JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (January 28, 2013)--Bethlehem Baptist Church in Jacksonville, N.C. has contracted with the U.S. Agriculture Department to use vulture effigies to ward off live vultures that were destroying the church roof.

The effigy is a taxidermist-prepared vulture body attached to a decoy head, because real bird heads disintegrate too quickly.

The dead bird went up about a month ago and the vultures that used to flock to the church roof now hang out elsewhere.

The USDA also has used bird effigies to reduce the potential for bird strikes on military planes at the New River and Cherry Point air stations.

The USDA hung effigies from the water towers in Jacksonville and Havelock.