ORLANDO, Fla. — A ramp-up of travel in and out of Orlando International Airport for the holidays coincides this year with more wildlife activity that could get in the way of aircraft.

The waterways near the airport’s runways are a plane-spotters paradise, but they also are where some birds like to grab a snack.​

Johnny Metcalf's team of wildlife biologists, one of about 10 at airports nationwide, are out year-round, but especially in Florida's cooler months, when it's easier to catch fish.

The team uses an electrofishing boat that temporarily stuns fish, so they can be moved further away from where the planes are, catching about 10 per minute at the beginning of the bird-migration season.

"A lot of the migratory birds follow the Atlantic flyaway,” Metcalf said. “They funnel down through the Atlantic coast. Orlando's part of that flyaway. So, some stay here, some migrate through."

Another mitigation tool is pyrotechnics.

"Everything in the area is going to start to fly, so you have to know what your environment is," Metcalf's teammate John Rogers said when talking about communicating with the tower to know where incoming or departing planes are.

Birds aren't the only animals nearby.

"Hogs have a distinctive print over anything else that's clove-footed," Rogers said.

The wildlife team moves a hog trap around property to prevent them from getting close to the air field while keeping an eye from a camera.

More than 10,000 birds are struck by aircraft across the country every year, at about 26 per day, Federal Aviation Administration data indicate.

About 24 birds collided with aircraft near Orlando International Airport in October, Metcalf said.

"For this time of year, it's a little high, but the most important metric we focus on are damaging strikes," Metcalf said.

Only one or two damage strikes were reported in October, he said.

Reporting on the strikes is voluntary, and Metcalf said he believes MCO has the best reporting program in the United States.

"Just because an airport has lots of strikes doesn't mean they have a bird problem, just means they have a good reporting program," Metcalf said.

With more bird species flocking to Central Florida, challenges remain, but the adventure continues for this team.

"My passion's wildlife and animals and safety so the two actually mix," Metcalf said.

Most strikes reported at Florida airports are not damaging.

Wildlife/aircraft collisions near major Florida airports

Orlando International Airport
August 2021: About 7
September 2021: About 20 (one uncertain damage)
October 2021L About 24 (one uncertain damage)

Tampa International Airport
August 2021: About 16
September 2021: About 13
October 2021: About 16

Miami International Airport
August 2021: About 12
September 2021: About 9
October 2021: About 12

Information from FAA wildlife database