PDX gets aggressive to reduce bird strikes

PORTLAND, Ore. -  The federal government’s tally for birds striking airplanes last year could exceed 10,000, according to an analysis by The Associated Press, and statistics from Portland International Airport mostly show an upward trend as well, but local airport officials said they dramatically cut the number of strikes last year.

“We tried some new things in managing grasshoppers on the airfield with pesticides,” said Steve Johnson, spokesman for the Port of Portland.

Wildlife experts said grasshoppers are the preferred food for birds like the kestrel. By taking away their food they’ve been successful in keeping birds away.

PDX also scares birds away with noise cannons and pyrotechnics. Additionally, they trap and relocate birds.

In 1998 there were 56 aircraft collisions with birds at Portland International Airport, according to statistics from the Port of Portland. It climbed to 72 in 2002. The strikes dropped in 2003 and 2004 to 48 and 46, respectively. Then reported strikes began to climb again, topping out at 106 in 2008. Last year there were only 53.

Officials at Portland International Airport said they know they can’t eliminate all birds, but they said they’ll continue to work hard to keep the problem under control.

Birds hitting airplanes is a concern for pilots and have caused aircraft to crash, killing at least eight people and injuring six in the past year. The destroyed planes include the Airbus A320 that, with 155 passengers and crew, went into the Hudson River a year ago this week after hitting a flock of Canada geese. No lives were lost in that dramatic river landing.

But when a Sikorsky helicopter crashed en route to an oil platform last January after hitting a red-tailed hawk near Morgan City, La., the two pilots and six of the seven passengers were killed. The lone survivor was critically injured.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.