Canadian Air Force Eliminates Bird Nuisance from 40,000‑sqft Hangar with Bird‑X Repellents

Canadian Air Force Eliminates Bird Nuisance from 40,000‑sqft Hangar with Bird‑X Repellents

In the rural town of Borden, just outside Toronto, the Canadian Forces School of Aerospace and Engineering faced a significant bird problem. A large colony of pigeons, purple martins, sparrows and other small birds had taken to nesting inside a 40,000‑square‑foot hangar that houses 20 aircraft and serves as a training ground for 240 students and 800 technicians per year.

“When the trainees returned after a weekend away, they found the hangar covered in droppings and nesting material,” explains Master Warrant Officer Ted Poper. “Bird excrement is corrosive to aircraft surfaces and can cause respiratory illness in humans.”

To address the issue, the school first hired a professional cleaning contractor to remove nests and debris. The contractor discovered that the birds had built nests from straw in the rafters and doors. While the cleanup resolved the immediate mess, a longer‑term solution was needed to keep the birds away.

Bird‑X Inc., a Chicago‑based company with 45 years of experience in humane bird control, was brought in to supply a non‑lethal, environmentally safe solution. The team installed a BirdXPeller PRO, a digital, programmable repeller that emits distress calls of pest birds and predator sounds. The system can be set to low, medium or high frequencies and offers three specialized versions: Version 1 (pigeons, starlings, sparrows, gulls), Version 2 (crows, blackbirds, grackles, ravens, cormorants) and WP (woodpeckers).

In addition to the BirdXPeller, eight Bird‑X Terror Eyes were installed. These large, orange globes are emblazoned with a holographic owl that spins in the wind, creating the illusion of a predator on the move.

“We changed the BirdXPeller frequencies daily—high during the day and low at night—to prevent birds from habituating to the sound,” says Poper. “The low frequencies are audible to both birds and humans, making the environment uncomfortable for the birds while remaining humane.”

The combined use of the BirdXPeller, Terror Eyes, and physical netting proved highly effective. Six months after installation, only two pigeons—named Healthcliff and Gertrude—remain in the hangar. The technicians continue to wear protective gear when cleaning, but the bulk of the bird activity has ceased.

Bird‑X’s product line extends beyond the BirdXPeller. It offers ultrasonic deterrents such as the QuadBlaster QB‑4, visual deterrents like the Bird Blazer and 3D Coyote, and physical barriers including bird spikes, sticky gels and netting. The company’s mission is to provide humane, non‑lethal solutions that respect wildlife while protecting property and human health.

“Our products are most effective when used in combination—sound, visual and physical deterrents work synergistically to create an environment that is undesirable to pest birds,” explains David Kogan, Bird‑X’s marketing director. “We are proud to serve organizations such as the Audubon Society, the Coalition to Prevent the Destruction of Canada Geese, the Humane Society of the United States and the USDA’s Animal Damage Control division.”

Bird‑X’s reputation for innovation dates back to 1964, when the company introduced its first ultrasonic bird repellent. Over the decades, it has refined its technology to become a trusted partner for military, commercial and residential applications worldwide.