What's the highest altitude that you ever saw a bird swoop past your plane?

The other day I was flying at 5000' MSL, over land that was mostly about
1000' (so 4000' AGL) and saw a flock of birds, hawks of some sort I think,
one of which came close enough to make me quite nervous (although from the
way he was flapping I think he was much more nervous than I was).

I don't think I've ever seen birds above 3000' MSL / 2500' AGL or so before
and I was pretty surprised...

Do birds typically stay low, or have I just been lucky until now?

Judah > wrote:

> What's the highest altitude that you ever saw a bird swoop past your plane

I was once returning to my home airport at 4,000 feet msl when ATC called
"traffic ahead, primary target only, slow moving, probably migratory
birds."

We spotted the birds, a flock of Canada geese at what appeared to be 5,500
feet or so. This was in central NY state, USA.

--
Peter

Judah wrote:
> What's the highest altitude that you ever saw a bird swoop past your plane?
>
> The other day I was flying at 5000' MSL, over land that was mostly about
> 1000' (so 4000' AGL) and saw a flock of birds, hawks of some sort I think,
> one of which came close enough to make me quite nervous (although from the
> way he was flapping I think he was much more nervous than I was).
>
> I don't think I've ever seen birds above 3000' MSL / 2500' AGL or so before
> and I was pretty surprised...
>
> Do birds typically stay low, or have I just been lucky until now?


I just flew past an eagle at 12,400 msl yesterday, This was about 5700
agl AGL. I see and watch for them up there all the time. The migration
for flocks of birds are starting this month too but they usually cruise
southbound at 9000 msl or so.

Ben
Jackson Hole Wy

wrote:
> Judah wrote:
> > What's the highest altitude that you ever saw a bird swoop past your plane?
> >
> > The other day I was flying at 5000' MSL, over land that was mostly about
> > 1000' (so 4000' AGL) and saw a flock of birds, hawks of some sort I think,
> > one of which came close enough to make me quite nervous (although from the
> > way he was flapping I think he was much more nervous than I was).
> >
> > I don't think I've ever seen birds above 3000' MSL / 2500' AGL or so before
> > and I was pretty surprised...
> >
> > Do birds typically stay low, or have I just been lucky until now?
>
>
> I just flew past an eagle at 12,400 msl yesterday, This was about 5700
> agl AGL. I see and watch for them up there all the time. The migration
> for flocks of birds are starting this month too but they usually cruise
> southbound at 9000 msl or so.

http://www.fws.gov/blackwater/Canadagoose.htm
"Geese have been observed at altitudes of 29,000 feet"

The highest a bird has ever been spotted is about 38,000 msl.

You may find this web-site interesting: http://www.usahas.com/



Andrey


Judah > wrote:
> What's the highest altitude that you ever saw a bird swoop past your plane?
>
> The other day I was flying at 5000' MSL, over land that was mostly about
> 1000' (so 4000' AGL) and saw a flock of birds, hawks of some sort I think,
> one of which came close enough to make me quite nervous (although from the
> way he was flapping I think he was much more nervous than I was).
>
> I don't think I've ever seen birds above 3000' MSL / 2500' AGL or so before
> and I was pretty surprised...
>
> Do birds typically stay low, or have I just been lucky until now?

Judah wrote:

>
> Do birds typically stay low, or have I just been lucky until now?

I hit a turkey buzzard at 4500 feet once. That was probably over
3000 AGL.

What has always impressed me is how high you find insects. I've
smacked into nice juicy bugs at like 6000'

> Do birds typically stay low, or have I just been lucky until now?

Go see "Winged Migration"... two hours of nothing but birds flying, from
a bird's eye view. They go pretty high.

Jose
--
There are more ways to skin a cat than there are cats.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

Judah wrote:
> What's the highest altitude that you ever saw a bird swoop past your plane?
>
> The other day I was flying at 5000' MSL, over land that was mostly about
> 1000' (so 4000' AGL) and saw a flock of birds, hawks of some sort I think,
> one of which came close enough to make me quite nervous (although from the
> way he was flapping I think he was much more nervous than I was).
>
> I don't think I've ever seen birds above 3000' MSL / 2500' AGL or so before
> and I was pretty surprised...
>
> Do birds typically stay low, or have I just been lucky until now?
over 10,000 (about 3000 AGL) feet Climbing out of Cody, WY headed to
Yellowstone.

