A History of Wildlife Strikes and

Bird Strike Committee-USA

Richard A. Dolbeer Past Chair, BSC-USA (1997-2008) & Science Advisor, USDA

Washington, DC 17 February 2011

1903: The first powered flight

1905: The first reported bird strike

Date: 7 Sept 1905

Aircraft: Wright Flyer

Location: Dayton, OH

Phase of flight: Cruise over cornfield

Damage: None

Wildlife Species: Red-winged blackbird?

The first reported terrestrial wildlife strike

25 July 1909

During engine warm-up, a farm dog ran into the propeller

of the Bleriot XI aircraft and was “chopped to a pulp”.

Louis Bleriot's historic first flight across the English

Channel from Les Baraques, France

Landing at

Dover, England Louis Bleriot

1912: The First Bird Strike Fatality

Date: 3 April 1912

Aircraft: Wright Pusher

Location: Long Beach, CA

Phase of flight: Cruise over water

Damage: Aircraft Destroyed

Wildlife Species: Gull

Civil Aircraft Destroyed Woldwide by Decade

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1901 1911 1921 1931 1941 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001

Decade

1939: The First Bird Strike to a Jet-

powered Aircraft

Comment: The first test flight of a jet-

powered aircraft was on 24 August

1939. Three days later, during the

second flight, a loss of thrust was

experienced after a bird strike.

Date: 27 August 1939

Aircraft: Heinkel He 178 (V1)

Location: Germany

Phase of flight: Unknown

Damage: Loss of thrust

Wildlife Species: Bird

Wildlife Strike Timeline 1905-First reported bird strike

1909-First reported terrestrial mammal strike

1912-First plane crash & first loss of human life

1913-1959 (47 years)-Only 3 civil aircraft destroyed

1960-Lockheed Electra crash in Boston Harbor (62 deaths)

1960s-First attempts to collect bird strike data by FAA

1960s-Bird Strike Committee-Canada & BSCE begin

1960s-USFWS-ADC does small amount of airport work

1970s-2010 (the rest of the story)

(1960-2010 [51 years]-160 civil aircraft destroyed)

1960: The First Commercial Disaster at Airport

Date: 3 October 1960

Aircraft: Lockheed Electra

Location: Boston Logan Airport (MA)

Phase of flight: Climb

Effect on flight: Engine shutdown, crash

Damage: Engines, aircraft destroyed, 62 fatalities, 9 injuries

Wildlife species: European starlings

DC-9 with flock of

starlings, 1995

1962: The First Commercial Disaster En route

Date: 23 November 1962

Aircraft: Vickers Viscount

Location: Ellicot City, Maryland

Phase of flight: En Route (6,000’ AGL)

Effect on flight: Crashed

Damage: tail section, aircraft destroyed, 17 fatalities

Wildlife species: Tundra swan

25 June 1969, Cleveland, Ohio

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

196

2

196

4

196

6

196

8

197

0

197

2

197

4

197

6

197

8

198

0

198

2

198

4

198

6

198

8

199

0

199

2

199

4

199

6

199

8

200

0

200

2

200

4

200

6

200

8

201

0

Bald Eagle Nests in Contiguous USA (1963-2009)

DDT

Banned

0

1

2

3

4

19

70

19

72

19

74

19

76

19

78

19

80

19

82

19

84

19

86

19

88

19

90

19

92

19

94

19

96

19

98

20

00

20

02

20

04

20

06

20

08

20

10

No

. o

f G

eese (

x 1

mil

lio

n)

Resident Geese

Migrant geese

Canada Goose population in North America, 1970-2010

(resident and migratory)

(Graph by R. A. Dolbeer with data

from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

0.0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

BB

S P

op

ula

tio

n I

nd

ex

Breeding Population of Ospreys has increased over

12-fold in USA, 1966-2007

Over 5,500 strikes were

reported between raptors

and civil aircraft, USA,

1990-2009

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

x 1

,00

0

Mean annual increase = 3.4%

Greater & Mid-continent Snow Goose Populations (1970-2010)

