runway bird run off

The flightline at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. is nearly 75 percent safer than years previous because of improvements to its Bird and Wildlife Aircraft Strike Hazard, or BASH, program. One of the changes was to keep the grass height higher around the runways because birds are less likely to land somewhere if they can't see each other. (U.S. Air Force photo)

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SECRETS TO THEIR SUCCESS

Employed two wildlife biologists to help with the BASH program.

Let the grass around the flight line grow higher because flocking birds don't like grass that doesn't allow them to see each other.

Used herbicides to decrease weeds. Weeds attract insects; insects attract birds.

Removing beavers that created ponds near the flight line because water attracts birds.