AOP/SG/1 – IP/6

Agenda Item 8

International Civil Aviation Organization

The First Meeting of the Aerodrome Operations and Planning Sub-Group
(AOP/SG/1)
Bangkok, Thailand, 14 to 16 June 2017

Agenda Item 8: Any other business

BIRD STRIKE DATA

(Presented by Japan)

SUMMARY
Bird strike is common and can be a significant threat to aircraft safety. It is important for
airport operator to make continual efforts for wildlife management in cooperation with all
stakeholders inside and outside airports.
This paper presents the recent bird strike data in Japan.
Strategic Objectives:
A: Safety – Enhance global civil aviation safety

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Bird Strike management continues to be a big challenge for airport operators to
ensure aircraft operation safety. JCAB requires airport operator to establish airport bird strike control
committee, conduct a wildlife risk assessment, examine appropriate prevention measures and evaluate
the results continually.

1.2 Several measures are taken at airport level, such as repelling birds (bird patrol,
propane cannons, distress call, shot-gun, and pyrotechnics etc.), habitat management (grass
management, removal of water/shelter etc.). Nowadays falcons and dogs have been used at an airport
to repel little tern which is designated as endangered species and got an effective outcome.

2. BIRD STRIKE DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

2.1 JCAB developed a bird strike website “Bird Strike Information sharing site” in July
2011 to collect bird strike occurrence, analyze the data, and assess the bird hazard in order to develop
further mitigation measures. Bird strike reporting is mandated for aircraft operator and the reporting
procedures are announced through Aeronautical Information Circular.

2.2 The reporting items are consistent with “Manual on the ICAO Bird Strike
Information System (IBIS) (Doc9332)”; operator, aircraft model, engine model, registration number,
date and time (dawn/day/dusk/night), aerodrome name, runway used, height, IAS, phase of flight,
parts of aircraft struck/damaged, effect on flight, sky condition, bird species, number of birds, size of
bird, etc.
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Agenda Item 8

2.3 Bird strike data is analyzed statistically and assessed by the member of national bird
strike control committee consisting of biologist, major airport operator, airlines, and JCAB staff.
Statistical data on total number of bird strikes (yearly, monthly, hourly, per airport), bird strike
occurrence rate per 10,000 movements at each airport, effects on flight, part of aircraft struck, bird
species, effects on flight, and flight phase comparison, etc. are developed. The followings are some
of the data.

2.4 Total number of bird strikes from 2009 to 2016:

2014 2015 2016

BS rate per 10,000 movement 8.1 7.2 6.6
Total movoment(LDG/TKOF) 2,434,978 2,471,586 2,479,234

Total number of bird strikes and the rate of occurrence are declining since 2015
regardless of traffic volume increase. The reason is not clear but a recent decrease of migrant birds
flying over Japan is supposed to be a part of the reason. From another perspective, we can assess that
airport operator’s activities have been enforced year by year.

2.5 Bird strikes monthly (2016 vs 2015):

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Agenda Item 8

2.6 Bird species struck in 2016:

The most common struck birds are swallow and sparrow. Black kite stuck account for
the highest number of bird strikes which cause aircraft damage. According to the data from 2011 to
2016, 10 percent of raptor (black kite, osprey etc.) strikes result in damage to aircraft. (62 strikes out
of a total 615 raptor strikes).
Unidentified species account for 905 out of a total 1626 bird strike in 2016.
Identification of species is generally said to be effective for airport operator to take measures
appropriate to the bird species. DNA identification and feather comparison have been implemented at
JCAB expense and JCAB encourages airport operator to use these system as far as possible with the
cooperation of airlines.

2.7 Effects on flight from 2010 to 2016:

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3. REPORTING TO ICAO

3.1 Annex 14 provides “Wildlife strike reports shall be collected and forwarded to ICAO
for inclusion in the ICAO Bird Strike Information System (IBIS) database.” According to the
Electronic Bulletin dated May 12 2017, it is noted that 19 States and one Special Administrative
Region (SAR) reported strikes occurred in Asia and Pacific and only 660 strikes have been reported in
the statistics in the Bulletin.

3.2 In addition, ICAO encourages States to submit wildlife strike reports via ECCAIRS
(European Coordination Centre for Accident and Incident Reporting Systems in the Bulletin. It is
recommended that ICAO consider holding something like a small workshop about ECCAIRS taking
the opportunity of AOPSG meeting in order to promote States’ understanding of the reporting.

4. ACTION BY THE MEETING

4.1 The meeting is invited to:

a) note the information contained in this paper; and

b) discuss any relevant matters as appropriate.

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