(Winters: Texas-N. Carolina)

Body mass = 7.6 lbs

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

x 1

,00

0

Mean annual increase = 7%

Pacific White-fronted Goose Population (1979-2010)

(Winters: Alaska to California)

Body mass = 6 lbs

2.2

2.6

3.0

3.4

3.8

4.2

1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010

BB

S P

op

ula

tion

In

dex

Mean annual increase =2.2%

Turkey vulture population increase in N. America, 1980-2007

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

1964

1968

1972

1976

1980

1984

1988

1992

1996

2000

2004

2008

BB

S P

op

ula

tio

n I

nd

ex

Breeding Population of Sandhill Cranes has increased

8 fold in North America, 1966-2007

North American Population = >650,000

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

BB

S P

op

ula

tio

n I

nd

ex

Breeding Population of Great Egrets has doubled in

North America, 1966-2007

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

19

58

19

62

19

66

19

70

19

74

19

78

19

82

19

86

19

90

19

94

19

98

20

02

20

06

20

10

(x 1

Mil

lion

)

Wild turkey population in USA (1959-2010)

Penetration of wild turkey into cockpit

of Canadair RJ 200 at IAD, March 2002

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

1966

1970

1974

1978

1982

1986

1990

1994

1998

2002

2006

BB

S P

op

ula

tio

n In

dex

Breeding population of Red-tailed hawks increased 14

fold in Illinois, 1966-2006, to over 40,000 birds.

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

1966

1970

1974

1978

1982

1986

1990

1994

1998

2002

2006

2010

BB

S P

op

ula

tio

n In

dex

Breeding population of white pelicans has increased at a

mean annual rate of 4.3% in North America, 1966-2007

Data from North American Breeding Bird Survey

http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/bbs.html

0

50

100

150

200

1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010

California Condor Population, 1987-2010

Body mass = 22 lbs

Captive Wild

0

5

10

15

20

25

1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Deer

(X 1

Millio

n)

White-tailed deer population in USA increased from

0.3 million to ~ 25 million, 1900-2010

Over 1,000 deer-

aircraft collisions

reported, 1990-2009

1970s: Emergence of efforts by FAA and others in

USA to mitigate wildlife strikes at airports

Environmental initiatives set stage for recovery of bird populations

FAA developed some guidance for airports

FAA had no staff biologist dedicated to wildlife strike mitigation

No airport-related research to mitigate strikes in USA

USAF BASH team formed

UK had research on grass management at airports

Bird Strike Committee Europe met every 2 years (limited USA presence)

1973: Jet crash kills 7, cowbirds from nearby

landfill blamed

Date: 26 February 1973

Aircraft: Learjet 24

Location: DeKalb - Peachtree (GA)

Phase of flight: Climb

Effect on flight: Crash

Damage: Engines, aircraft destroyed: 7 fatalities, 1 injury

Wildlife species: Brown-headed cowbirds

1975: Largest Commercial Aircraft to be

destroyed by birds

Date: 12 November 1975

Aircraft: DC 10

Location: JFK International Airport

Phase of flight: Take-off run

Effect on flight: Aborted take-off

Damage: Engine, landing gear, aircraft destroyed

Wildlife species: Herring and great black-backed gulls

1980-1989: Populations of many large species of birds starting to recover

1980-1981: USAF develops Bird Avoidance Model

1983: FAA hired a staff biologist for first time (Mike Harrison)

1986: Wildlife Services was transferred from Interior to Agriculture

USDA APHIS was supportive of Wildlife Services

Funding improved (especially cooperator funding)

1989: FAA reassigned Harrison and hired Gene LeBoeuf (USDA/WS-LA)

1989: FAA develops MOU with USDA Wildlife Services

1989-1990: WS develops agreements at ORD, JFK & a few other airports

1980s: Continued emergence of efforts by FAA and

others in mitigating wildlife strikes at airports

1990-1999: Populations of many large species of birds show phenomenal growth

1991: USDA WS enters into agreement with PANYNJ for gull control at JFK

• 15,000 gulls shot; brings national headlines and attention to problem

1991: BSC-USA is founded (10 people at meeting)

