| Between 1994 and 1997, 444 incidents between birds and aircraft were recorded at Vancouver International Airport, located adjacent to the Strait of Georgia. Passerine species accounted for 34.59% of strikes, ducks and geese for 17.47%, gulls for 17.12%, peeps (shorebirds) for 14.73%, raptors for 11.30%, and other bird species for 4.79%. Only strikes involving larger birds caused damage to aircraft, and there was a positive relationship between avian body mass and the percentage of strikes causing damage for each species.; Relationships between strikes and the tide cycle in the Strait of Georgia were examined using chi-square tests. For raptors, passerines, gulls, and peeps, more strikes than expected occurred during higher tides. These patterns can be explained by bird behaviour, because it relates directly or indirectly to the tide. More duck and goose strikes than expected occurred during falling tides; this can be explained by waterfowl behaviour. Many of these relationships were stronger in some seasons than others.; More strikes than expected occurred on the parallel runway, which is near a raptor habitat conservation area. It is also the newest of the three major runways at the airport. More strikes than expected occurred with turbo fan and turbo jet aircraft engine types, indicating that birds cannot evade the threat posed by these newer, quieter engines as successfully as they can with older, noisier piston prop and turbo prop engines.; Relationships between bird strikes and tides can be used by wildlife managers at Vancouver International Airport to determine the best time for active bird dispersal.; However, passive management, the alteration of habitat on airport grounds to make it unattractive to birds, is preferable. |
