United States Department of Agriculture
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Wildlife Services Directive

2.305
December 11, 2014

WILDLIFE HAZARDS TO AVIATION

1. PURPOSE

To provide general guidelines for Wildlife Services (WS) employees conducting wildlife
hazard management, including research and assistance to airport authorities, state aviation
agencies, local governments, aviation industries, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), federal
and state wildlife agencies, and Department of Defense (DoD) regarding wildlife hazards to
aviation.

2. REPLACEMENT HIGHLIGHTS

This directive revises WS Directive 2.305 dated March 01, 2004.

3. AUTHORITY

a. Authority to promulgate a policy addressing wildlife hazard management is pursuant
to the Act of March 2, 1931(7 USC 426-426b, as amended)

b. Authority to promulgate a policy addressing wildlife hazard management at airports
is pursuant to 14 CFR § 139.

c. Memorandum of Understanding between United States Department of Interior and
United States Department of Agriculture.

d. Memorandum of Agreement between the Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Air
Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, and U.S. Department of Agriculture to address Aircraft-Wildlife Strikes.

4. POLICY

a. WS will assist responsible federal and state agencies, airport authorities, local
governments, and the aviation industry with the identification and reduction of wildlife hazards
to aviation (i.e. civil and military aviation activities) following guidelines set forth in the WS
Manual “Managing Wildlife Hazards at Airports.”


Wildlife Service Directive 2.305 page 2

5. IMPLEMENTATION

a. WS may enter into cooperative service and interagency agreements to conduct
research, site visits, monitoring programs, wildlife hazard assessments, training, management
plans, and conduct wildlife hazard management activities to minimize wildlife hazards to
aviation.

b. The Airport Wildlife Hazards Program Working Group (AWHPWG) will review
and draft airport-related policy and guidance documents/manuals for review by the WS
Management Team (WSMT). The AWHPWG will review and update WS training and
certification standards for airport biologists for review by the WSMT. This working group will
also serve in an advisory capacity to the National Airport Wildlife Hazards Program Coordinator
and their respective members of the WSMT. The AWHPWG may establish subgroups to
complete ongoing and ad hoc functions and the subgroups may include WS employees who are
not members of the APWHWG.

c. WS personnel may provide training for civil and military airport personnel in
comprehensive wildlife hazard management on the safe and proper use of wildlife damage
management tools and techniques.

d. WS personnel may provide technical assistance to civil and military airports with
documentation of hazards and assistance in obtaining necessary Federal and State permits for
take of protected wildlife species at airports.

e. WS personnel may serve as liaisons among airport/airfield managers, DoD Flight
Safety, Natural Resource and other support unit managers, FAA, state aviation and natural
resource agencies, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service offices, and various entities at civil and
military airports to facilitate permitting and wildlife hazard mitigation.

f. WS personnel working at airports with WS agreements will notify the
appropriate civil or military airport authorities as soon as practicable when imminent wildlife
hazards to aviation are observed (e.g. a flock of birds observed on an active runway, deer
observed in the aircraft movement area).

g. WS managers will ensure that WS employees working at aviation facilities are

provided with appropriate training and certifications commensurate with the responsibilities of
their positions.

6. APPLICABILITY AND SCOPE

This directive applies to all WS personnel.


Wildlife Service Directive 2.305 page 3
7. REFERENCES

WS Directive 2.620, WS Aviation Safety and Operations (02/06/2009)

WS Managing Wildlife Hazards at Airports Manual (4/2010)

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU): APHIS and FAA (06/27/2005)
MOU: APHIS and DoD (05/15/1990)

MOU: APHIS, FAA and NASAO (09/20/2013)

MOU: Department of Interior and Department of Agriculture (09/30/1986)
MOU: APHIS and USFWS (08/02/12)

Memorandum of Agreement: APHIS, FAA, USACOE, USEPA, USFWS and
USAF (06/27/2005)

i. FAA 14 CFR Part 139.337 - Wildlife Hazard Management

Deputy Administrator Cg —

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