For the fifth year in a row Phoenix Arizona is the fastest growing city in The United States. A huge boom in the local economy, great housing opportunities and of course the weather makes this a destination for many. But as houses keep being built and the city limits expanding so is a growing problem that everyone is complaining about. Nuisance Pigeons in Phoenix. They are literally everywhere and causing lots of headaches for residents, business owners, etc. The pigeons are so bad that the City of Phoenix implemented a no feeding ban in July of 2019 to try and slow down the problem. (Full Story Click Here)

Pigeon’s feces have a high rate of acidity which causes a 50% increase rate of roof decay and vehicle paint removal. If they decide to nest in your attic their nests and feces can cause structural damage and even be considered a fire hazard. It is hard to believe these peaceful and docile birds can be such a nuisance, but they truly can make for an expensive mess if not taken care of properly.

Here are 4 tips that we at Loomacres Wildlife Management have used to prevent pigeons and other birds from hanging around your property.

1)    Bird Spikes – Installing bird spikes on your roof or fence is a decent way to prevent pigeons and other unwanted birds from perching or hanging around your property.
2)    Owl Decoy – By hanging an owl decoy on your fence line or on your roof, you are creating a predator presence that will detour pigeons from hanging around. We recommend relocating it to avoid birds from catching on.
3)    Seal Your Home- Make sure all access points like vents, chimneys, air ducts are sealed and well maintained. This will prevent birds from having the ability to nest inside your home.
4)    Noise Makers – The use of predator sounds through a speaker, the occasional firework or pyrotechnic, even a cap gun might scare off unwanted pigeons from your yard or roof.

Sometimes an expert need to be involved or sometimes the problem is too big to handle yourself. If none of this works and you are still having a problem with nuisance birds, Click Here and fill out a contact form and one of our nuisance wildlife staff members will contact you shortly.

Despite Eagles being majestic and the patriotic symbol of America, they have a very dirty habit that is causing many to be concerned with the huge rebound in population. Eagles in many populated Northwest states like Oregon, Washington and Alaska have been witnessing their resident eagles picking through their trash and hanging around landfills and garbage dump sites. Usually we associate crows, ravens, and gulls as the garbage experts but seems Bald Eagles are not above a little dumpster diving for a quick meal. So, what is the problem with these “Trash Dragons” picking through leftovers?

One alarming concern is the increasing taste for easy food is causing many Bald Eagles to die or become harmed through the ingestion of plastics and other hazardous material. Clearly the Bald Eagles digestive system is used to breaking down fish and wild animals it preys upon. It is not built to breakdown plastics or other hazardous material which causes the bird of prey to become disoriented, diseased, and even death. Eagles are typically highly skilled and proficient hunters, however the attraction to easy food is too much for them to pass up which over time could cause juvenile eagles to never develop hunting skills to survive.

Another concern is the use of garbage for nest building. Many residents in Seattle Washington have filed numerous complaints with local authority due to Eagles dropping trash all over their property and even within city limits. (Click Here Full Story) What happens is the Eagles are digging through landfills or residential garbage cans and finding material to make their nests. The material they drop on the way finds itself all over yards and housing communities. Also nesting eagles using garbage creates an eyesore that some are taking measures to harass the nesting birds before they take up residency.

Lastly the number of human interactions and attacks from Bald Eagles has risen in the last few years. As they continue to adapt and live in heavily populated areas the threat of humans is not fazing these dangerous birds of prey. In Washington state for example there has been several documented cases where Eagles have attacked humans or become territorial over garbage cans left on the curb or garbage being left in parks or parking lots.

Although bald eagles are no longer listed as endangered, having been removed from the federal list of threatened or endangered animals in 2007, the species is still federally protected. Congress in 1940 passed the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, which made it illegal to “pursue, shoot, shoot at, poison, wound, kill, capture, trap, collect, molest or disturb” the animals. This however is a grey area lately in the world of Wildlife Management. There are certain cases and circumstances where you are allowed to harass eagles that are becoming a nuisance and Loomacres Wildlife Management has plenty of experience hazing eagles legally!

If you are having issues with Bald Eagles becoming a nuisance and need help with a non-lethal solution, please Click Here and fill out the fields for one of our Wildlife Biologists to contact you shortly.

