Winnipeg Airports Authority actively manages a bird and wildlife control program for Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport. The objective of the wildlife management program is to minimize the risk of aircraft and animal strikes. The management strategy was developed and has evolved as with reference to the Transport Canada’s bird control manual.
A number of management approaches are applied consecutively to maximize the effectiveness of the program. o The airfield is fenced to keep out deer and other large animals.
_ Vegetation is managed to minimize habitat attractiveness. Techniques include turf maintenance and planting of agricultural species such as timothy that do not provide food for migrating birds and other species.
_ Some habitat modification techniques deterring waterfowl from nesting or staging at the airport during migration season. Infrastructure is designed to drain water away to minimize the attractiveness of the airport to waterfowl.
_ Wildlife harassment techniques are used to move wildlife away from flight paths and deter wildlife from taking up permanent residence on the airfield. Bird scaring devices such as noise cannons, and screamer and banger shells are regularly used.
_ Occasionally live trapping of wildlife or nest removal will also occur when appropriate.
The culling of birds and species such as rodents that attract predators is a wildlife control technique that is only used when other techniques have not been effective. This is the least preferred option and is seldom used.
Purple Loosestrife Control Program
Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria L.) is a noxious weed that aggressively invades water courses and wetlands, out-competing native vegetation which provides cover and food sources for wildlife and aquatic species. It was brought from Europe over two centuries ago because of its attractive purple blooms. It has spread over the North American continent, with each plant producing millions of seeds a year and no natural biological controls. The City of Winnipeg and the Province of Manitoba have developed programs to address the spread including the importation of purple loose strife beetle, the only known predator.
Purple loosestrife has recently been observed on airport property. Conscious of the destructive nature of purple loosestrife to stream waterways, WAA has implemented a "Purple Loosestrife Control Program" intended to curb the spread on airport property and adjacent municipal lands. Management techniques are consistent with provincial and city efforts and include manual removal, seed head destruction and the release of the purple loose strife beetle.
West Nile Virus
The West Nile Virus Bird Surveillance Program, initiated by Manitoba Conservation and enacted by Health Links, involves the collection wild birds from the crow family (crows, ravens, magpies, bluejays and greyjays), when deceased birds are found under unusual or suspicious circumstances. WAA is participating in the surveillance program, sending any suspicious bird remains found on airport property to the province.