Sunshine, Beaches, and Birds: Managing Raptor-Aircraft Collisions at Airports in Southern California

Abstract

Wildlife-aircraft collisions (wildlife strikes) pose a serious safety risk to aircraft. Raptors (i.e., hawks and owls) are one of the most frequently struck guilds of birds within North America. Integrated wildlife damage management programs combine a variety of non-lethal and lethal management tools to reduce presence of raptors on airports. Live-capture and translocation away from an airport is a commonly used non-lethal method to reduce the risk of raptor-aircraft collisions. In southern California, USDA Wildlife Services airport biologists live-captured, marked with auxiliary markers (i.e., airport program-specific plastic leg band), and translocated approximately 1,232 raptors from seven airports and military bases located within the highly urbanized environment of the Los Angeles Basin during January of 2010-December of 2016. Ten different raptor species were marked and relocated during this effort. The composition of translocated raptors was red-tailed hawks (38.9%), Cooper's hawks (27.5%), American kestrels (20.7%), barn owls (7.4%), and great horned owls (3.7%). Overall, the percentage of translocated raptors that returned to an airport was 11.1%. Although research is needed to better understand and increase the efficacy of such management efforts, this non-lethal method of reducing the presence of individual raptors at airports in southern California will be an important component of future wildlife management programs.

Comparing Management Programs to Reduce Red–tailed Hawk Collisions with Aircraft

“…Integrated wildlife damage management programs combine a variety of non‐lethal and lethal management tools to reduce presence of raptors on airports, which ultimately reduces the probability of raptor‐aircraft collisions (DeVault et al 2013, Guerrant et al 2013). Commonly used methods to manage raptors (and other hazardous wildlife) include non‐lethal hazing with pyrotechnics (Marsh et al 1991), mitigation translocation (i.e., live‐capture and translocation of problematic individuals; Schafer and Washburn 2016, Biteman et al 2019), prey management (Washburn et al 2011, Witmer 2011), and lethal removal of problematic individuals (Dolbeer et al 1993, Baxter and Allan 2008). Given high public interest, logistical and financial constraints, federal and state regulations, and other factors, managing raptors at airports presents some unique challenges (Washburn 2018).…”