DOT uses cannon to scare starlings off I-5 bridge

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Oregon Department of Transportation plans to fire noise cannons again this winter in an attempt to prevent thousands of starlings from roosting on the Interstate 5 Columbia River bridge in Portland.

The bird droppings are not only an unhealthy nuisance for bicyclists and pedestrians below, they also cause corrosion to the surface of the aging bridge.

The Oregonian reports the department uses a propane-powered cannon that also is used to scare birds out of orchards.

The cannon will fire in a random schedule to keep the birds from becoming accustomed to the noise and its location.