U.S. Department of Agriculture: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Document Type
Article
Date of this Version
March 2006
Abstract
Biologists with USDA Wildlife Services provided technical and operational assistance at a record 674 airports and military airbases in FY 2005 to reduce wildlife hazards to aviation. Operational assistance included live-trapping birds of prey, such as this juvenile red-tailed hawk, at 65 airports. Captured birds were released in areas away from the airports. Studies have shown that juvenile (nonbreeding) red-tailed hawks rarely return to airports after translocation. The overall red-tailed hawk population in the USA has increased over 2-fold since 1970. The population in the Great Lakes region has increased over 3-fold.