Photo by Stephen Salpukas/College of William & Mary
The College of William & Mary received a Grand Challenges Explorations grant through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to research using sonic nets to keep pest birds out of crops.
The research project, led by John Swaddle, professor of biology, and Mark Hinders, professor of applied science, was one of more than 80 Grand Challenges Round 9 grants announced today. Grand Challenges Explorations (GCE) funds individuals taking innovative approaches to the world’s toughest and most persistent health and development challenges.
In a two-page online application, Swaddle and Hinders had to demonstrate their idea could address one of five critical global health and development topic areas, which included agriculture development, immunization and communications.
Each year, millions of tons of food are lost to hungry birds. Swaddle and Hinders are perfecting sonic net devices that will emit sounds designed to keep birds from communicating about ripening crops.
“If the birds can’t hear each other, then they can’t share any information about where the food is or where predators are,” Swaddle said, adding that sonic nets will be especially effective against flocking birds. “If you’ve ever been next to a group of starlings or small parrots, they are constantly chattering to each to each other. So if you stop that, the birds will just move on to a place where they can talk to each other.”
The sonic nets will be deployed using mobile transmitters that carefully control where the sound goes, Hinders said. Most speakers send sound in every direction, but these would narrowly beam the sound.
The sonic nets wouldn’t harm the birds, and could present an environmentally sound solution to a global agricultural problem, the scientists said in a press release.
GCE-funded projects receive initial grants of $100,000 two times a year. Successful projects have the opportunity to receive a follow-up grant of up to $1 million.
