Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Q: How often do wildlife strikes occur?
A: There have been over 121,000 (Civil and USAF) wildlife strikes between 1990 and 2010.
Q: In what part of the year do most bird strikes occur?
A: Most bird strikes occur between the months of July and October.
Q: At what time of the day do most bird strikes occur?
A: Most bird strikes occur during daylight hours.
Q: Do most bird strikes occur while in flight, at takeoff, or landing?
A: Most bird strikes occur during the approach and landing roll.
Q: At what altitude do most bird strikes occur?
A: 92% of the bird strikes occur at or below 3,000 ft AGL (above ground level).
Q: How many deaths have been attributed to wildlife strikes?
A: Since 1990, there have been a total of 23 fatalities attributed to wildlife strikes with US civil aircraft.
Q: How many people have been injured due to wildlife strikes?
A: Since 1990, there have been a total of 257 injuries resulting from wildlife strikes.
Q: What bird strike incident resulted in the largest loss of life?
A: On October 4, 1960, Eastern Air Lines Flight 375 was struck by a flock of European starlings during take off. All four engines were damaged and the aircraft crashed in the Boston harbor. There were 62 fatalities. This incident occurred prior to the creation of the FAA Wildlife Strike Database.
Q: How many aircraft have been destroyed due to wildlife strikes?
A: Since 1990, there have been 54 civil aircraft either destroyed or damaged beyond repair.
Q: What part of the airplane is most frequently damaged?
A: Aircraft engines account for 32% of all damaged components. They are the component most frequently damaged by bird strikes.
Q: What is the economic loss from wildlife strikes?
A: The reported costs average $123 million per year but when costs are estimated based on 80% of strikes that were not reported the cost could be as high as $614 million per year.
Q: Who reports wildlife strikes?
A: Most bird strikes are reported by pilots and airport personnel. For additional information please visit: How are bird strikes reported?
Q: How do I collect bird remains if I have a strike?
A: Please watch the newly released instructional video to learn more about collecting wildlife remains for identification.
Q: When was the first bird strike reported?
A: The first reported bird strike was by Orville Wright in 1905.
Q: How are the bird-remains identified?
A: Many remains are identified by trained wildlife biologists working at the airports. The Smithsonian Institution's Feather Identification Laboratory is able to identify a bird species from its remains. Depending on the condition of the remains, birds can be identified based on physical characteristics, feather fragments, and/or DNA analysis. For additional information please visit: How are the bird-remains identified?
Q: Are all of the birds struck by aircraft identified?
A: Not all remains are saved or sent to the Smithsonian for identification. From 1990-2008, 28% of the remains from reported strikes were identified to the species level. In 2008, 45% of the remains from reported strikes were identified to the species level.
Q: Are other animals besides birds struck by aircraft?
A: Yes. While 97.5% of all strikes involve birds, strikes with other animals such as deer, coyotes, turtles, skunks, and alligators have also been reported.
Q: What is the bird most commonly struck by aircraft?
A: Gulls are the most common type of bird to strike aircraft. They account for 17% of the birds identified in bird strikes. Doves and Pigeons are the second most common. They account for 15% of the birds identified in bird strikes.
Q: How do airports reduce the risk of wildlife strikes?
A: Airports reduce the risk of bird strikes though wildlife management and control programs. These programs include changes to the surrounding habitat at the airport and methods to scare birds away.
Page Last Modified: 05/25/12 10:08 EDT