Talking Trash in the Big Apple: Mitigating Bird Strikes Near the North Shore Marine Transfer Station

Abstract

Anthropogenic activities that concentrate wildlife near airports increases the risk of wildlife–aircraft collisions. Placing waste management facilities, natural areas, golf courses, and other landscape features near airports have the potential to attract wildlife hazardous to aviation. We conducted a 3-year study (March 2013–February 2016) to determine if the implementation of a Wildlife Hazard Mitigation Program (WHMP) would influence the bird use of a waste transfer station located near LaGuardia Airport, New York City, New York, USA. We conducted wildlife surveys during 3 phases: (1) no mitigation program and no waste transfer station, (2) active mitigation and no waste transfer station, and (3) active mitigation and operating waste transfer station. Overall, bird abundance decreased when the WHMP was implemented, thereby reducing the risk of wildlife strikes with aircraft operating in association with LaGuardia Airport. The active mitigation program reduced the presence of birds associated with the waste transfer station as well as many species using the adjacent marine environment.