Bird use, bird hazard risk assessment, and

BIRD USE, BIRD HAZARD RISK ASSESSMENT, AND 1

Public Works and Government Services Canada 1

Transport Canada, Ontario Region 1

BIRD USE, BIRD HAZARD RISK ASSESSMENT, AND 2

Public Works and Government Services Canada 2

Transport Canada, Ontario Region 2

Introduction 5

In developing the Pickering airport zoning regulations, it was identified that a bird study was required to determine the extent of a Bird Hazard Zone in order to maintain a low level of risk concerning bird hazards to aviation. Transport Canada commissioned the 1996-1997 Pickering Airport Lands Avifauna Study, conducted by Jacques-Whitford Environment Limited (JWEL 1997), which included recommendations about bird hazard zoning around the site. Transport Canada decided that an up-to-date bird study was needed to reflect recent changes in land-use and that a risk assessment process was needed to support the restrictions that will be included in the zoning. These are the subjects of this report. 5

Recent Changes in Bird Populations in the Pickering Airport Area 9

Safety-Risk Framework 10

Classification of Risk 11

Elements of Risk 11

Aircraft Operations 12

Hazardous Bird Species 14

Bird Hazard Ranking System 14

Bird Hazard Levels of Concern 16

Bird Hazards in the Pickering Area 16

Land-Use by Hazardous Species 18

Risk Considerations 18

Species 18

Numbers 18

Behaviour 18

Frequency of Use 19

Location 19

Scope of Land-Use 19

Hazardous Land-Uses 19

Putrescible Waste Landfills 20

Landfills that accept putrescible or edible waste are major attractant of hazardous bird species. In the Pickering area those species include Turkey Vulture, Great Black-backed Gull, and Herring Gull (Hazard Level 2), Ring-billed Gull, Rock Dove, and American Crow (Level 3), and European Starling (Level 4). As noted earlier, large numbers of gulls frequent landfills in the southern Ontario region. The Brock West Landfill near the Pickering site averaged about 6,000 to 6,500 gulls per day during 1992-93 and 1996 (Harris and Davis 1994; JWEL 1997), with peak numbers of 12,650 in 1993 and 15,066 in 1996. Thus, there were large numbers of hazardous species there on a regular (daily) basis. 20

Food Waste Hog Farms 20

Wildlife Refuges, Waterfowl Feeding Stations 20

Racetracks 21

Open or Partially Enclosed Waste Transfer Stations 21

Cattle Paddocks 21

Sewage Lagoons 21

Municipal Parks, Picnic Areas 21

Golf Courses 22

Dry Waste Landfills 22

Marshes, Swamps and Mudflats 22

Commercial Shopping Malls, Plazas 22

Fastfood Restaurants 23

Outdoor Restaurants 23

Schoolyards 23

Community/Recreation Centres 23

Enclosed Waste Transfer Stations 23

Wet/Dry Recycling Facilities 24

Poultry Factory Farms 24

Plowing/Cultivating 24

Storm-water Management Ponds 25

Compost Facilities 25

Natural Habitats 25

Agricultural Fields 26

Haying 26

Rural Ornamental and Farm Ponds 26

Other Land-Uses 27

Analysis of Proposed Bird Hazard Provision 27

Recommended Bird Hazard Provision 28

Recommendations for Airport Zoning at the Pickering Airport Site 28

Primary Bird Hazard Zone 29

Secondary Bird Hazard Zone 31

Special Bird Hazard Zone 31

The three bird hazard zones are depicted in Figure 6. A more detailed map of the zoned areas is enclosed in the folder at the back of this report. 31

Dry Waste Landfills No Yes Yes 35

Other Land-Uses 37

Acknowledgements 37

Literature Cited 38