In 2020 the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded $840 million in Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants, and former President Donald Trump's proposed $17.1 billion fiscal 2020 budget for the FAA which made it through the House Appropriations Committee with $614 million more than requested, putting the new total for the FAA at $17.7 billion. Yep, that is a lot of grant money available to airports who apply for them.

What projects do the FAA AIP Grants cover?
Eligible projects include those improvements related to enhancing airport safety, capacity, security, and environmental concerns. In general, sponsors can get AIP funds for most airfield capital improvements or rehabilitation projects and in some specific situations, for terminals, hangars, and nonaviation development. Projects related to revenue producing facilities may be eligible at non-primary airports if the airport has already satisfactorily addressed all airside needs and the improvement will increase revenue for the airport.

Examples of Eligible Projects:

• Airfield Lighting
• Airfield Signage
• Runway Construction/rehabilitation
• Land Acquisition
• Environmental Studies
• Wildlife Hazard Assessment & Wildlife Hazard Management Plan
• Taxi Way Construction/rehabilitation
• Access Roads
• Safety area improvements

*Note these are just a few examples.

Need Help Applying for an AIP Grant?
Many airports outsource this process which is a great idea. Like most government grant programs there are many steps, rules, and procedures to follow.  Let the professionals handle it like us Loomacres Wildlife Management. We staff several Airport Certified Wildlife Biologists and work with several Aviation Engineers that specialize in applying for available grants. If you are wanting more information or need help applying for an AIP Grant, please fill out the fields below and someone will reach out to you and get the process started.

One of the biggest pet peeves we see in our industry is the constant flow of money going from airports to the USDA which is a Federal Agency. Everyone loathes paying taxes, government regulations, and well just about anything to do with election years but why are airports so insistent on outsourcing their Wildlife Hazard Training, Wildlife Hazard Assessments, Wildlife Hazard Management Plans, and their Airport Wildlife Control to the USDA?

Granted they have been around forever, and they have 29 different agencies that employ almost 100,000 employees who serve at over 4,500 locations. But they are the government, and they are extremely slow, outdated, and expensive! Hell, their customer service line is even a 1-800 number that directs you to a call center that directs you to another call center and switchboard. Their training classes resembles a 1980’s health class projection movie on sex ed. Boring! The most common answer we hear when asking someone why they keep renewing their contract with the USDA is “we’ve always used them and have never looked at anyone else”. Well, here is your different option smacking you in the face, so stop paying the Government for Airport Wildlife Control!

Loomacres Wildlife Management was created in 2008 by created by Airport Wildlife Biologists to better serve an industry that was outdated and lacking vision with a focus on Airport Wildlife Hazard Management. Loomacres was the first private sector company appointed by the FAA to service WHA, and WHMP’s! In striving to resolve the bird strike and wildlife-strike problem, the aviation industry must continue to rely on the system safety approach to reduce exposure to, and probability and severity of, wildlife strikes. With an emphasis on using new technology like infrared monitoring, drones, and avian radar systems Loomacres has surpassed the USDA in efficiency and techniques.

Five Reasons to compare Loomacres to The USDA.

1. Price: We tend to save our new clients 20-30% off their current contract or training cost. How do we do this? Simple we are a private sector company that does not need to cover a giant overhead of 100,000 employees.
2. New Tactics: We use the latest techniques and equipment to ensure results. By keeping up with a changing industry that poses new threats daily we make it a priority to look for more efficient ways of doing what we do.
3. Service: We pride ourselves on always being there for our clients. You are no more than one phone call, one text message, or one email from speaking directly to the owner of our company! When is the last time POTUS returned your call?
4. New Prospective: If you are one of those Airports that have always been doing business with the USDA then a fresh perspective might be a game changer! You never know what a new company could identify just by looking at you WHMP and strike history.
5. Training: each year our training instructors / certified airport wildlife biologists train thousands of airport personnel to fulfill the FAA requirements for Wildlife Hazard Management training and Wildlife Identification. These trainings are customized based off your Wildlife Hazard Management Plan so each class you take is specific for your airport and your airports needs.

With a huge influx in FAA AIP Grants the last two years and a growing need for Airport Wildlife Hazard Management due to a ton of factors we at Loomacres believe its time you take your Wildlife Management to a Higher Level! Give us a call or fill out the fields below and let’s start the conversation on what we can do for you and let us earn your business!