1991: USAF begins funding Smithsonian Feather Lab

1995: FAA hires Ed Cleary (USDA/WS-OH); Gene LeBoeuf to USAF BASH

1995: FAA enters into agreement with USDA/WS to develop bird strike database

• FAA & USDA/WS begin publishing an annual strike report (1996)

1999: FAA-USDA publish first manual on mitigating wildlife strikes at civil airports

1999: USDA/WS provides assistance at 363 airports (40 in 1990)

1995-1999: Avian radar being developed for airports; USAF BAM expanded

1990s: BSC-USA founded; major efforts initiated to

mitigate wildlife strikes at airports

News media coverage of

JFK program-1991

BIRD STRIKE COMMITTEE-USA Promoting Education, Professionalism and

Technology to Reduce Wildlife Hazards to Aviation

Founded August 1991

WHEN AND WHERE DOES BIRD

STRIKE COMMITTEE-USA MEET?

Since 1991, BSC-USA meets annually in association with an airport.

Since 1999, annual meetings have been held jointly with Bird Strike Committee Canada.

Bird Strike Committee-USA Meeting Attendance

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Att

en

de

es

AC

Y

JF

K

SE

A

OR

D

DF

W

PH

X

BO

S

BK

L

MS

P

SM

F

BW

I

ST

L

SF

B

SL

C

Field demonstrations at BSC-USA Meetings

GODZILLA Bird Disperser!

Paint-ball gun to

disperse geese, BWI

MSP

PROPANE CANNON/

HUNTER

SILHOUETTE

HAWK TRAPPING

AND RELOCATION

PELLET GUN FOR

PIGEON

REMOVAL

Field demonstrations at Bird Strike Committee USA

Meeting at MSP, Aug 2000

Four of 22 Vendors at BSC-USA Meeting at BWI, 2004

Pyrotechnics Training at Bird Strike Committee

USA/Canada Meeting in Sacramento, 2002

Classroom

Lectures

Hands-on Field

Training

Bird Strike Committee USA Meetings Receive Positive

News Media Coverage

Baltimore 2004 Minneapolis 2000

1995: Worst U.S. Military Bird Strike

Date: 22 September 1995

Aircraft: E-3 AWACS

Location: Elmendorf AFB (AK)

Phase of flight: Take-off run

Effect on flight: Crashed into forest

Damage: Engines, aircraft destroyed: 24 fatalities

Wildlife species: Canada geese

1996: Military Bird Strike with Most

Fatalities

Date: 15 July 1996

Aircraft: Lockheed C-130

Location: Eindhoven, Netherlands

Phase of flight: Approach

Effect on flight: Crashed short of runway

Damage: Aircraft destroyed: 34 fatalities

Wildlife Species: European Starlings

2000-2010: BSC-USA meetings grow;

efforts to mitigate strikes at airports start paying off

2000-2010: Mitigation efforts increase exponentially at Part 139 airports in USA

These efforts show positive results

2000: Feather Lab expands services to civil aviation with funding from FAA (USN 2008)

2005: FAA-USDA publish revised manual on mitigating wildlife strikes

2007: Ed Cleary retires at FAA; John Weller hired 18 months later

2008: BSC-USA/Canada meeting has 450 attendees

Special publication of peer-reviewed papers in Human-Wildlife Conflicts

2008: Mar 4, Cessna Citation crashes after T/O from GA airport in OK

Puts focus on GA airports for first time

2009: FAA database has >100,000 reports (1990-2009); positive trends for Part 139 Airports

