U.S. Department of Agriculture: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Date of this Version
January 2003
Abstract
Birds pose serious hazards at U.S. airports because of the potential for collisions with aircraft. Raptors, in particular, are hazardous to aircraft safety due to their size, hunting behavior, and hovering/soaring habits. Reduction of rodent populations at an airport may decrease raptor populations in the area and therefore, reduce the risk that raptors pose to aircraft. Rodent populations can be reduced by population management (i.e., use of rodenticides) or by habitat management (i.e., vegetation management, barriers, and land uses) that reduces the area’s carrying capacity for rodents. We discuss potential approaches to reduce rodent populations at airports within the context of an integrated pest management strategy.
Comments
Proceedings of the 10th Wildlife Damage Management Conference. (K.A. Fagerstone, G.W. Witmer, Eds). 2003.