Abstract: Bird strike is one of the important factors threatening aviation safety. Extensive research has been carried out on bird strike risks of airports. However, earlier studies predominantly relied on bird community data obtained from line transect surveys, which led to some discrepancies compared to actual bird strike events. Few studies assessed the species-specific bird strike risk based on empirical data. In this study, we proposed a risk assessment model based on bird strike data, according to previous literature and work experience. The bird strike risk index was calculated based on the species identification data from bird strike residues collected at the Xi’an Xianyang International Airport from 2014 to 2022. The suitability of the model was evaluated based on the characteristics of bird species, including living habits, migration patterns, body size, clustering, and activities in and around the airport. This study provides new ideas and methods for the assessment of bird strike risk of airports.

Key words: bird strike, airport, risk assessment