FAA Data Shows Wildlife Strikes on the Rise

Wildlife strikes involving U.S. civil aircraft rose to more than 22,000 instances in 2024, a 14 percent increase over the previous year, according to a recent FAA report. That equates to about 61 strikes every day. Since 1990, more than 319,000 strikes have been reported nationwide, resulting in 82 fatalities and 126 aircraft destroyed. Globally, the report found that wildlife strikes have killed more than 643 people and destroyed over 360 aircraft between 1990 and 2024. The FAA largely attributes the rising numbers to growing bird populations and to quieter turbofan technology.

While most strikes cause little damage, the FAA report emphasized that collisions at higher altitudes or with larger species remain a serious risk, with two aircraft destroyed by wildlife in 2024 alone.

Efforts to reduce those risks have expanded since the 2009 “Miracle on the Hudson,” with more than $400 million in airport wildlife-related projects and $30 million in research directed toward detection and avoidance technologies. These include avian radar, bird migration forecasting, and aircraft lighting systems designed to increase visibility. Still, the FAA cautioned that “much work remains to be done,” calling for expanded strike reporting and wildlife management strategies extending at least five miles beyond airport boundaries to address hazards during climb and approach phases.