On April 16, 2026, staff from the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IEE RAS) participated as experts in the conference "Bird strike prevention" at the headquarters of the Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC).
The event was attended by approximately 100 aviation specialists from states party to the Agreement on Civil Aviation and the Use of Airspace, including representatives of international organizations: the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the CIS Executive Committee, and the Eurasian Economic Commission.
The event was also attended by representatives of aviation administrations, airlines, airports, airfield ground services, equipment manufacturers, as well as representatives of educational institutions and staff from our Institute:
- Leading Researcher of the Laboratory of Comparative Ethology and Biocommunication, Doctor of Biological Sciences Aleksey Sergeevich Opayev
- Head of the Laboratory of Ecology and Behavior Management of Birds, Doctor of Biological Sciences Olga Leonidovna Silaeva
- Lead Engineer of the Laboratory of Ecology and Behavior Management of Birds, Viktoria Vitalievna Kutilina.
During the event, participants reviewed the requirements of international and national documents for reducing the risk of aircraft-bird strikes, modern developments in bird and wildlife repellency technologies, their application experience, and other topics. IEE RAS staff presented the following papers:
- "Ways to Minimize Aircraft-Bird Strikes in the Russian Federation" (A.S. Opaev)
- "Aviation Ornithology: Experience of the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences" (V.V. Kutilina)
The IAC discussion forum proved an effective platform for professional dialogue. Participants not only shared experiences but also identified key challenges in preventing aircraft-bird strikes and protecting them against wildlife, outlining solutions. The conference emphasized the need for a systematic approach to providing airports with technical ornithological safety equipment, including bird monitoring systems based on radar and optoelectronic devices that can detect birds and predict their behavior. The conference, "Bird strike prevention," was held in a productive atmosphere and received high praise from participants. Experts emphasized the importance of such events and expressed their willingness to further collaborate on improving bird strike prevention measures.