CAPA Concept of Operations

CAPA Instructional Video
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Feather Identification Lab, Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Feather ID Lab Interview

Guidelines for Collecting Birdstrike Remains for Species Identification

General Information for Collecting Birdstrike Material

2025 USDA Overseas Shipping Permit

Strike, Snarge, and Safety: Your Guide to Wildlife Strike Reporting video

Avian Influenza The reports of avian influenza in Asia and Europe have caused concern that a mutant version of the bird flu could infect the human population. Although avian influenza is potentially fatal, it is very difficult and rare to contract. Most cases of bird to human transmission involved people working in close proximity to large numbers of infected domestic birds. Recently, human cases of avian influenza have been reported from Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong and Vietnam. Currently the H5N1 virus has not been found in the United States.

The main routes of transmission are likely through bird droppings or bodily fluids of birds onto your hands and then into your mouth, or by infected airborne particles coming into contact with the nose, eyes or mouth. Simple hygiene precautions can effectively stop the first route of transmission and a single dead bird or a small number of dead birds are unlikely to generate airborne particles. The CDC recommends that travelers to Asian countries with known outbreaks of H5N1 avoid poultry farms, contact with animals in live food markets, and avoid contact with any surfaces that appear to be contaminated with feces from poultry or other animals.

For more detailed information on Avian Influenza, click here.

FAA
USDA
Smithsonian Natural History
Bird Strike USA
Bird Strike Canada

Using NEXRAD (WSR-88D) Weather Radars to track the movements of birds, AHAS represents the most comprehensive method of remote sensing of birds today. These radars were originally built to track storm cells and chart precipitation returns. They are currently also being used to keep planes away from birds. The system removes weather and aircraft from the radar returns in order to extract and display only biological targets.AHAS uses the radars to monitor bird activity in near real-time to increase flight crew awareness and planning capabilities. AHAS is the dynamic version of the BAM and is available online. Coverage includes the entire continental United States and Alaska.

Avian Hazard Advisory System
Avian Hazard Advisory System Tutorial

Bird hazard information for Europe

BIRDTAM, an elaborate bird monitoring system has been developed and is being used by Germany, Belgium, and The Netherlands to generate bird strike risk intensity levels. The bird strike risk intensity levels range from 0 (nil bird strike risk) to 8 (extremely great bird strike risk). Aircrews flying over Central Europe, to include Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, and The Netherlands should consult the DOD NOTAM website during flight planning.
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BIRDTAMS 0-3 correspond to Bird Watch Condition LOW, 4-6 to MODERATE, and 7-8 to SEVERE.

For more information on BIRDTAM, contact USAFE/SEF