Wanted: Falcons, Handlers For Mission in Afghanistan

Source: Washington Post

The U.S. Air Force, a high-tech wonder of precision missiles and pilotless surveillance drones, is looking for a few good falcons.

Live falcons, that is, ones with feathers and talons, the kind that hunt mice and small birds.

U.S. aircraft at the sprawling Bagram air base in Afghanistan are coming under increasing attack -- not from al-Qaeda or Taliban fighters but from "many small songbirds, pigeons, Magpies, Hawks and Black Kites," according to a bid request for a "bird control services" contract issued by the Army last month.

Previous attempts at controlling the birds have failed. Personnel have shot "bangers and screamers" at the birds -- rockets that can travel hundreds of yards as they give off a siren-like noise, followed by a loud bang. Shotguns have been tried, too.



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/02/AR2008110202535.html?hpid=topnews

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The article goes on to say that migratory birds are a real problem, because Afghanistan is right on the migratory bird route.

I'm completely sickened by this article. I think my sig-line sums it up...

and the falcon doesn't necessarily kill the birds. The falcon just being there scares off most birds. Actually it is probably a better way to scare off birds then killing them.

Jeez, do we need another voice from the whirlwind?

It's fauna. Not flora. Flora refers to plants and bacteria.

the Israeli Air Force tracks migratory bird routes and plans their exercises around them. They know better than to fight mother nature.

what you mean they cant hire a Bangladeshi falconer for pennies a day..
i think the art of falconry originated in that area, perhaps they could employ a few of the locals if they really need to decimate the environment over there..