Our National Bird – Beauty and Risk
Celebrate the 4th of July with the Bald Eagle! The emblem of the United States can weigh up to 14 pounds and have a wingspan over 3 feet! Younger birds can often be found roosting and hanging out together.
So why is the Bird Strike Committee sharing this information? Bald Eagle populations continue to increase after the ban of DDT in 1972 and so are their interactions with aircraft! In June, there were 3 strikes with Bald Eagles where the carcasses were transported in the landing gear to other airports. Two of the strikes caused hydraulic leaks, initiating the need for precautionary landings. According to the FAA National Wildlife Strike Database, 2024 is on track to have a record number of wildlife strikes involving Bald Eagles.
What can we do about this amazing bird that represents our country? We can communicate with each other about any sightings and monitor for nests around the airfield. Airports can work with USFWS to allow harassment of the species away from critical flightpaths and ensure the species is not located on active surfaces.
More information is available here in the FAA wildlife strikes report 1990-2023.
(Graphs are courtesy of Richard Dolbeer, PhD, USDA-WS)
