Wildlife Regulations, Guidance, and Resources

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FAA Regulations and Guidance

Wildlife-Related Regulations

  • 14 CFR 139 Section 139.337
    Identifies the responsibilities certified Airport Operators have with respect to hazardous wildlife issues

Wildlife Guidance

Wildlife-Related Advisory Circulars
Number Title
70-1 Outdoor Laser Operations
150/5200-32 Reporting Wildlife Aircraft Strikes
150/5200-33 Hazardous Wildlife Attractants On or Near Airports
150/5200-34 Construction or Establishment of Landfills near Public Airports
150/5200-36 Qualifications for Wildlife Biologist Conducting Wildlife Hazard Assessments and Training Curriculums for Airport Personnel Involved in Controlling Wildlife Hazards on Airports
150/5200-38 Protocol for the Conduct and Review of Wildlife Hazard Site Visits, Wildlife Hazard Assessments, and Wildlife Hazard Management Plans
150/5220-25 Airport Avian Radar Systems

View All Series 150 Advisory Circulars (ACs)

Wildlife-Related CertAlerts
Number Title
23-08 Considerations for Use of Unmanned Aircraft in Support of Airport Wildlife Dispersal
16-03 Recommended Wildlife Exclusion Fencing (PDF)
14-01 Seasonal Mitigation of Hazardous Species at Airports: Attention to Snowy Owls (PDF)
13-01 Federal and State Depredation Permit Assistance
06-07 Requests by State Wildlife Agencies to Facilitate and Encourage Habitat for State-Listed Threatened and Endangered Species and Species of Special Concern on Airports (PDF)
98-05 Grasses Attractive To Hazardous Wildlife (PDF)

View the Complete List of Airport Part 139 CertAlerts

Wildlife-Related AIP Program Guidance

Reporting Forms

Interagency Agreements

FAA Videos


Added October 13, 2022

Training Opportunities

FAA-Approved Qualified Airport Wildlife Biologist Training

Note: AC 150/5200-36, Qualifications for Wildlife Biologist Conducting Wildlife Hazard Assessments and Training Curriculums for Airport Personnel Involved in Controlling Wildlife Hazards on Airports, specifies the requirements for approved airport wildlife biologist training. Currently, two providers meet these requirements.

Airport Cooperative Program (ACRP) Reports

Wildlife Hazard Publications

International Bird Strike Committees

Current Bird Hazard Mitigation Systems

  • AHAS: Avian Hazard Advisory System (Operated by AET Environmental Services with DeTect, Inc as a subcontractor).

    The Avian Hazard Advisory System (AHAS) is a risk assessment tool that provides the user with a standardized measure of bird strike risk for low level routes. AHAS calculates risk by measuring the number of bird strikes in a particular area, and the average mass of the birds from the FAA database. AHAS also incorporates weather radar data from NEXRAD, historical information (USAF Bird Avoidance Model) and predictive models to determine current bird activity. AHAS provides strike risk assessment for VR Routes, IR Routes, Ranges, MOAs, and military airfields.

Last updated: Friday, January 3, 2025