Glass Bird
Gerald R. Ford International Airport Prepares for Pest Bird Landings
A new 4,800-vehicle four-level parking structure, site work and a grand canopy entry area are currently under construction at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport in the Grand Rapids area. The approximately $115-million project began in September 2007 and it is expected to be completed in October 2009. The Grand Canopy is a glass structure attached to the parking garage covering the roadway and two skywalks to the Gerald R. Ford International Airport terminal. Whether you are waling or driving, you will be protected from the elements. The $114 million budgeted for the project includes roadway changes and utilities. The infrastructure improvements include a new entrance plaza to the airport grounds and an exit plaza from the parking structure.
Netting Under Canopy at Portland International Airport.
Gerald R. Ford International Airport is managed and operated by the Kent County Department of Aeronautics. Approximately 5,500 travelers pass through Gerald R. Ford International Airport each day. The airport covers nearly 3,200 acres (over five square miles), an area almost as large as the city of Grandville and a bit larger than East Grand Rapids. The new parking structure is being built to accommodate future increased airport traffic.
Part of the planning for the project included providing some sort of bird control on the canopy. This was deemed necessary because of the lessons learned at the Portland International Airport in Oregon. A similar canopy was constructed there that soon became home to thousands of pigeons. It order to get rid of the pigeons in Portland, over 18,000 sq. ft. of bird netting was installed. To avoid this problem in Grand Rapids, bird control netting was included in the project specifications. The job went to bid in July of 2007. The bird control portion of the project was awarded in December of 2007. The contractor was to hang approximately 180,000sq. ft. of bird control netting on the underside of the Grand Canopy to protect it from pest birds.
Using 85’ lifts to install bird netting.
Bird Netting Under Canopy Infrastructure.
The bird netting system is to be installed under the infrastructure of the Grand Canopy. Under the glass top is a network of beams that support the glass top; these beams make perfect landing, roosting and nesting areas for pest birds such as pigeons. Installation of the netting in October of 2008. An 8-man crew was used to install the netting in 12 different bays. The netting is attached to a cable system that is installed along the main trusses of the canopy. The areas are reached using 85’ and in some cases 135’ lifts. It took 6 weeks to finish 6.5 bays, and then the bird control installers were caught up to the construction crew. As soon as the construction is complete on the rest of the bays, the bird control installers will return and finish installing the bird netting. Bird netting was specified for this job because it is an all inclusive products. Installing it under girders of the canopy makes it impossible for birds to land on the infrastructure. It is also virtually invisible once installed; this ensures that the visual aesthetics of the canopy’s architecture is not disturbed. Bird netting also has a long guarantee, it should last up to if not longer than 10-years.
Besides the bird netting, bird spikes will be installed along the Welcome Wall to keep pigeons from landing and roosting there. Bird spikes are a great way to keep pest pigeons from landing on flat surfaces. What kind of Welcome would it be if the wall was covered with bird feces? Bird Spikes are available in polycarbonate plastic and stainless steel. The stainless steel where chosen for this job. Stainless Steel Bird Spikes are a long lasting, low visibility, economical bird control deterrent. The bird spikes will be installed in the final phase of the project sometime in April of 2009.
All of the bird control products installed on the Gerald R. Ford Airport were purchased from Bird-B-Gone, Inc.. Bird-B-Gone is the largest manufacturer of bird deterrent products in North America. Bird-B-Gone, Inc. offers over 100 products to deter pest birds. For more information contact them at (800) 392-6915. Bird-B-Gone, Inc. has a network of Authorized Installers available across the nation
About the Author
Fran Prisco lives and writes in Southern California. She has been in the bird control industry for over 8 years. Her areas of interests span from running and bicycling to volunteer work and golfing.
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How To Keep Your Pet Bird Safe In A World Of Hidden Dangers
Regardless of the fact that many birds can potentially outlive their owners, We need to remember just how fragile birds are when compared to many of the other types of pets we could own. An interesting fact that demonstrates the fragility level of birds is how miners used to actually exploit this weakness in order to insure their safety while underground. They would often bring a canary down into the mines with them since they knew that the birds were extremely sensitive to potential dangers and the canary would die if the air in the tunnel was becoming toxic.
Most pet birds also have this same sensitivity to toxic fumes. Even common every day items such as aerosol sprays, Teflon pans and even household furniture polish can be potentially lethal to most birds. It's highly advisable that when you use anything that has a strong odor or gives off fumes that you do so in a well ventilated area that is a good distance away from where your birds are kept.
Another dangerous hazard for your new pet bird is their natural attraction to chew on objects. Many birds like to bite and chew on items that are welded which may cause them to develop lead poisoning from the soldered joints on the object they were chewing. Birds also enjoy nibbling on potted plants and flowers. Make sure that if you keep any plants close to your birds cage that they are edible or at the very least non toxic. In cases were you are not really sure, it would be best to keep them safe distance away just to be on the safe side. Despite all the stories regarding poinsettia plants being poisonous, in reality they are pretty harmless. Another good idea would be to provide an alternative that is inherently safe, such as a small pot of an herb like parsley which may help your birds avoid the temptation to nibble in the first place.
If you tend to feed your birds different kinds of fresh foods, you are doing a good service for your birds health in most cases. However, it is very important to note that there are indeed some things you should never feed your birds. For example, items like avocado, coffee and chocolate are natural toxins to many birds.
When the holiday season begins to approach, chances are you will want to bring a tree into your home. A common misconception many people have when they bring a tree home is the assumption that their birds can make good use and get enjoyment out of climbing it. In reality many types of Christmas trees are pretty toxic to birds. Many times they have been treated with some form of chemical preservative to help them last longer during the holidays. In addition, many of the ornaments and the electric lights that we traditionally hang on our trees can also pose a safety hazard.
If your bird does not have it's wings clipped, there are additional safety concerns you should prepare for. First, you need to make sure that all of the windows in your home have shades or curtains so that if you let your bird fly around abit you can cover them while your bird is out so he wont just fly through any old opening. If your home also has glass doors, you should cover them as well. If you decide not to use any curtains or shades, in the very least you should attach some form of safety decals on the glass itself so that your bird can tell the glass is there. It is not unheard of to hear stories where a bird has flown into a glass window it could not see and broken it's neck. Any type of mirror or other reflective surfaces pose the same type of problem.
You should also be sure you don't have any kind of standing water that is easily accessible when your bird is out of it's cage. It's very easy for a bird to drown in a toilet or the kitchen sink in just a few seconds. Cooking while allowing your bird to fly around the house is also not the best idea, especially if you have any pots on your stove uncovered.
Lastly, more than one bird owner has over looked the fact that his bird was perched on their shoulder just as he rushed to answer the front door. You should never carry your bird with you to an open door, regardless wither or not their wings are clipped. Even a bird with clipped wings will still be able to glide fairly far if they happen to catch an updraft.
Some of these things may seem highly unlikely to occur but when you love your pet, any potential danger is worth being prepared for.
About the Author
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