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Robot Falcon Scares Pigeons and Gulls Away
1 Nov
Summary
- Robotic falcon successfully scared feral pigeons and black-headed gulls.
- Gulls were displaced for up to 10 days, with reduced activity persisting.
- Pigeons returned within 30 minutes, showing less long-term deterrence.
A remotely controlled robotic bird of prey, named RobotFalcon, has demonstrated its capability to disperse avian populations from key areas. Researchers tested this peregrine falcon mimic at a cattle farm in northern Italy, targeting approximately 500 feral pigeons. Concurrently, trials were conducted at a wastewater treatment plant with about 8,000 black-headed gulls.
The robotic falcon successfully induced escape responses in both species. While pigeons quickly returned to the farm within 30 minutes of the robot's landing, the gulls exhibited a more significant and lasting reaction. The study, published in Ecological Solutions and Evidence, indicated that the robotic decoy could trigger massive displacements of gulls, with their numbers decreasing significantly over the trial period.
Further analysis using marine radar revealed that reduced gull flight activity persisted for up to 10 days after the robotic falcon's deployment. This suggests a sensitization effect, where repeated exposure made the gulls less likely to return, rather than habituation. The findings highlight the potential of robotic deterrents for wildlife management.
Researchers observed distinct collective behaviors from both species when the robotic falcon approached. Pigeons displayed collective turns, while gulls formed darker, more compact groups. These behaviors diminished as the flocks learned to anticipate the robot's presence and departed more rapidly. The robot was launched between 50 to 100 meters from the birds.
