The Canadien Chamolion. Frkdav. Juiv 11- 1 9g7.-2 Photo by GRAHAM PAINE Keith Everett with a seven-year-ald femnale hawk, one of three birds he uses at the regional landfill site in Milton. Bird of prey keeps pesky guils away By BRAD REAUME The Champion Perched on top of a 20-foot high pile of wood chips a sleek, brown Harris Hawk surveys the skies. Sceing the menace, only two seaguils fly within human sight, both wheeling and drifting with the wind some distance away from their natural enemy. The ancient art of falconry bas modern applications. Hawks are used to control scavenger birds at Halton's landfill site. According to Keith Everett, who bills himself as The Birdman, birds are attracted to any food source. They also like airports because of the large infield grass areas which they can use to feed or roost. Seagulîs will fly sever- ai hundred miles inland to get food, he said. Halton's landfill has ail three strikes CINEMAS 2M5 GUELPN STREET 873-199 MEN UN BLACK 'o kWs 7:00 à M9 Pa.. Wsd. S&. & Sm. 2«0 pin. ueo Fdogmww. su HOLDÉNO __AM HERCULES FA Eui*Wg 7:00 pin. & 9:0 pini. Sit. à Sun. & W.d.2:W p.m 177L .IULV 15 DATMAN à ROBIN G w, S& à Sm. 2M pin. nDPDDP1 (W TNP gm9 against it. Garbage is a rich food source, the Burlington Air Park is only a few miles to the west and both are fairly near Lake Ontario, where the seagulîs spend most of their time. In addition the landfill is sur- rounded by agricultural property, which, especially during plowing, attracts scav- enger birds. The recent cool temperatures get the birds moving because their bodies need food to generate the heat Io keep them warm, Mr. Everett said. Despite their need for food the vigilant Harris Hawk need only remain perched in view to keep the seagulîs away. Mr. Everett said he got involved in fal- conry during family trips to visit an oncle in England. That knowledge, plus some time work- ing on the tarmac at Pearson International Airport, earned him the opportunity to leam more as part of the Pearson bird con- trol program. He has since branched out see HAWK on page 12 THE t@LUNG ASSOCIATION 0DIW~S 9 ~li"3® 5-911b. ) f0 ÎLI C-1-tâ, A