Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of African Postgraduate Studies - Department of Natural Resources

Collisions between birds and aircraft are known to cause substantial losses to the aviation industry, as the collision of birds with the plane's body causes a great loss in the aviation industry, while the collision with the aircraft engines and the driving cabin is likely to cause the plane to crash, so the risk of migrating birds should be mitigated at airports to keep both the migratory birds and the aviation industry intact and healthy. Also, providing the Egyptian and Sudanese aerodromes with the preliminary guidelines for the preparation of the relevant ecological studies to avoid any potential problem, creating a database that briefly enumerates and explains the different bird species and its behaviour, respectively, and providing the optimum solutions to manage and control bird hazards at airports that is suitable and convenient to the nature and the complexity of aerodromes located in Egypt and Sudan are the main objectives of this study. Sharm El-Sheikh International airport was chosen as a model airport that is located on the same line of one the most important migratory flyway of birds migrating between Europe and Africa. An integrated bird hazards management system at aerodromes was followed and implemented through qualified and well-trained personnel, database formation, bird control activities including (habitat modification, animal transfer and food chain breakdown), and safety & environmental culture promotion. A significant decrease in the total number of observed birds, particularly, the 2 main species of residential and migratory birds, Pigeons and White storks, respectively, along the study period from 2016 ~ 2020. Also, a significant decrease in the total number of bird strike and its severity during the same time period. During this period and because of the activities conducted to control birds at airports, it was noticed that the number of confirmed birds strikes damages was significantly decreased despite the continual recording of both confirmed & non-confirmed cases

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