Bird and small mammal abundance at four types of waste-management facilities in northeast Ohio

Abstract

Location of waste-management facilities in urban and suburban areas is increasingly controversial for a variety of reasons. Because traditional putrescible-waste landfills often attract large numbers of gulls ( Larus spp.) and other birds, they can present a significant risk to air-traffic safety when located near airports. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) provides recommendations for the location of putrescible-waste landfills and other waste-management facilities near airports because of the potential for bird—aircraft collisions. To extend the life of traditional putrescible-waste landfills, many communities are turning to non-traditional waste-management facilities such as yard-waste compost facilities, construction and demolition landfills, and trash-transfer stations. These types of facilities may present potential bird-strike risks, and may attract nuisance birds such as starlings ( Sturnus vulgaris) and rock doves ( Columba livia), and nuisance mammals such as Norway rats ( Rattus norvegicus). Objective data are needed on bird and mammal use of these facilities for wildlife biologists to advise regulatory agencies and local governments on the siting and management of these facilities. From May 1993 to April 1994, we compared bird species and numbers at five non-traditional waste-management facilities of three types in northeastern Ohio with species and numbers at a vacant lot (control site) and at a major putrescible-waste landfill. We also surveyed small mammal species and numbers at two compost facilities, a vacant lot, and a small wooded lot. Bird abundance at the five facilities was no different than, or less than, at the vacant lot. About 350 times more birds were seen per observation at the putrescible-waste landfill than at the other five waste-management facilities. Bird use of these non-traditional waste-management facilities appears to be influenced much more by the type of habitat or land-use surrounding the facility than by the waste itself. Fewer small mammals were caught at the compost facilities than at the vacant lot and wooded area. Thus, these non-traditional waste-management facilities do not appear to attract birds or small mammals at higher than background levels and would not pose a significant nuisance problem to the community or be a hazard to aircraft if located near airports.