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Bowers Field Wildlife Hazard Management Plan <br /> Over 20,000 European starlings and other blackbirds were observed flying into,around, <br /> out of, and roosting in the cattails and trees/shrubs surrounding the shoreline of pond V in <br /> August. Significantly fewer blackbirds were observed using the pond other times of the <br /> year. It is common for adult and immature blackbirds and starlings to congregate in large <br /> roosts in mid to late summer. These roosts may be used again during winter and spring <br /> migration. <br /> Water is typically one of the most attractive habitats at airports across the country, but <br /> this level of significant use was unexpected. <br /> Other than a limited number of European starlings feeding and loafing around the areas <br /> where supplemental feed was provided for cattle, in the west undeveloped pasture(noted <br /> above), cattle grazing on airport property did not appear to attract hazardous wildlife in a <br /> manner that negatively impacted aviation safety. Calving was not permitted on airport <br /> property, which likely reduced the presence of large scavengers. <br /> 2.2 WHE Conclusion and Recommendations <br /> ELN does not have a wildlife observation,control,and strike database,nor are there records <br /> of a control program at the airfield. USDA WS recommends that ELN develop a hazardous <br /> wildlife control program. USDA WS will provide a useful example database and <br /> recommends that ELN use it or develop their own. <br /> USDA WS has yet to encounter an airport that does not have some level of hazardous <br /> wildlife activity, and ELN is no exception. However,mammals(e.g., coyotes), <br /> pigeons/doves, shorebirds (e.g.,killdeer and other plovers),upland birds(e.g.,pheasant <br /> and quail),and wading birds(e.g.,herons and egrets),which are typically observed <br /> at/around airports throughout Washington,were infrequently observed and few in <br /> number. <br /> Songbirds were frequently observed but are not a guild that wildlife hazard management <br /> programs generally focus control efforts or habitat management towards. Nationally, <br /> they are often struck,but rarely cause damage. Songbirds can attract some predators, <br /> which would be more hazardous to aviation safety,but that was not observed during the <br /> WHE. Directing habitat management towards deterring or excluding this guild could <br /> result in increasing the attractiveness for a more hazardous guild. <br /> Cattle grazing did not appear to increase wildlife hazards and likely helps manage <br /> vegetation and reduce weedy species in areas where grazing occurs. Calving operations <br /> are not permitted on airport property and that policy should continue. <br /> The following is a practical discussion for dealing with the key hazardous guilds <br /> documented during this WHE-blackbirds, corvids,raptors, and waterfowl. <br /> 2-10 <br /> 31 December 2024 <br />