracker type blanks, whistlers and the application of daily soil cover to help control the seagulls.
Officials at the Pickles Butte Landfill are using Avian Mitigation Drones, which, in other words, are remote-controlled eagles that are keeping the birds away from the landfill.
"You'd be surprised how well this works," said Jack Biddle, landfill director. "The first time we flew one of the eagles, within seconds there was a flock of seagulls scrambling to get away from it."
The so-called Avian Mitigation Drones are made out of expanded polypropylene, a durable type of foam. Their bodies are approximately two and a half feet long with close to about a five-foot wingspan.
They were purchased from a company in Taiwan, China and cost about $135 per fake eagle body. The landfill currently owns two drones. | Photos of the Eagle Drones
The seagulls are considered a nuisance because when they're airborne the droppings can pose a possible health risk - as well as an unpleasant mess.
The drones are only able to fly with little or no wind.
The landfill staff also use kites, firecracker type blanks, whistlers and the application of daily soil cover to help control the seagulls.
This has got to be a violation of something, FAA rules, harrassment of wild birds, good thing they don't have Cormorants, now there is a bird that really has some droppings. Oh, no problem this is in Idaho, not Oregon. The Progressives don't have that state yet.