Document Type
Poster
Publication Title
College of Aeronautics Research Poster Session
Abstract
This study investigates the relationship between urban expansion and wildlife strikes at airports around the U.S. To analyze this correlation, the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) for each city’s population was compared to the Average Annual Wildlife Strike Reports (AAWSR) at each airport. The data were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau (2025) population records and the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) National Wildlife Strikes Database (2025). The research was intended to determine if urbanization contributes to the frequency of wildlife strikes. The results concluded that there was a near-zero correlation between CAGR and AAWSR. This indicates that population growth is not a strong indicator of wildlife strike frequency. It is more likely that other factors play a greater role in wildlife strike prediction, such as habitat structure, wildlife mitigation procedures, and land use at airports. The study highlights the importance of wildlife mitigation strategies as well as the need for future research to explore additional variables to aid in the reduction of wildlife strikes at airports in the U.S.
Publication Date
12-4-2025
Recommended Citation
Burns, Leila; OConnell, Katherine; Schuam, Ethan; and Wheeler, Brooke E., "The Relationship between Compound Annual Growth Rate and Wildlife Strikes in U.S. Cities" (2025). Aeronautics Student Publications. 34.
https://repository.fit.edu/aero_student/34