The Federal Aviation Administration really didn't want to tell the public how many times birds have struck airliners, but the agency was
overruled by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. Now, an online database exists that includes reports of strikes from January 1990 through the end of November 2008. The list is quite striking--no pun intended--listing 112,000 collisions over that timespan.

About 97 percent of the reports involved birds, but the database also includes collisions with foxes, rabbits and prairie dogs. Federal officials said the reporting is voluntary from pilots and airline officials, and the electronic database is incomplete.

The database includes aircraft type, altitude, time of day and other circumstances, and might be used by IT specialists to figure out some solutions to this serious problem.

Pressure grew on the FAA to release the data after U.S. Airways Flight 1549 at LaGuardia Airport hit a flock of Canada geese on Jan. 15 after taking off from LaGuardia Airport, and made an emergency landing in the Hudson River.

For more on the FAA and the birds:
- check out this New York Times article