Principal Investigator:		John A. Bissonette USGS Biological Resources Division, Utah Cooperative Research Unit Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Utah State University
Graduate Research Assistant:		Edward J. Zakrajsek Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Utah State University M.S. Wildlife Ecology (in progress)

Bird-strikes (collisions between birds and aircraft) pose a constant threat to aviation safety as well as the individual birds involved. Several management actions are implemented to help mitigate the danger: aircraft design, airfield management, and bird-scarring techniques. All aircraft are exposed to a heightened risk near airports by nature of the fact that most birds are concentrated at low altitudes and by the fact that a loss of power or control at low altitudes can easily lead to devastating results. Military aircraft often have an additional exposure due to their need to train and deploy at low-level & high-speed.

This project aims to develop a Bird-Avoidance Model for Naval Air Facility (NAF), El Centro and it associated Ranges. NAF El Centro is an air base in the midst of a man-made agricultural oasis in the Colorado Desert of southern California. As well, it is located just south of the Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge. During the winter months, the area is a heaven for birds. We hope to learn where concentrations of birds are and when they make their local and migratory movements. We will use existing data sets from the Navy, Air Force, US Fish & Wildlife Service, along with a current Ornithological Survey of the area and various GIS coverages to identify hazardous areas or times to fly. The information will be packaged in a multimedia computer program to be accessed by flight schedulers and aircrew. The model will be used to plan flights and training around high-risk areas or high-risk times. By identifying and avoiding areas or times of high risk of a bird-strike, aircrews can reduce their exposure and therefore their risk.