Great blue heron hit by plane at YVR makes full recovery, released

A wildlife rescue group says a great blue heron has made a full recovery after being hit by a plane that was lifting off at Vancouver's airport.

The Wildlife Rescue Association of BC's advancement director Marina Schwarz said the heron suffered a suspected concussion, an eye injury, bruises and scratches when it collided with the Dash 8 plane operated by Air Canada Jazz.

Pilot Alex Toporowski said it's been a "roller-coaster of emotions" but he's relieved the bird recovered after the collision on Sept. 29. 

He said he was about to take off for Toronto when the first officer alerted him to the large water bird flying toward them. 

Toporowski said he hit the brakes and watched the bird "bounce up off the wing."

"It (the plane) was at a very low speed, so it wasn't too dramatic in that sense, but as for the bird, I felt really badly," said Toporowski. 

Toporowski said he asked air traffic control to check whether they found the bird's "carcass," and was told that they located it. 

"I was very sad, but then when we were waiting to get going again, Vancouver Airport Wildlife, they said that they had the bird, still alive, in one of their trucks," said Toporowski, adding that hearing the bird still has its legs and wings brought him tremendous relief. 

A maintenance crew found no damage to the plane and it took off an hour later, he said.

The bird was taken to the Wildlife Rescue Association, before being released at Gilbert Beach in Richmond, B.C., on Oct. 5.

Jackie McQuillan, program director for the association, said when the heron first arrived at the facility it was "banged up" with a bruised left leg and an ulcer on its eye. 

The heron had received medication and monitoring over seven days. 

McQuillan, who has been working with the rescue association for decades, said the centre takes care of many birds with concussions that fly into windows or that are hit by vehicles, but it's only the second time she's seen a bird brought in that was hit by a plane. 

"This is really a very unique case. Incredible that this bird survived," said McQuillan. 

Great blue herons, standing up to 1.3 metres tall, are listed as a vulnerable species by the B.C. government, which said they number between 5,000 to 6,000 in the province.

Toporowski, who has been flying commercially for about 10 years, said bird strikes are "fairly common," and they usually don't cause issues. 

"But every time it does happen, we have to get an inspection from maintenance, and they make sure that there's nothing damaged on the aircraft."

Toporowski said he asked to visit the bird in-person but was rejected due to the sensitive nature of its rehabilitation. 

He said the rescue association shared a video of the bird's release with him, and it was "a beautiful full-circle moment to see the bird flying off into the distance."

"All I can do is hope that he stays away from airports in the future," he said. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 3, 2026.

By Nono Shen | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.