A system installed to scare birds off the runway at Capital International Airport in Beijing with noises of predatory birds has not worked because it used the wrong accent.

The equipment was imported from the US and plays sounds of birds such as hawks to repel birds that pose a danger to aircraft.

But the birds were apparently unruffled by the foreign squawks because of a "language barrier."

Staff quickly recorded the sounds of Chinese hawks into the machine when they realized the problem, but they will have to wait to test them because the migratory birds have departed after spending several weeks happily roosting and feeding on grass bordering the airstrip.

"Birds have their own ways of communicating and recognize the sounds made by their natural enemies," said Zhang Zhengwang, biology professor and bird expert at Beijing Normal University.

Earlier this year, the airport installed scarecrows in the shape of birds of prey that swayed in the wind, with some success. Dozens of bird nests were also removed from nearby lampposts on the perimeter road.

"Bird strikes can be catastrophic. Though our airport has not experienced major bird-strike accidents, we are always vigilant," said Ma Ruzhuang, the airport's press officer.

In 1997, after a minor bird-strike accident, the airport set up a special team to find an effective way to scare the birds away.

"No airport in the world has found a panacea to deal with the bird nuisance," Ma said.

Birds are a serious menace to aircraft during takeoff and landing. They can get sucked into the engines or collide with the fuselage and cause severe damage.

BASH (bird/wildlife aircraft strike hazard) is a major challenge for airports. Nearly 200 people have been killed worldwide as a result of such strikes since 1988.

"The battle to scare the birds could be endless," said Ma.

(China Daily March 10, 2005)