4.9 Wildlife Management

Wildlife hazards present a substantial safety risk for aircraft operations. Airports strive to address wildlife hazards through managing wildlife attractants. Wildlife hazard assessments and wildlife hazard management plans are tools used to assess and identify management techniques.

ACRP Legal Research Digest 20: Airport Responsibility for Wildlife Management
Compiles the laws and regulations pertaining to wildlife hazard management and discusses mitigation techniques applicable to airport operators.

ACRP Report 32: Guidebook for Addressing Aircraft/Wildlife Hazards at General Aviation Airports, Chapter 5: Developing a Wildlife Control Program at General Aviation Airports
Provides a starting point for GA airport managers to use when attempting to address hazardous wildlife problems at their airports.

ACRP Report 38: Understanding Airspace, Objects, and Their Effects on Airports
Provides a comprehensive description of the regulations, standards, evaluation criteria, and processes designed to protect the airspace surrounding airports. The report is designed to help understand and apply the appropriate airspace design and evaluation criteria to ensure a safe operating environment for aircraft and to maintain airport operational flexibility and reliability without unduly restricting desirable building development and attendant economic growth in the surrounding community.

ACRP Report 145: Applying an SMS Approach to Wildlife Hazard Management
Introduces and guides the application of a risk-based approach to wildlife hazard management programs and outlines additional steps for integrating programs into an airport’s safety management system (SMS).

ACRP Synthesis 23: Bird Harassment, Repellent, and Deterrent Techniques for Use on and Near Airports
Reviews techniques for reducing bird collisions with aircraft and the relative effectiveness of the various techniques.

ACRP Synthesis 39: Airport Wildlife Population Management
Provides direct wildlife population control techniques for reducing wildlife collisions with aircraft. In addition, the synthesis summarizes the ecological foundation of wildlife population control and management.

ACRP Synthesis 52: Habitat Management to Deter Wildlife at Airports
Presents information on habitat management to deter wildlife at airports and manage risk to aviation.

FAA Advisory Circular 150/5200-33: Hazardous Wildlife Attractants On or Near Airports
Provides guidance on certain land uses that have the potential to attract hazardous wildlife on or near public-use airports. It also discusses airport development projects (including airport construction, expansion, and renovation) affecting aircraft movement near hazardous wildlife attractants.

FAA Advisory Circular 150/5200-36: Qualifications for Wildlife Biologist Conducting Wildlife Hazard Assessments and Training Curriculums for Airport Personnel Involved in Controlling Wildlife Hazards on Airports
Describes the qualifications for wildlife biologists who conduct wildlife hazard assessments for airports certificated under FAR Part 139 and at non-certificated airports funded by the Airport Improvement Program or Passenger Facility Charge Program. Addresses the minimum wildlife hazard management curriculum for the initial and recurrent training of airport personnel who implement an FAA-approved wildlife hazard management plan.

FAA Wildlife Hazard Management at Airports: A Manual for Airport Personnel
Provides guidance to assist airport personnel in managing wildlife at airports.

FAR §139.337: Wildlife Hazard Management
Prescribes that each certificate holder must take immediate action to alleviate wildlife hazards whenever they are detected and must ensure that a wildlife hazard assessment is conducted when trigger events occur.