Conquering "snarge": an update from the Feather Lab

Flying Safety, Sept, 2004 by Carla J. Dove, Marcy Heacker

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FAA Joins The Fight

As reported in the BASH issue of Flying Safety last year, the Smithsonian's Feather Lab entered into an agreement with the USAF and the FAA to join forces to conquer the "snarge" problem once and for all. DNA technology is being initiated to help improve the level of identifications in the paper towel swipes or in cases where insufficient feather material is received for species identification. This year marks the second year of a five-year agreement with FAA to support a database-building effort at the Smithsonian in which portions of four different genes will be sequenced for more than 300 of the species most commonly involved in bird strikes. This database will serve as the master comparison file to match "unknown" sequences extracted from bird strike "snarge."

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In 2003, we made good headway on this new project. The preliminary tests on extracting DNA from the material we receive (including paper towel swipes) looks promising. We now have four beta test DNA collection test kits in the field to help develop a user-friendly, efficient way to collect DNA material. Approximately 200 species on our "hit" list were sequenced for the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene. This gene is currently being used for a comprehensive project to "DNA Barcode" all insect and animal life. Consequently, this COI gene is also working well with the forensic type of material such as found in bird strike cases. Three additional genes are also being explored in our project to develop a final molecular protocol best suited for our bird strike "snarge" samples.

The goal for this FAA/USAF/SI agreement is to have a reference database of sequences, established lab protocols, field collection kits, and readily available molecular identification techniques by the year 2006.

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The Value Of The Bird Collection

Once again, the bird collections at the Smithsonian are proving to be a valuable resource for bird strike identification. For many years, tissue samples from birds collected all over the world have been saved from specimens and stored cryogenically at a Smithsonian facility located in Suitland, Maryland. These samples are now available for a variety of genetic studies, including the DNA bar coding project to aid in bird strike identifications. Many bird specimens were collected by the Smithsonian through grant support from the DoD Legacy Resource Management Grant Program in 2000 and are now being used for sequencing in the bird strike DNA database.

Reporting

Proper species identifications help provide baseline data needed to properly implement habitat management plans on airfields, warn aircrews of bird strike dangers and assist engineers in designing safer engines and windscreens. Knowing the identity of the culprit crossing your path is the first step in preventing a wildlife problem on the airfield. Once the problem species is identified, measures can commence to modify habitat, design prevention models, and keep problem species off the airfield.