Planes, birds, and big ideas: PDX hosts global aviation wildlife conference
More than just planes use the skies above PDX. Sitting at the meeting point of two major river corridors, our airport is a hub not only for travelers but also for many resident and migratory birds. That makes wildlife management a critical part of keeping the skies safe.
Directing traffic along this avian highway isn’t always easy. Since 1999, Nick Atwell, the Port of Portland’s Senior Natural Resources Manager, has led a team devoted to the task. Along the way, he’s become a national leader in aviation wildlife safety by partnering with the FAA, local governments, wildlife experts, and the birding community to collect valuable data and test new evolving strategies.
"We apply adaptive management principles here at PDX, so we’re constantly looking to innovate and increase whatever tools, tactics, and strategies that we can," says Atwell.
In August, Atwell and his team welcomed the professional community to PDX for the American Association of Airport Executives annual Aviation Wildlife Management Conference (AWMC). Attendees shared stories, swapped insights, and got an up-close look at PDX’s nationally recognized program.
Every day of the year
From 5 am to 9:30 pm, the Port’s Wildlife Hazard Management team is on the move, patrolling the airfield, which is the largest unforested greenspace in the Portland metro region.
Much of the work is preventative. The team uses creative tools, like sound cannons, lasers, and pyrotechnics, to safely “haze” or discourage birds. Birds of prey that don’t leave or that keep coming back are often captured and relocated. Each relocated red-tailed hawk receives a small orange tag so it can be easily identified if spotted again. Since 1999, the team has relocated thousands of birds, including nearly 2,000 red-tailed hawks, to different new locations as far as 1,500 miles away.
While bird encounters can’t be entirely eliminated, PDX is improving aviation safety and helping protect countless birds through scientific rigor and dedication to best practices. Deterrence, relocation, and habitat management are all part of the Wildlife Hazard Management Plan (WHMP), which guides the Port’s integrated and adaptive program.
The plan also includes some clever landscaping tricks to make the airport less appealing to large birds. Trees along Airport Way grow upward, offering no easy perch. Runway grass is a variety geese don’t like to eat. Even stormwater ponds are covered with floating black balls so birds can’t spot the water.
Safer skies don’t just depend on PDX. They rely on our neighbors, too. Birders around the region log sightings of tagged raptors on PDXRaptors.com, helping the team track where relocated birds go. From Alaska to Mexico, these sightings give the Port valuable insights into which release sites work best.
Innovation through collaboration
At the heart of the Wildlife Hazard Management Program’s success is collaboration. For decades, experts have come together at AWMC to collaborate and build safer skies. This year, they gathered at PDX. "What I like about this conference is getting together with my colleagues across the industry, across North America, and sharing our expertise and experience," says David Bradbeer, Wildlife Program Specialist at the Vancouver International Airport in British Columbia.
As host, Atwell and his team led attendees on a tour of PDX, showing them how they manage such a rich and complex environment. Conference participants also attended presentations and learned from colleagues about their proactive, reactive, and adaptive strategies for managing wildlife near airfields.
"What I’m excited about in the future for this discipline… would be innovation and utilization of data and visualization tools that help produce more efficient strategies," says Atwell.
A highlight of every AWMC is hearing from Richard Dolbeer from the United States Department of Agriculture. Dolbeer developed the first wildlife strike database, helping airports and wildlife managers track their progress and distribute valuable information.
"Some people call me the godfather of wildlife control or bird strike management,” says Dolbeer. “At 80 years old, I still find it very fascinating, and I see many challenges that are still out there."
Want to learn more? Explore the Port’s Wildlife Hazard Management Program on our website, and follow the journeys of tagged birds at PDXRaptors.com.
