The birds still flock to the building - despite the addition of chirping speakers designed to annoy pesky birds ( 46 K/4 sec. AIFF or WAV sound). RELATED VIDEO WTVT's Warren Elly takes a look at the measures taken to repel the buzzards Windows Media 28K 80K   FRINGE MAIL Would you like to receive a weekly summary of Fringe news in your inbox? Sign up for Fringe Mail.

January 21, 1999
Web posted at: 10:16 p.m. EST (0316 GMT)

TAMPA, Florida (CNN) -- Things most foul are still falling from atop a new $81 million dollar federal courthouse in Tampa. Things like turkey buzzard droppings and leftovers from the carrion-eaters' rotten meals.

Up to 200 turkey buzzards have roosted on the 17-story Sam M. Gibbons U.S. Courthouse. The creatures with wingspans up to 6 feet have also annoyed lawyers by bumping at the windows.

Building manager George Post decided to take aim at the vultures. Crews installed electronic speakers last week that emit a chirping sound designed to annoy the buzzards.

"These devices are made to keep pests away from agricultural crops," Post said. "It is a very unpleasant sound for the birds."

Some turkey buzzards must be hard of hearing, because a few have been spotted perching on the speakers.

But the building manager has been pleased that the flock of 200 has been reduced to fewer than 20.

"We've had some moderate success," said Post. "We've found by experimentation, by turning the system off, that the number of vultures multiply immensely."

However, Post admitted that the electronic chirping is also "somewhat annoying to people."

"It's a shrill noise that just drives you crazy," said one woman near the building.

But Post said the $2,000 system was less harmful than other possibilities.

"There are poisons and other methods that do harm to the birds, and that's something I'm definitely trying to avoid," said Post.

Reporter Warren Elly and Reuters contributed to this report.