September 5, 2001
Holly Smith
Community Information Specialist

Daytona Beach International Airport

BARC TO BANISH BIRDS AT DBIA

There’s no rest for weary birds at Daytona Beach International Airport. Two "dogged" staff members are spending their days clearing birds from the airfield as part of a new BARC (Bird Activity Reduction Canine) program.  Daytona Beach International Airport is one of only a handful of airports in North America to use dogs to clear birds from the airfield.  Suka and Fly – two female border collies – are the workhorses behind the program.

Daytona Beach International Airport is one of only a handful of North American airports using dogs to clear the flightline of birds, Ryan said. The other airports are Southwest Regional Airport, Fort Myers, Augusta Regional Airport, Georgia, and Vancouver International and Cold Lake Air Base, both in Canada. Several U.S. airforce bases use collies to chase birds. However, only Dover Air Force Base uses the canines on the airfield.

It’s a job that takes a lot of energy, training and discipline. But the persistent pooches don’t seem to mind. Three-year-old Suka and two-year-old Fly have one thing on their minds: seek but don’t destroy.

"Birds can be a hazard to aircraft that are taking off or landing," said Airport Director Dennis McGee. "It’s been a concern for us and for the Federal Aviation Administration because birds are difficult to chase away for any length of time. We’re expecting Suka and Fly to make a big difference."

The female border collies work daily with handlers who have been trained to control them using a whistle and verbal and visual commands. The canines herd their targets away from runways but will not harm the birds.

"They love to work," McGee said. "If we’d let them, they’d run all day. It’s up to the handlers to make sure the dogs take breaks and stay hydrated."

Each dog has three trained handlers who also work as Airport firefighters and Operations staff. Suka and Fly live in a kennel at the Airport fire station.

Since arriving in July, the duo has been getting acquainted with their handlers. Next week the handlers will be the ones receiving on-site training by a professional trainer.

Loud noises and air horns are effective only for a short time because the birds get used to the noise, McGee said. Shooting and poisoning the birds are methods the County chose not to use. Animal activists and environmentalists approve of the use of trained dogs, McGee said.

The dogs will be used to chase birds away from the Airport and the County landfill.

The County decided to purchase the dogs following a successful demonstration last year. The $6,500 cost per dog includes training their handlers. The pair was purchased from Fly-Away Kennels in North Carolina.

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