A strange phenomenon occurs each year in North America where roughly a billion migratory birds die from hitting skyscrapers and towers, according to a recent study done at Oklahoma State University. Sidewalks in metropolitan areas literally become littered with dead birds, reported the Daily Press. But John Swaddle, a biology professor at the College of William and Mary, is hoping to stop the occurrence.
Swaddle’s plan is an interesting development around the migratory bird vs. tower issue. He is developing an “acoustic lighthouse” (a.k.a. alarm system) to prevent birds from crashing into tall buildings, towers, and wind turbines. Swaddle has completed a proof of concept in the college aviary and now he’s seeking funding to test the system in an outdoor environment.
The challenge, and cause for the phenomenon is that birds don’t really look where they’re going, according to Swaddle. Also, the placement of the birds’ eyes prevents it from seeing directly in front of it when it’s flying. To help birds avoid impact, the acoustic lighthouse uses a flat-panel speaker to produce white noise that mimics radio static. Swaddle told the Daily Press it’s “something that’s very unusual for a bird to hear, and I think that’s the crucial thing. It’s got to be both novel and conspicuous. Something that’s not easily confused with, say, traffic noise or air-conditioning noise. It’s got to be something that grabs their attention.”
During testing, Swaddle said the noise could prevent birds from crashing, by abruptly altering their flight position, essentially “slamming on the brakes.” In a real-world environment, the technology will likely be mounted on the exterior of buildings (or towers) several stories up. The concept is that a bird radar will trigger the signal as needed, when a bird is still about 50 meters away, giving it plenty of time to redirect flight.
The goal is for building designers, city planners and others to coordinate efforts, ensuring the technology is strategically placed for best effect, especially among multiple buildings in the same area. Swaddle hopes to test his acoustic lighthouse in a real world environment in the next year or two.
Published August 15, 2017
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