2009: Jan 15, Flight 1549 in Hudson River; worldwide coverage of problem

Puts focus on off-airport bird-strike risks

USDA Wildlife Services Biologists provided assistance at a

record 838 Airports in FY 2010

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1970

1975

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000

2005

2010

Air

po

rts A

ssis

ted

838 airports

40 airports

Efforts by Bird Strike Committee-USA and

others from 1990-2010 to mitigate strikes at Part

139 airports and military airbases are paying off

News media coverage of

JFK program-1991

The number of aircraft striking Laughing Gulls was

dramatically reduced at JFK Airport, NY, 1991-2009

157

60

2218 21

3629

37

1713

2

21

4 512

7 4 3 1 3

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

19

91

19

92

19

93

19

94

19

95

19

96

19

97

19

98

19

99

20

00

20

01

20

02

20

03

20

04

20

05

20

06

20

07

20

08

20

09

No

. o

f S

trik

es

USDA SHOOTING PROGRAM

1988-90

(Mean)

2.6/yr (-98%)

Sep 2003: Fokker 100 suffered uncontained engine

failure on take-off at LGA after striking 5 Canada geese

Fuselage

penetration

Main source of problem was large resident Canada goose

population that gathered at Rikers Island near

LaGuardia Airport

Rikers Is

Mitigation efforts for wildlife strikes has focused on management

actions at airports and surrounding habitats, 1990-2010

LGA airport 2004

Number of Canada geese removed from Rikers Island next to LaGuardia

Airport, New York City, June 2004-2010

518

288

200166

77

120

32

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Geese r

em

oved

N = 1,401

Number of Canada goose strikes at LaGuardia Airport,

New York City, July 2002-Dec 2010

0

1

2

3

4S

um

20

02

Fa

ll 2

00

2

Win

20

03

Sp

r 2

00

3

Su

m 2

00

3

Fa

ll 2

00

3

Win

20

04

Sp

r 2

00

4

Su

m 2

00

4

Fa

ll 2

00

4

Win

20

05

Sp

r 2

00

5

Su

m 2

00

5

Fa

ll 2

00

5

Win

20

06

Sp

r 2

00

6

Su

m 2

00

6

Fa

ll 2

00

6

Win

20

07

Sp

r 2

00

7

Su

m 2

00

7

Fa

ll 2

00

7

Win

20

08

Sp

r 2

00

8

Su

m 2

00

8

Fa

ll 2

00

8

Win

20

09

Sp

r 2

00

9

Su

m 2

00

9

Fa

ll 2

00

9

Win

20

10

Sp

r 2

01

0

Su

m 2

01

0

Fa

ll 2

01

0

Geese S

trik

es

7 strikes in

2 years 1,401 geese removed from Rikers Is;

4 strikes in 6 1/2 years

15 January 2009,

US Airways Flight 1549

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

1990-1994 1995-1999 2000-2004 2005-2009

Str

ikes/1

mil

lio

n m

ovem

en

ts<=500 ft

>500 ft

Substantial damage bird strike rate (per 1 million aircraft

movements) for commercial aircraft in USA, 1990-2009

0.00

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

1990-1994 1995-1999 2000-2004 2005-2009

Str

ikes/1

mil

lio

n m

ovem

en

ts

<=500 ft

>500 ft

Substantial damaging strike rate (Canada Geese) for

commercial aircraft in USA, 1990-2009

Reported deer strikes with civil aircraft in USA, 1992-2009

0

10

20

30

40

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Rep

ort

ed

Deer

Str

ikes

Part 139 airports

Conclusions

1. Outstanding job of conservation for most flocking bird species

over past 40 years.

2. Mitigation efforts at airports in the USA since 1990, and

especially since about 2000, have resulted in a reduction of

damaging strikes in the airport environment.

3. This reduction in risk has occurred in spite of increasing

populations of many hazardous wildlife species.

4. BSC-USA has played a pivotal role in these reductions in

damaging strikes at airports since the early 1990s.

5. These successful efforts at airports, which must be sustained,

have done little to reduce strikes outside the airport.

6. BSC-USA must continue to develop partnerships & programs

to address on- and off-airport strike threats.

Our Goal:

Safer Skies for all who fly ….

Birds and People!

Thank You!