Bird strikes

N.B: For up-to-date information on bird strikes, change language selection to Finnish. 

Bird strikes 2023

In 2023, there were 348 reported cases of bird strikes in Finland or involving Finnish aircraft abroad. The total number was above the average for 2013-2022 (278.3). There were 211 bird strikes in Finland (average: 174) and 137 abroad (average: 107.1). 

The number of bird strikes in Finland was now at the same level as in the years before the coronavirus pandemic. Approximately half of the bird strikes occurred at Helsinki Airport. Nevertheless, in relation to the number of operations at airports, Helsinki was at the same level as the other airports. Based on relative figures, the most bird strikes occurred in Kemi and Kokkola. All in all, the number of cases in relation to the number of operations at airports was above the average last year. 

Usually bird strikes do not cause any significant dangerous situations, but one bird strike that occurred at Helsinki Airport last year was classified as a serious incident. In the case in question, several birds collided with an airliner and its engines during takeoff. The pilots reduced the power to one of the engines and landed successfully back at the airport. 
Serious incidents caused by bird strikes have been rare; the last classified as such occurred in 2013, when a hawk flew through the windscreen of a small aircraft and into the cockpit.

The numbers abroad are also more or less at the same level as before the coronavirus pandemic. Most of the cases occurred in Italy (Rome), Greece (Rhodes) and Germany (Berlin). Typically, these areas (as well as Spain) have seen a large share of bird strikes. 

Based on statistics on 2013-2022, most bird strikes in Finland occurred in the morning from 7 to 8 o’clock in July-August. In a bit over half of the cases, a bird strike occurred in connection with approach or landing. It was usually a small-sized bird that hit the aircraft. The exact species was rarely reported, but a clear majority of reports involve various swallows and martins, followed by different gulls. 
The statistics in 2023 seemed to follow the same pattern, except that the typical time of day of the bird strike occurring was from 11 to 12 o’clock.

Interactive report

Traficom publishes further information on bird strikes in an interactive report which you can access here  (External link)(link to Microsoft app.powerbi.com-service)