Aircraft collisions with birds, also known as bird strikes, are a major concern to the aerodrome industry, as they can cause significant damage to an aircraft and endanger the lives of passengers in it. The extent of damage caused by bird strikes is variable, depending on factors such as the birds’ body mass and flocking behaviour. Heavier birds are more likely to cause more damage than lighter birds, and birds with a tendency to flock in big numbers will increase the likelihood of an aircraft hitting multiple birds at once, increasing the probability of a multi-engine malfunction.
Photo by Steve Smith on Unsplash
However, not all birds are susceptible to bird strikes. Birds that tend to be solitary, and/or have a direct flight movement often scale lower on the hazard level. In addition, mature and resident birds that have been residing within or around the aerodrome for a long time and are wary about the dangers of aircraft are generally less prone to be struck than juvenile and/or migratory birds that are passing through the aerodrome.
In fact, one of the most hazardous and vulnerable birds are juvenile raptors, due to their big size, inexperience, relatively weak flying ability, and undeveloped evasive behaviour. They are much more likely to dive in front of or remain in close proximity to an aircraft than their mature counterparts are. The occurrence of a bird strike involving juvenile raptors is more common after the breeding season, as fledglings leave their nest and are learning to fly and hunt.
To mitigate this problem, a holistic management plan which includes monitoring raptor population numbers and nest sites, habitat management, and modification of structures around the airside is crucial. Currently, airports around the world have employed varying methods to minimise the possibility of raptor strikes in the long run, such as relocation of hatchlings, trapping of juvenile raptors, and installation of nest boxes to facilitate the management of species whose nests are inaccessible or hard to locate.
A common problem, however, does not equate to the same solution. Every airport’s management plan is different and often time unique to the airport. A management plan that works for an airport in the USA might not work for an airport in Southeast Asia. Even airports within the same country may differ in their management plan. This is due to differences in species composition of birds, location of the airport, weather, number of aircraft movements per year, and the amount of budget and priority of stakeholders involved.
When it comes to devising a management plan, it is not a “one-size-fits-all”. Hence, it is important to consider multiple factors, and it takes many trials-and-errors, to find the best solution for your airport.
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