Michelle P

I am clearly no expert on bird physiology, but what the heck is a bird
breathing at 38,000msl????

Possibly a small canister on its back with a little 'birdie-canula' strapped
to its beak?
"Andrey Serbinenko" > wrote in message
...
> The highest a bird has ever been spotted is about 38,000 msl.
>
> You may find this web-site interesting: http://www.usahas.com/
>
>
>
> Andrey
>
>
> Judah > wrote:
>> What's the highest altitude that you ever saw a bird swoop past your
>> plane?
>>
>> The other day I was flying at 5000' MSL, over land that was mostly about
>> 1000' (so 4000' AGL) and saw a flock of birds, hawks of some sort I
>> think,
>> one of which came close enough to make me quite nervous (although from
>> the
>> way he was flapping I think he was much more nervous than I was).
>>
>> I don't think I've ever seen birds above 3000' MSL / 2500' AGL or so
>> before
>> and I was pretty surprised...
>>
>> Do birds typically stay low, or have I just been lucky until now?

I remember a P210 in the shop for a replacement windshield.
The pilot reported hitting an eagle at 14,000 over western
Kansas. There was a lot of damage to the airframe, luckily
the strike was on the top of the cowling on the right side
and the big bird missed the pilot. It also left about 1/3
of the windshield in front of the pilot.


--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

"Judah" > wrote in message
. ..
| What's the highest altitude that you ever saw a bird swoop
past your plane?
|
| The other day I was flying at 5000' MSL, over land that
was mostly about
| 1000' (so 4000' AGL) and saw a flock of birds, hawks of
some sort I think,
| one of which came close enough to make me quite nervous
(although from the
| way he was flapping I think he was much more nervous than
I was).
|
| I don't think I've ever seen birds above 3000' MSL / 2500'
AGL or so before
| and I was pretty surprised...
|
| Do birds typically stay low, or have I just been lucky
until now?

Bird brain doesn't need much oxygen to function.


"pgbnh" > wrote in message
...
|I am clearly no expert on bird physiology, but what the
heck is a bird
| breathing at 38,000msl????
|
| Possibly a small canister on its back with a little
'birdie-canula' strapped
| to its beak?
| "Andrey Serbinenko" > wrote
in message
| ...
| > The highest a bird has ever been spotted is about 38,000
msl.
| >
| > You may find this web-site interesting:
http://www.usahas.com/
| >
| >
| >
| > Andrey
| >
| >
| > Judah > wrote:
| >> What's the highest altitude that you ever saw a bird
swoop past your
| >> plane?
| >>
| >> The other day I was flying at 5000' MSL, over land that
was mostly about
| >> 1000' (so 4000' AGL) and saw a flock of birds, hawks of
some sort I
| >> think,
| >> one of which came close enough to make me quite nervous
(although from
| >> the
| >> way he was flapping I think he was much more nervous
than I was).
| >>
| >> I don't think I've ever seen birds above 3000' MSL /
2500' AGL or so
| >> before
| >> and I was pretty surprised...
| >>
| >> Do birds typically stay low, or have I just been lucky
until now?
|
|

> What's the highest altitude that you ever saw a bird swoop past your plane?

I've seen snow geese in Texas above 4,000 feet AGL.

Migrating birds are known to fly much higher than that--well up into the
flight levels.

--
Dan
C-172RG at BFM

The bugs go as high as thermal lift goes. In the east that normally
goes to 8k or so - can go to 11k or 12K. Out west it can go above 18K
but middle teens is common.

When the bugs are there, the swifts will go there too. Usually don't
see them due to size unless you're flying in the same places, slow, and
with good visibility like a glider guider.

Heck, I've seen clumps of grass at 15K, 12kagl - dust devil debris I guess.

