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Dr. Carla Dove Forensic Ornithology: When Birds Collide – Examining Feather Clues to Solve Birdstrike Mysteries
September 9, 2021 @ 7:00 am - 9:00 pm
Virtual meeting
Each year bird-aircraft collisions (birdstrikes) cause millions of dollars in damage to both civil and military aviation. The Smithsonian’s Feather Identification Lab identifies over 10,000 birdstrike cases annually using microscopy, DNA, and the vast research collections housed at the National Museum of Natural History. Knowing the species of birds that cause damage is a fundamental step in birdstrike prevention and allows airfield managers to implement habitat modifications to keep birds and aircraft apart and allows engineers to design safer aircraft. This presentation will describe methods used in the feather identification process, other research, and applied uses of this skill.
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