By Patience Chat Moses
Every day, across the world, thousands of aircraft and birds share the same airspace, a coexistence that, at times, turns perilous. The collision of these two worlds is known as a bird strike.
Simply put, a bird strike is a collision between an airborne animal, most commonly a bird and a moving vehicle, typically an aircraft. This collision is most prevalent during take-off, initial climb, approach, and landing phases, where aircraft are at lower altitudes and closer to areas where bird populations are often abundant. A bird striking an engine can cause severe internal damage, leading to loss of power or even complete engine failure. On other parts of the aircraft, it can shatter windshields, dent fuselages, or damage crucial control surfaces, turning a routine flight into a desperate struggle for survival.
This silent threat is a safety-critical issue with its consequences, costing the global aviation industry well over a billion dollars annually and in rare but dramatic cases, threatening lives. The sheer volume of bird strikes is staggering. Globally, an estimated 21,000 bird strikes are reported annually, meaning roughly 50-60 occur every single day. And these are just the reported incidents; many minor strikes go unrecorded.
One of the most famous examples of a bird strike’s devastating potential, and the remarkable human response to it, is the “Miracle on the Hudson.” On January 15, 2009, US Airways Flight 1549, an Airbus A320 with 155 people on board, struck a flock of Canada geese shortly after taking off from New York’s LaGuardia Airport.
Both engines ingested birds and rapidly lost thrust. With no power and rapidly losing altitude over one of the world’s most densely populated areas, Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger and First Officer Jeffrey Skiles made an extraordinary decision. They successfully glided the crippled aircraft to an unpowered ditching in the frigid waters of the Hudson River with all 155 passengers and crew members alive.
Recent Incidents in Nigeria
Nigeria, like many nations, has had its share of bird strike incidents. Reports indicate a concerning trend, with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) expressing serious concern over the increasing frequency of bird strikes at key airports. Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos is often cited as a particular hotspot.
In early 2025, Air Peace, one of Nigeria’s largest airlines, experienced multiple bird strike incidents within a short 24-hour period, leading to the grounding of three of its aircraft for safety inspections and maintenance. One of these incidents even necessitated an “air return” – a standard procedure where an aircraft returns to the departure airport due to a safety issue, typically after an anomaly like a bird strike. This sort of event significantly disrupts flight schedules and passenger plans.
Data from the NCAA and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) consistently show MMIA Lagos recording the highest number of bird strikes. In early 2025, MMIA Lagos alone recorded four bird strikes on Runway 18R in a single day, prompting the NCAA Director-General, Captain Chris Najomo, to declare bird strike prevention a high-priority task.
A notable incident in May 2021 saw an Aero Contractors Flight from Port Harcourt to Abuja suffer a bird strike during takeoff. The pilot, demonstrating excellent airmanship, made a professional “air return” to Port Harcourt International Airport, landing safely with no injuries to the 91 persons on board. This incident, while not catastrophic, highlighted the immediate need for pilots to assess and manage engine damage and the importance of efficient return-to-base procedures.
These incidents, while often not resulting in catastrophic outcomes, frequently lead to grounded aircraft, expensive engine replacements (which can run into millions of pounds per engine), and frustrating flight delays and cancellations, collectively costing Nigerian airlines an estimated N20 billion (over £13 million) annually.
Beyond the immediate countermeasures, the aviation industry continues to innovate. New technologies are emerging, such as bird detection radar systems that provide real-time tracking of bird movements, allowing for proactive warnings and flight path adjustments. The integration of AI and machine learning for predictive analysis of bird behaviour holds promise for even more effective prevention.
Ultimately, the battle against bird strikes is a continuous and complex one. It demands a delicate balance between human activity and the natural world, a commitment to ongoing research, and robust implementation of mitigation strategies. As air travel continues to grow, so too will the challenge of ensuring that the skies remain safe for both our magnificent machines and the myriad creatures that share them, thus emphasising the extraordinary lengths to which the aviation community have gone to ensure safety and prevent future tragedies.