Which airport has the most bird strikes?

Which airports have the most wildlife strikes? Denver International Airport opened in 1995 in the continent's central flyway for migrating birds, according to online news site Denverite. The airport has the most reports in the wildlife strike database with just over 9,000 through the end of 2022.



According to the most recent data released by aviation authorities like the FAA and India’s DGCA in early 2026, Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) in Delhi frequently reports the highest number of annual bird strikes globally, with over 600 to 700 incidents recorded in peak years. In the United States, Denver International Airport (DEN) and Chicago O'Hare (ORD) are consistently at the top of the list for "reported" strikes due to their high volume of traffic and location along major migratory flyways. However, experts note that these high numbers often reflect "better reporting culture" and more transparent tracking systems rather than simply higher risk. Bird strikes are a significant concern in 2026 because the global increase in quieter, twin-engine jet aircraft makes it harder for birds to detect oncoming planes, leading to thousands of incidents annually that cost the aviation industry billions in repairs and delays.

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