Sandra E. Wright

Collisions of Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo Jamaicensis), Turkey Vultures(Cathartes Aura), and Black Vultures (Coragyps Atratus) with Aircraft: Implications for Bird Strike Reduction

COLISIONES DE BUTEO JAMAICENSIS, CATHARTES AURA Y CORAGYPS ATRATUS CON AERONAVES: CONSECUENCIAS PARA LA REDUCCIoN DE LOS GOLPES POR AVES Buteo jamaicensis, Cathartes aura y Coragyps atratus estuvieron involucrados en aproximadamente el 37% de los golpes de rapaces (N  =  1945) que se registraron contra aviones civiles en los EEUU entre 1990 y 2003, resultando en un 93.4% del tiempo en que los aviones se encontraron fuera de servicio debido a golpes de rapaces en general, y en una perdida de aproximadamente

Collisions Between Eagles and Aircraft: an Increasing Problem in the Airport Environment

7 millones para la industria aerea civil de EEUU. Nos preguntamos si las estadisticas de los golpes de rapaces podrian brindar informacion critica para el manejo de la vida silvestre y de los recursos en las areas de operacion (AAO; areas designadas para el despegue, aterrizaje, y maniobras terrestres de los aviones) de los aeropuertos y dentro del area establecida por la Administracion Federal de Aviacion de EEUU (AFA) para los aeropuertos certificados (i.e., hasta 1.5 km desde la pista para los aerop...

Wildlife Strikes to Civil Aircraft in the United States 1990-2007

Abstract Most known fatalities for both Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) and Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) are associated with humans (e.g., collisions with vehicles and artificial structures). Notably, the risk of collisions between eagles and aircraft is an increasing problem at civil airports and military airfields. Of the 234 eagle collisions with civil and military aircraft reported to the Federal Aviation Administration, the U.S. Air Force, and the U.S. Navy during 1990–2013, 52% caused damage to the aircraft. During this 23-yr time period, Bald Eagle–aircraft collisions increased by 2200% and Golden Eagle–aircraft collisions increased by 400%. Eagle–aircraft collisions occur primarily during daylight hours (88%) and typically within the vicinity of the airfield itself; 82.6% of the Bald Eagle–aircraft collisions and 81.0% of Golden Eagle strikes occurred when the aircraft was at or below 305 m aboveground level. Although collision with aircraft is a very minor source of mortality for Golden Eagles, increasing and expanding Bald Eagle populations will likely result in more eagle–aircraft collisions. Currently, there are few mitigation tools and techniques available to reduce eagle–aircraft collisions. Development and evaluation of effective, publically acceptable methods of reducing eagle–human conflicts represent important areas for future research.