Ron Natalie wrote:
>
> What has always impressed me is how high you find insects. I've
> smacked into nice juicy bugs at like 6000'

pgbnh wrote:
> I am clearly no expert on bird physiology, but what the heck is a bird
> breathing at 38,000msl????
>
Just because he's there doesn't mean he meant to be.

I'm guessing that if a bird gets caught up in some lee wave lift (which
can exceed 50k) he might just climb and die from hypoxia or temperature.
as in 'bird brain'. Pure conjecture though.

"Judah" > wrote in message

> What's the highest altitude that you ever saw a bird swoop past your
> plane?

I hit a bird one night at 9500 over Long Island sound in a 402.
Clarification: I presume it was a bird - I saw nothing, just heard a very
loud BANG as something caromed off the windshield.

It could have been my buddy chucking an empty beer can out of the window
while flying over the Sound.

("Maule Driver" wrote)
> Heck, I've seen clumps of grass at 15K, 12kagl - dust devil debris I
> guess.


"Have grass strip in sight."


Montblack

("DeLoon DeLoon" wrote)
> It could have been my buddy chucking an empty beer can out of the window
> while flying over the Sound.

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/month.asp
NTSB Reports - Aviation Accidents

'Cessna 402 slamming into a house' - which at the time of the accident, was
being used as a day-care for crippled blind orphans.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of
this accident as follows:

DeLoon DeLoon suggesting to his buddy he throw a beer can out the window of
an aircraft. Deloon DeLoon supplying the beer. DeLoon DeLoon failing to take
into account his friend's diminished mental capacity. A contributing factor
was the lack of suitable friends available for DeLoon DeLoon to play with.


Montblack

I dodged or rather the bird dodged.. appeared to be an Eagle, Soaring at
FL200 in the mid west, I was in a B-52.. it would have made an ugly mess if
we had hit.

BT

"Ron Natalie" > wrote in message
m...
> Judah wrote:
>
>>
>> Do birds typically stay low, or have I just been lucky until now?
>
> I hit a turkey buzzard at 4500 feet once. That was probably over
> 3000 AGL.
>
> What has always impressed me is how high you find insects. I've
> smacked into nice juicy bugs at like 6000'

Judah wrote:
> What's the highest altitude that you ever saw a bird swoop past your plane?
>

Turkey Vulture at >5500' MSL while in the practice area south of
Phoenix.

It was really not that big a deal but at the time, I was a 23- hour
student pilot who was just about to get to the break in a departure
stall and was very nose high when it went *over* me.

Big, black silouette had me convinced we'd just missed another plane...

Jay B

"Judah" > wrote in message

> What's the highest altitude that you ever saw a bird swoop past your
> plane?

I hit a bird one night at 9500 over Long Island sound in a 402.
Clarification: I presume it was a bird - I saw nothing, just heard a very
loud BANG as something caromed off the windshield.

"Andrey Serbinenko" > wrote in message
...
> The highest a bird has ever been spotted is about 38,000 msl.
>
> You may find this web-site interesting: http://www.usahas.com/
>
And there has been a bird strike at 37,000 feet. See this site for some more
interesting facts. I was impressed at the size of the problem.
<http://www.birdstrike.org/commlink/top_ten.htm>
--
Jim in NC

"BTIZ" > wrote in message
news:0soOg.4204$8J2.2435@fed1read11...
> I dodged or rather the bird dodged.. appeared to be an Eagle, Soaring at
> FL200 in the mid west, I was in a B-52.. it would have made an ugly mess
if
> we had hit.

Yeah, you might have even been required to perform the dreaded 7-engine
approach...

Or the 12 engine take-off...




"Grumman-581" > wrote
in message ...
| "BTIZ" > wrote in message
| news:0soOg.4204$8J2.2435@fed1read11...
| > I dodged or rather the bird dodged.. appeared to be an
Eagle, Soaring at
| > FL200 in the mid west, I was in a B-52.. it would have
made an ugly mess
| if
| > we had hit.
|
| Yeah, you might have even been required to perform the
dreaded 7-engine
| approach...
|
|

"Jim Macklin" > wrote in message
news:VxfOg.22644$SZ3.246@dukeread04...
> Bird brain doesn't need much oxygen to function.
>

Let's take Skyloon up and prove or disprove that theory. :)

"BTIZ" > wrote in message
news:0soOg.4204$8J2.2435@fed1read11...
>I dodged or rather the bird dodged.. appeared to be an Eagle, Soaring at
>FL200 in the mid west, I was in a B-52.. it would have made an ugly mess if
>we had hit.
>
I've seen them that high over the Rockies, but never over the mid west.

