July 26, 2009

Pulsating lights could be one solution to keep birds away from airplanes as officials investigate new ways to reduce the chances of bird strikes at airports across the nation.

According to a Cleveland newspaper, scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Wildlife Research Center in Ohio are trying out several nonlethal methods to keep fowl off airport runways.

In addition to pulsating lights, officials are trying to deter bird-attracting earthworms from crawling onto runways after it rains.

Other techniques to keep birds away from airports include broadcasting bird distress calls, posting models of hawks and owls, and planting distasteful grasses.

It was Canada geese that got caught in the engines of Flight 1549 in January, forcing the plane to splash land in the Hudson River.