Highest bird-hits last year, Mumbai airport arms itself before monsoon

And with a thorough airside grading process complete, MIAL is now mulling over procuring special equipment to keep the grass on the airfield short once the rains set in as it is perfect for roosting and a major attraction for birds.

For the airlines, the Mumbai bird menace is a serious issue. Low cost operator Deccan Airways had earlier raised the issue with the government. “The cost of grounding an Airbus 320 is about Rs 25 lakh per day, and an ATR Rs 5 lakh,” said its spokesperson.

According to Minister of Civil Aviation Praful Patel, among the four metro airports, Mumbai’s 30 bird-hits was the highest last year — not surprising, given the airport’s proximity to habitation. Delhi, which saw 25 bird-hits, has appointed an NGO to study bird movement around the Indira Gandhi International Airport, apart from buying a high-end scarecrow bio-acoustic system, which broadcasts species distress calls for bird dispersal. However, at Mumbai airport which is frequented by black kites, crows and pigeons, home-grown methods are working. “Bird scarers, who use firecrackers to shoo away birds, are very effective here,” says Connie Muller, GM, airside management, MIAL. Having held various senior positions in Airports Company South Africa, a consortium partner in MIAL, he said for the moment, CSIA wouldn’t need to replicate South African efforts of employing trained falconers —using birds like falcons and creating a predator-prey relationship to clear the air or using trained dogs (kelpies) to scare birds and patrol runways.