"Gig 601XL Builder" <wrDOTgiaconaATcox.net> wrote in message
...
>
> "Jim Macklin" > wrote in message
> news:VxfOg.22644$SZ3.246@dukeread04...
>> Bird brain doesn't need much oxygen to function.
>>
>
> Let's take Skyloon up and prove or disprove that theory. :)
>
There goes another keyboard! :~)

I once shared a thermal with a red tail hawk up to 5000 MSL. I was on one side
of thermal and he was on the other side. I always wonder about that. Could he
go as fast as I was or could I go as slow as he was?

On Fri, 15 Sep 2006 01:47:40 -0400, "John Gaquin" >
wrote:

>
>"Judah" > wrote in message
>
>> What's the highest altitude that you ever saw a bird swoop past your
>> plane?
>
>I hit a bird one night at 9500 over Long Island sound in a 402.
>Clarification: I presume it was a bird - I saw nothing, just heard a very
>loud BANG as something caromed off the windshield.
>
>

GeorgeC

or been pulling crap out of my face.. it would have been a windshield/radome
encounter.

I have inspected other B-52s where the low level flock of ducks came through
the radome and into the crew compartment.. not fun.

BT

"Grumman-581" > wrote in message
...
> "BTIZ" > wrote in message
> news:0soOg.4204$8J2.2435@fed1read11...
>> I dodged or rather the bird dodged.. appeared to be an Eagle, Soaring at
>> FL200 in the mid west, I was in a B-52.. it would have made an ugly mess
> if
>> we had hit.
>
> Yeah, you might have even been required to perform the dreaded 7-engine
> approach...
>
>

"Grumman-581" > wrote in message
...
> "BTIZ" > wrote in message
> news:0soOg.4204$8J2.2435@fed1read11...
>> I dodged or rather the bird dodged.. appeared to be an Eagle, Soaring at
>> FL200 in the mid west, I was in a B-52.. it would have made an ugly mess
> if
>> we had hit.
>
> Yeah, you might have even been required to perform the dreaded 7-engine
> approach...
>

Had to ride through a 4 engine approach once... and they were all on the
same side..
BT

I have been picking up swarms of mosquitos at 5500ft this year.
That is a first.
I often see Blue Herons at 4500 ft.
Seems like every year they are getting higher.

Tony
--

Tony Roberts
PP-ASEL
VFR OTT
Night
Cessna 172H C-GICE

In article >,
Judah > wrote:

> What's the highest altitude that you ever saw a bird swoop past your plane?
>
> The other day I was flying at 5000' MSL, over land that was mostly about
> 1000' (so 4000' AGL) and saw a flock of birds, hawks of some sort I think,
> one of which came close enough to make me quite nervous (although from the
> way he was flapping I think he was much more nervous than I was).
>
> I don't think I've ever seen birds above 3000' MSL / 2500' AGL or so before
> and I was pretty surprised...
>
> Do birds typically stay low, or have I just been lucky until now?

tony roberts > wrote in news:nospam-08E735.21401414102006
@shawnews:

> I have been picking up swarms of mosquitos at 5500ft this year.
> That is a first.
> I often see Blue Herons at 4500 ft.
> Seems like every year they are getting higher.
>
> Tony

Must be from Global Warming. :)

"BTIZ" > wrote in message
news:aOEOg.4250$8J2.1485@fed1read11...
> I have inspected other B-52s where the low level flock of ducks came
through
> the radome and into the crew compartment.. not fun.

Sounds rather messy...

"BTIZ" > wrote in message
news:tQEOg.4251$8J2.516@fed1read11...
> Had to ride through a 4 engine approach once... and they were all on the
> same side..

What's the minimum number of engines required to keep it aloft? Probably
different number if they are all on one side vs split between both rights, I
guess...