www.birdstrike.org
Bird and other wildlife strikes to aircraft annually cause over $600 million in damage to US civil and military aviation. Furthermore, these strikes put the lives of aircraft crew members and their passengers at risk: over 195 people have been killed worldwide as a result of wildlife strikes since 1988. Within the United States there was no one forum where information or concerns dealing with this problem could be addressed. Bird Strike Committee USA was formed in 1991 to facilitate the exchange of information, promote the collection and analysis of accurate wildlife strike data, promote the development of new technologies for reducing wildlife hazards, promote professionalism in wildlife management programs on airports through training and advocacy of high standards of conduct for airport biologists and bird patrol personnel, and be a liaison to similar organizations in other countries.
There typically are four parts to a Bird Strike Committee USA meeting over 3 days. Part 1 is practical classroom and field training sessions on wildlife control at airports which cover both civil and military aviation. Part 2 consists of the presentation of technical papers and posters. Part 4 is a field trip which generally covers the host airport or a wildlife management area to observe management programs and habitat issues related to wildlife and aviation safety. WHAT SUBJECT AREAS ARE COVERED DURING THE PAPERS AND REPORTS PORTION OF THE MEETING? bird and other wildlife strike reporting/statistics bird management and control techniques research on new technologies to reduce wildlife hazards training in wildlife management on airports military concerns of wildlife hazards aircraft engines/components related to wildlife hazards policy/airport standards concerning wildlife hazards land use and environmental issues concerning airports bird migration and general ornithology related to aviation remote sensing/modeling to detect and predict bird movements ARE THERE ANY BIRD STRIKE COMMITTEE USA PUBLICATIONS? Attendees of the annual meetings receive abstracts of the technical papers presented and a list of all attendees and addresses.
Participation in the annual meetings is open to any person interested in reducing wildlife hazards to aviation and in wildlife and environmental management at airports. As examples, people from the following organizations have attended recent meetings: Aircraft Owners and Pilot Association Aircraft and Aircraft Engine Manufacturers Air Line Pilots Association American Association of Airport Executives Airports Council International-NA Airport management and operations personnel Air Transport Association Engineering/Environmental Consulting Firms FAA Regional Airport Certification Personnel Flight Safety Foundation Humane Society of the United States National Bird Strike Committees International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) State Wildlife Agencies University and Private Research Facilities USDA Wildlife Services US Fish and Wildlife Service US Department of Defense Personnel Wildlife Management Companies DID YOU KNOW THAT? Over 195 people have been killed world-wide as a result of bird strikes since 1988. Bird and other wildlife strikes cost USA civil aviation over $500 million/year, 1990-2005. Over 5,000 bird strikes were reported by the US Air Force in 2006. Over 7,100 bird and other wildlife strikes were reported for USA civil aircraft in 2006. An estimated 80% of bird strikes to civil aircraft in USA go unreported. From 1990-2004, USA airlines reported 31 incidents in which pilots had to dump fuel to lighten load during a precautionary or emergency landing after striking birds on takeoff or climb. An average of 11,600 gallons of jet fuel was released in each of these dumps. Waterfowl (31%), gulls (26%), and raptors (17%) represented 74% of the reported bird strikes causing damage to USA civil aircraft, 1990-2006. Over 740 civil aircraft collisions with deer were reported in the USA, 1990-2007. A 12-lb Canada goose struck by a150-mph aircraft at lift-off generates the force of a 1,000-lb weight dropped from a height of 10 feet. In 1890, 60 European starlings were released in Central Park, New York City. Starlings are now the second most abundant bird in North America with a late-summer population of over 150 million birds. Starlings are "feathered bullets", having a body density 27% higher than herring gulls. The North American non-migratory Canada goose population increased 36 fold from 1 million birds in 1990 to over 35 million in 2006. The nesting population of American bald eagles in the contiguous USA increased from fewer than 400 pairs in 1970 (2 years before DDT and similar chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides were banned) to over 9,000 pairs in 2007. The North American population of greater snow geese increased from about 50,000 birds in 1966 to over 1,000,000 birds in 2006. The Great Lakes cormorant population increased from only about 200 nesting adults in 1970 to over 260,000 nesting adults in 2006, a 1,000+-fold increase. The North American white and brown pelican populations grew at average annual rates of 37% and 21%, respectively, 1966-2006. At least 15,000 gulls were counted nesting on roofs in USA cities on the Great Lakes during a survey in 1994. About 90% of all bird strikes in the US are by species federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
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