There's no delicate way to put it. Bird poop just stinks. It creates messy, dangerous, unhealthful conditions and doesn't exactly improve public relations. Removing it is a nasty and expensive job; not removing it can be life-threatening in certain situations, such as at airports.

The poop problem was a continuing nightmare at 1,000-acre San Bernardino International Airport in California. A veritable mixed bag of birds were perching on lights and signs along the taxiways and runways of the airport, doing what comes naturally. The airport was spending about 200 man-hours per year cleaning off the filthy, white film not only from runway and taxiway lights, but also from the big black and yellow directional signs that guide pilots along proper routes before take-off and after landing.

The maintenance team tried gluing nails to the lights, to no avail, and even briefly considered a Tabasco-like hot sauce solution. The birds pushed the nails aside, and the hot-sauce fix was rumored to be temporary at best, washing away in the rain and leaving a red mess behind.

Airport Operations Officer Eric Ray found a solution in a trade magazine ad featuring "Spikes Needle Strips," a product manufactured by Bird-X, Inc. of Chicago. Made of heavy-duty transparent plastic, Bird-X Spikes have wide, angled branches like a Christmas tree. They are almost invisible and maintenance-free. The dense configuration of the spikes creates an impenetrable barrier against birds.

"They worked right away," says Ray. "Birds can't land on the Spikes, and it's hard for birds to lean up against them and push their way onto the lights. It has greatly reduced the problem."

He adds that Spikes don't affect the functional operation of the lights, don't interfere with the electrical wiring or connections in any way, nor do they hamper normal electrical maintenance procedures. Easy to install, Spikes come in 12-inch strips that can be glued, nailed or screwed onto surfaces as needed.

While Spikes are most commonly used on buildings for keeping birds off roofs, ledges, architectural details and beams, Ray found them ideal for application atop the runway and taxiway lights and signs. He adds that Spikes are also environmentally friendly, won't harm the birds, and are a simple alternative to big-time noise canisters or expensive ultra-sonic devices.

For more information, call Bird-X at (312) 226-2473

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