By Lindsay Peyton

Screeching red-tailed hawks circled overhead as John Mailhiot hurled a rope into a high branch of a tree on Wednesday morning, June 7. 

Deep into the undergrowth on undeveloped land near the airport, biologists had identified a nest – and brought in Mailhiot, an experienced climber, to remove the two chicks inside. 

Keeping a close eye on the bird population is part of the job for Mikki Viehoever, wildlife biologist for the Port of Seattle. 

The goal, she explained, is to protect the baby birds as they start learning how to fly – and to protect aircraft from strikes that could cause major damage.

“Bird strikes from small species don’t do any damage,” she said. 

With larger birds – like eagles and hawks – a hit can have a major impact on a plane. 

Adult hawks know how to stay clear of the flight paths. 

“The young are not accustomed to aircraft,” Viehoever said. “They’re just learning how to fly. They’re more of a danger to aircraft, because they don’t know how to get out of the way.”

Once a year, the Port hosts a “raptor relocation” program – removing the young birds from the area and brining them to a place where they can safely learn how to fly. 

That’s when Bud Anderson comes in.

He’s an expert raptor biologist who works as a contractor with the Port. He trims a trail for tree climber Mailhiot, who then gears up and deftly climbs his way to the nest, perched precariously on the very top of the branches. 

Mailhiot swoops up the chicks, places them in a bag at his hip and slowly lowers down to the ground. 

“The parents will be unhappy that we’re taking the nestlings,” Viehoever said. “They screech and circle. A few hours late they’ll move on.”

While the adults may be upset, the chicks are gaining from the experience in the long-run. 

Anderson takes them to Skagit County, where they will be fed and cared for until they learn to fly and be independent. 

Rescuing the young raptors is a rewarding task, Anderson said. 

“They have no experience in life, and they have no idea what danger is,” he said. “They’re not sophisticated enough to recognize the threat, and they’re not strong enough fliers to get out of the way, which is bad for them, bad for jets and bad for passengers. Our job is to get them upstream.”

He explained that the nesting hawks are territorial and return to the same area year after year. 

“You could draw a circle and they never leave it,” he said.  

The Port keeps track of about five or six hawk territories near the airport. This year there were three active nests – and one failed. 

Viehoever also keeps track of owls, other hawk species and falcons – all large enough birds to damage a plane. 

“Our primary focus is human safety,” she said. “Protecting our passengers is the main goal.”

For more information about Sea-Tac Airport’s wildlife management plan, visit

www.portseattle.org/Environmental/Water-Wetlands-Wildlife/Pages/Wildlif….