US Army Corps of Engineers
Little Rock District Website

CORPS USING NOISE MAKING DEVICE TO DISCOURAGE VULTURES AT BULL SHOALS DAM

Published Nov. 28, 2012

MOUNTAIN HOME, Ark. – The Army Corps of Engineers Mountain Home Project Office is using a propane powered noise making cannon to disperse the hundreds of vultures that have recently invaded the area around Bull Shoals Dam.

The timer-based cannon will be used from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. weekdays and is portable enough to be moved around the facility to where the vultures are roosting.

The propane cannon does not fire a projectile, nor does it physically harm the vultures, however, it does make a very loud “thunder clap” noise designed to discourage the vultures from remaining in the area. 

The vultures have been causing damage to the softer more pliable materials found on the roofs of the dam, powerhouse and other nearby facilities.  The birds have even caused damage to vehicles parked in the area by pecking and stripping windshield wiper blades, door insulation, and other soft exterior materials.  The caustic vulture droppings have also damaged metal and painted surfaces and discolored the concrete in areas where they tend to roost.

The vultures normally migrate and move on to other locations as the temperatures dip below freezing for extended periods of time.

 

For more information, call the Mountain Home Project Office at (870) 425-2700, ext. 1400.  Recreation information can be found on the Internet at www.swl.usace.army.mil, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/littlerockusace, and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/#!/usacelittlerock.  

                                                                           

 


Contact
Bruce Caldwell
501-340-1425

Release no. 12-093