Niagara, Ontario, Canada, July 18, 2012 - The same advanced radar technology that helps keep birds and planes apart at airports is now protecting birds from contact with tailings ponds at Alberta Oil Sands production facilities.

The Accipiter® Bird Protection Radar System recently installed at Syncrude Canada Ltd. facilities north of Fort McMurray, Alberta, is the largest and most sophisticated radar-based bird protection system ever deployed. This advanced radar technology is developed and manufactured by Canadian company, Accipiter Radar Technologies Inc. based in Niagara, Ontario.

To cover the tailings ponds at Syncrude's facilities, the system seamlessly integrates numerous radar units and hundreds of wirelessly controlled, radar-activated bird deterrent devices that can all be monitored and controlled from a central site.

There are several types of deterrent devices, both on land and floating on the ponds, including high-power acoustic hailing devices, propane cannons, strobe lights and animated predator effigies. The system uses rugged Birdavert™ deterrent modules manufactured by Alarm Control Systems, Inc. of Salt Lake City, Utah, which are proven under harsh mining conditions.

Radar activation permits the deterrents to remain inactive until birds are detected and then they are triggered at the ideal distance from the bird for maximum effect. The sophisticated tracking radar measures the location, altitude, speed, direction and size of each bird and can distinguish safe behaviour, such as flying away from or overflying a tailings pond, from risky behaviour such as flying toward the pond while descending.

Dr. Bob Beason, Accipiter's Radar Ornithologist explains, "Birds habituate more slowly to deterrents that are triggered only in their immediate presence. That makes radar-activated deterrents more effective than timed or randomly activated devices at tailings ponds. It follows that high selectivity to risky behaviour will result in less unnecessary triggering, reducing habituation."

In addition to activating deterrents when needed, the new system offers additional benefits towards bird protection. It tracks every movement of every bird in its combined field of view every couple of seconds and permanently stores the data for analysis.

The historical data are available to help plan bird protection strategy and to measure and optimize deterrent effectiveness. Researchers can use the data to add to the scientific understanding of bird behaviour in the Northern Alberta environment, which in turn can lead to improved bird protection methods for all oil sands and mining operators in the region.

Accipiter radar's core mission is to develop radar technologies that improve safety of life and the environment. "We are delighted to be involved in protecting birds through this innovative application of our Radar Information Network technology, which is perfectly aligned with our core mission." Accipiter's President & CEO Dr. Tim J. Nohara noted.

Syncrude has spent many millions to develop a comprehensive deterrent system that is consistent with industry-best practices, notes Cheryl Robb, Media Relations Advisor, Syncrude Canada Ltd.

This system includes:

• Radar systems that are far reaching and integrated to monitor all the ponds. A radar-based system with automated activation of deterrents when birds approach a tailings pond. The radar systems include 300 falcon modules, with flashing strobe lights, high powered acoustic devices and 100 hyper spikes that emit sound in a specific direction to deter birds from coming in the area.
   
• Year-round staffing and deployment of deterrents in areas of open water.
   
• Noise cannons on rafts and shore-based that activate when waterfowl is in the area. When something triggers the radar, the cannons go off. They will not activate if there aren't any birds in the area, making the cannons more effective.

"The radar gives us the ability to see three dimensions and is designed to merge data into one picture. The data is controlled and processed by operators in the control centre. The operator can see the entire area of the tailings ponds on the monitor," said Ms. Robb. 

"Information from the radar is recorded in the system to monitor migratory patterns of waterfowl. With the system, the controllers can also track the size and trajectory of the birds." 

The U.S. Federal Aviation Authority is interested in coming to see our fully deployed radar control deterrent system and our high powered acoustic devices, adds Ms Robb

About Accipiter Radar

Accipiter Radar, sells, operates and supports radar information networks for homeland security, defence, bird strike threat management and environmental protection applications. Accipiter has won the business of the RCMP, DND, U.S. DoD, Dept. of Homeland Security, and Federal Aviation Administration, as well as every branch of the military, law enforcement agencies and corporations throughout North America.