- Ibises that pose a risk to planes flying in and out of Perth Airport will be shot
- East Metropolitan Regional Council confirmed Ibises have increased in numbers
- Council has been forced to take action and residents should ‘expect gunshots’
- Aviation expert Geoffrey Thomas said the ibis is a serious problem due to it’s size
Pest birds that pose a risk to planes and passengers flying in and out of Perth Airport are set to be culled.
East Metropolitan Regional Council confirmed the population of Australian White Ibises, commonly known as bin chickens, has boomed at the Red Hill Waste Management Facility, which is directly in the fight path of Perth Airport planes.
Perth Now reported that the council has been forced to take action and residents should ‘expect gunshots’ on Monday, to cull bird numbers.
Ibises that pose a risk to planes and passengers flying in and out of Perth airport will be shot
The council sent a letter to local residents informing them of the disease Ibises can carry and transfer, but also of the ‘imminent threat to planes from bird strikes.’
Aviation expert Geoffrey Thomas, told Perth Now the Ibis is a serious problem due to it’s size.
‘The ibis represents a very serious problem, simply because it’s a very large bird,’ he said.
‘Bird strikes can and do bring down planes.’
Aviation expert Geoffrey Thomas, told Perth Now the ibis is a serious problem due to it’s size
Mr Thomas recalled a conversation with a 747 pilot who had a severe encounter with an ibis in take-off from Sydney which took out an engine.
According to Australian Transport Safety Bureau figures, there were 135 bird strikes at Perth Airport between 2015 and 2017.
The culling of the birds will continue throughout the year.
East Metropolitan Regional Council told local residents to expect to hear gunshots on Monday as the culling begins