Airport bird strikes are a common, and often debilitating challenge that airports have to deal with on an ongoing basis.

For smaller aircraft, a bird strike can cause considerable damage to engines, windscreens, and the structural integrity of the plane. Larger aircraft aren’t immune either, and any birds that are ingested into the engine can cause issues, including loss of control in the more severe cases.

How to Prevent Bird Strikes on Aircraft

It’s easy to think that noise, constant flow of people, and the general disruption of airports would keep birds far away. Yet, unfortunately this isn’t the case. Birds are attracted to airports because of their location, environment, and absence of natural threats to their habitation.

As airports often sit on the fringes of large, urban areas, some birds are forced to take up residence nearby, as it offers the only stretch of disused land for miles around. The near-constant noise of flying overhead also deters many predators from the site, making it easier for birds to nest without threat. Plus, as many airports are surrounded by wetlands that soak up the noise, the area naturally becomes a beacon that birds flock to.

With birds posing a large risk to aircraft, it’s important for airports to take every necessary step to prevent collisions. Here’s how airports can mitigate and minimise the risk, and prevent bird strikes on aircraft.

1. Habitat Adjustments

One method that airports use to manage the risk of strikes is modifying the habitat that surrounds the airport. The approach aims to make the area less desirable for birds, so they vacate and find nesting elsewhere. 

To do this, airports remove food sources, cover nearby water sources like ponds with netting (so birds can't land), and keep grass as short as possible so birds can't shelter within it. If done right, the birds won't have adequate resources for continued nesting, so are encouraged to relocate and leave to find somewhere else.

You can also use lasers, predator calls, and noise generators to disrupt the habitat and make the area less attractive for birds. However, this may be less effective in the long-term as birds may eventually return to the area after the disruption has stopped. 

2. Manual Surveillance & Flight Changes

Traditionally, trained spotters are employed at airports to locate and track birds that have the potential to cause risk. Typically equipped with binoculars, the spotters are tasked with finding the birds, reporting them to flight crews, changing flight paths, and dispersing them before they come in close contact with any aircraft.

While this method of tracking birds is well-established, it lacks sophistication and is much harder to perform consistently. For example, if fog or mist reduces visibility, airports that rely on human oversight will likely be prevented from making accurate observations. Plus, human error is likely to occur, and this can slow down response times considerably.

At Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, they not only suffered from these issues but also found that manual detection and reporting was time-consuming and inefficient. This was mainly due to lack of scope, as spotters with binoculars lacked the range to survey the entire airport. They also found it near impossible to survey birds at night, a critical risk factor within an airport that is one of the busiest in Europe, operating both day and night.

3. Bird Detection Radar Tracking

A more effective method of bird hazard management is using an avian detection radar. Unlike manual observation, bird detection radar operates 24/7, so regardless of the weather, time of day, or location, it provides complete tracking confidence. Plus, it gives airports additional insight and data into flight paths and migration routes, allowing airports to quantify recurring patterns in bird behaviour.

The best radars will be able to classify and log birds automatically, which is useful at keeping track of their movements so airports can plan accordingly.

At Schipol Airport, bird detection radar helped them gain the data they needed to react faster and mitigate the risk of bird strikes. Whereas before they'd rely on delayed reporting from spotters, now they can track threats in real-time across the entire airport and respond a lot quicker. 

Prevent Bird Strikes on Aircraft 

With the risk of bird strikes here to stay, airports require an accurate, standardised, and real-time method of preventing bird strikes. Many are limited by the discrepancies of bird spotters, lack of coverage at all times of the day, and limited scope across the entire airport. 

As airports get busier, with more and more flights happening each day, the threat of bird strikes will continue to grow. So, it's essential for airports to stay vigilant, and take every step to manage and prevent bird strikes on aircraft.