Copyright Mechanicsburg Patriot News
Over the past year, more than 2,700 vultures were driven out of Derry Township and 64 were killed as part of a growing effort to manage the birds’ increasing population and property damage. The township will become a target site for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Service and Penn State University, who are teaming up for a national research study into vulture behavior and management, the USDA told PennLive. Between Sept. 1, 2024, and Aug. 31, 2025, the USDA responded to significant vulture-related concerns in Derry Township, dispersing 2,745 vultures and killing 64 using shooting and trapping methods. The township has been bedeviled for years with numerous reports of vultures in neighborhoods and the problems that come with them. But the township isn’t alone, as black vultures have been on the rise across Pennsylvania for years, and so are the complaints from residents. The issues range from damaged rooftops and vehicles to concerns about public health and safety. Wildlife Services carried out its recent removal plan under a formal cooperative service agreement with Derry Township. The department used a mix of non-lethal methods, including lasers, paintballs, vehicles, and physical presence to push the birds away. To resolve persistent damage, lethal measures such as shooting and trapping were employed, according to the USDA. Depending on the vulture sites in the township, crews also used loud noise making devices, light deterrents (like propane cannons, pyrotechnics or lasers), motion-activated sprinklers, and inflatable air dancers. The township’s issue with vultures illustrates the growing vulture-human conflict seen across the Northeast, prompting the USDA and Penn State to take a closer look. The national agency chose Derry Township, saying it “presents unique challenges due to its urban setting and the presence of ZooAmerica.” Other benefits for Derry Township as the research hub include the availability of long-standing USDA data, and the impact on institutions like ZooAmerica. Protecting birds and animals at the zoo limits the use of certain vulture management methods, according to the USDA. In 2019, the USDA ordered ZooAmerica staff members to trap and remove the vultures after the zoo reported the birds were competing with the zoo animals for the food left for them by staff. The zoo said the vultures was prompting sanitary concerns for the zoo animals and guests. The USDA is also using Derry Township as its study model to “enhance vulture damage management for Pennsylvania residents” and because there is a need for more research on black vultures in the Northeast. Vultures have plagued other towns in central Pa. In March, the USDA’s Wildlife Services Division entered into a year-long 24K agreement with Carlisle to employ various “harassment” measures against vultures to drive them out of town. In Carlisle, the overwhelming population of turkey and black vultures created health and safety issues through corrosive droppings, property damage, including torn roofing, and noise. Residents reported foul odors, risk to pets and children, and months of mess. Experts say the problems with vultures are getting worse as climate change gets worse due to milder winters in the mid-Atlantic states, causing more of the birds to call Pennsylvania home year-round. It’s also believed vultures are thriving in Pennsylvania thanks to its combination of nature and human-altered landscapes, like roads and developed land, which creates ideal roosting spots and air currents that make it easier for the large birds to take flight. The research initiative in Derry Township is in its early stages and will involve capturing and tagging black vultures with wing IDs and telemetry transmitters, allowing researchers to track their movements, habits, and responses to various deterrents, the USDA said. The project is expected to run for over two years, with the goal of better understanding vulture behavior in urban, suburban environments, and refining methods to manage them effectively and humanely. The USDA says the work in Derry Township will contribute to broader efforts to mitigate property damage and address public concerns across the Northeast. With more data and targeted strategies, agencies hope to better balance wildlife protection with community well-being.
