Bengaluru airport’s walk-in aviary to have 40 species

BENGALURU: Most airports tend to fend off birds to avoid accidents, but Kempegowda International Airport has decided to develop an aviary at its upcoming Terminal 2.
Spread over 1.5 acres, it will house over 40 species of birds, many of them exotic. The walk-in aviary is proposed to be located just after the terminal security-check area. It will be designed in such a way that it’ll be accessible to departing international and domestic passengers from all four levels/floors at the terminal.The design has been submitted and approvals are pending, said the agency in charge of designing the aviary.
The design entails vertical pavilions that will be constructed with staircases and lift for easy access to the aviary. “Designing an aviary in the airport is a challenge. On the one hand, we have to ensure birds do not pose a threat to aircraft and on the other, we’ve to shield them from sound and light pollution. So, we have included hiding spaces for birds to help them avoid pollution. To keep them far away from the runway, we have proposed a wire mesh to cover the top of the aviary,” said the designers.
It, however, may not be part of the first phase of Terminal 2. “Authorities are currently focused on finishing construction and kicking off first phase of operations. Approvals for the aviary are still pending. Work on setting it up may start only in the next phase,” said a source involved in the project.
Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) currently studies and tracks 153 species of birds that fall within a 13-kilometre radius of the airport. This includes studying their patterns, movements, body mass and wing spans to assess risk.
Macaws, parakeets, cockatoos, flamingos and pelicans are some some of the species that passengers may be able to spot at the aviary.