01.13.2025 PW SS Briefings - Laserfiche WebLink

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Bowers Field Wildlife Hazard Management Plan 2.2.1 Blackbirds Three flocks of 20-200 starlings were observed using the areas where supplemental cattle feed was provided, but these birds would likely have used other areas of the airfield rather than being attracted to the west undeveloped pasture area. Supplemental feed in the winter has been ongoing for years,but large flocks were not regularly observed using the feed during the WHE. Therefore, USDA WS does not believe that the supplemental feed was a significant attractant or that it resulted in negative impacts to aviation safety. The>20,000 starlings roosting along pond V was the most significant hazard to aviation safety observed during the WHE. Roosts like these often occur in the same locations year after year. This is likely a well-developed roost and not the first year of its existence. Eliminating the roost should result in an effective dispersal of most blackbirds from the airport. However, monitoring will be required to make sure the birds are dispersed,and not just moved to a different area on the airport. There are practical actions that can be taken to eliminate the roost. Recommendations include: 1) Divert drainage water from transiting onto airfield property and creating/maintaining pond V. Drain the pond and remove the cattails and woody vegetation around it. Without water,the vegetation will not persist. Without the vegetation,there will be nothing for the birds to roost in. a. Additionally, draining the pond would deter/exclude all waterfowl from wanting to use it(this will be discussed under waterfowl). 2) Remove the vegetation in/around pond V without mitigating the water. This would eliminate the roost habitat. If the vegetation is allowed to grow back,the roost could be re-established. This means the area would need routine monitoring and labor to remove vegetation every 2 to 3 years. a. This would not deter waterfowl from using the pond. 3) Begin a program to actively harass and lethally remove blackbirds from the area. This would generally require the use of pyrotechnics and firearms for at least 3-5 evenings in a row, beginning as soon as blackbirds start using the roost. After that,evening site visits should be made to ensure no starlings return; every other evening the first week and less often thereafter. Because of the dry conditions in the summer,pyrotechnics should be used cautiously. Firearms with size 7 or smaller non-toxic bird shot would be more effective and less likely to start a fire than pyrotechnics. a. Starlings are an invasive species and no permit is needed to shoot them. 4) As long as pond V exists, it should be monitored several evenings a month and birds hazed from the area whenever observed. 2-11 31 December 2024