Border Collies Cut Bird Strikes at West Virginia Airport by 70%

With Labrador Retriever, German Shepherd, and Belgian Malinois breeds on active duty as airport security, responsible for patrolling and sniffing out contraband, it was surprising to note that another highly trainable and super-energetic breed had not made the cut. The group above has expertly covered off the indoor patrols but what about those wide, open outdoor spaces? In other words, the landing strips and air space that large birds and wildlife tend to wander into at the least opportune times.

You see, each year airlines from across the globe spend an estimated $3.3 billion on delays and cancellations caused by bird strikes.

So, it’s serious stuff and while these winged interlopers aren’t smuggling in contraband, they do impact travel schedules and bottom lines… meaning they do need to be controlled. That’s why, at West Virginia’s Yeager International Airport, two Border Collies named Hercules and Ned have entered the picture. Now, anyone who knows the Border Collie breed already knows that their talent lies not as a sniffer dog but in corralling and shepherding sheep, goats, cattle and even chickens, back to their pens and enclosures at the end of the day.

And that last one segues perfectly into why that special talent was identified as a great fit for herding those larger-sized birds that land on and nest near airport runways. Yes, the dynamic duo of Hercules and Ned is scaring off birds and other wildlife that wander too close and impede planes from taking off or landing.

Initially, Hercules was the lone patrol dog (AKA the airport’s Wildlife K9), keeping air space safe from feathered fowl and flights on time. But, after years in the role, he was given a new partner named Ned. Together it’s estimated they’ve reduced wildlife strikes at the airport by a whopping 70%.

Handler Chris Keyser shares the decision to add a second dog was in part due to Hercule’s age. Because airports operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the dog was always available for duty and typically ran five to seven miles a day – in all types of weather. Particularly the rainy season when worms are surfacing and birds flocking. Tiring for anyone, right? It was also important that Hercules be able to pass his years of wisdom on to another generation of Wildlife K9.

As to how well Ned is picking up on his mentor’s tips and tricks, Keyser confirms that since watching Hercules at work, the new recruit has picked up all the same good habits including how to quickly exit the edge of taxi/runways and the need to lay down flat when planes are landing to avoid flushing birds out in front of the aircraft.

What to do when the time comes to actually retire? With over 3,800 fans on his Instagram page, Hercules is keeping busy with his posts and slowly introducing his loyal following to the new kid, Ned.