04-04-2025
McPherson residents will soon hear loud ‘booms'
MCPHERSON, Kan. (KSNW) — McPherson residents may soon start hearing loud booms around sunset each night.
McPherson Police say you don't need to worry or call 911, the booms are to deal with what has become a nuisance for one neighborhood: turkey vultures.
The birds native to North America feast on dead animals and are often seen circling high in the Kansas skies, riding thermals while searching for their next meal. However, they are becoming a problem for people who live in the 1000 block of North Walnut in McPherson.
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Kansas State University is helping McPherson deal with the problem by providing residents with 'Bird Bangers.' The Bird Banger is an orange-colored pistol that fires a pyrotechnic into the air, emitting a loud bang that scares away birds.
As the sun sets, the turkey vultures have been roosting in the trees and other elevated spots along north Walnut in McPherson. The goal is to encourage them to relocate away from the city.
Starting Friday, residents may hear two to three loud bangs as the sun begins to set in the evening. The bangs will likely continue for 10-14 days.
Residents who have been assigned a Bird Banger are required to call McPherson County dispatch before they fire it and are asked to notify their neighbors before they discharge it.
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