Bird poop problem, county steps in
Published March 24, 2006
Problems with migratory birds' excrement led Boone County officials to take some controversial steps toward getting the birds to move, including removing some downtown trees.
Ken Roberts, manager of the Boone County Facilities Maintenance Department, said the county plans to remove three Bradford pear trees along the sidewalk leading to the entrance of the Boone County Courthouse because flocks of European starlings rest in the branches.
"The biggest problem we have with the Bradford pears is the way the foliage in them causes birds to roost in them because they're the perfect environment for birds to roost in," Roberts said. "They're flowering trees with tight branches. They're like a condominium for the birds, and when you get 1,000 birds in them eating and pooping at the same time, you can get a half an inch of excrement on the entrance to the courthouse. We power-washed it everyday, but when you have the waste everywhere, it's a health concern."
Professor of fisheries and wildlife Dr. Leigh Fredrickson said the Bradford pear trees also attract the birds because of the trees' other dweller.
"They're probably attracted to them because of bugs associated with blossoms," he said. "The European starlings are a pain. They're an exotic species brought to this country many years ago."
Roberts said cutting the trees down isn't the first measure the county has taken to move the birds. He said the U.S. Department of Agriculture has a program that helps farmers frighten migratory birds with a cannon-like device that makes loud noises. For the past three years, the county has used two cannons to attempt to scare away the birds from the courthouse. Roberts said the cannons alternate firing and go off roughly six times per minute.
Roberts said because the cannons must be fired at dusk, using them in downtown Columbia was a problem.
"Unfortunately, at dusk, in downtown, people hit the sidewalk," he said. "To citizens, that sounds like you're in a war zone."
Professor of Animal Science Donald Spiers, an expert on animal stress, said the birds will likely not have any long-term damage from the cannon.
"There's nothing that I know of in terms of long-term effects, but of course it will scare the birds," Spiers said. "I don't know of anybody has ever looked into that or if anybody has ever been really concerned about it."
Ken Midkiff, the conservation chairman of Columbia's Sierra Club, said the county should look into other options.
"There are probably a lot of other things that should be explored before they cut the trees down," Midkiff said. "With the cannon, the birds just go somewhere else, but again there are probably other things that could be done. There's mostly concern with bird poop on the sidewalk and diseases that might or might not be there. Basically, what they're doing is sending the problems somewhere else."
Roberts said that though the trees would be cut down, they would be replaced with trees that birds would find less attractive nest in.
"I want to replace them with a crimson spire oak. They grow tall and thin, they're a long-life tree. They could spend 70 years on the grounds," Roberts said. "They were recommended by the city arborist."
