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

A great blue heron, shown in this handout photo, that was hit by an aircraft during takeoff preparations at Vancouver International Airport, on Sept. 29, 2026, has made a full recovery at the Wildlife Rescue Association of BC, which released the bird in Richmond, B.C., on Oct. 5, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Abby Francis (Mandatory Credit)

A wildlife rescue group says a great blue heron has made a full recovery after being hit by a plane at Vancouver’s airport.

The Wildlife Rescue Association of BC’s advancement director Marina Schwarz says 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 says it’s been a “roller coaster of emotions” but he’s relieved the bird recovered after the Sept. 29 collision.

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

Toporowski says he hit the brakes and watched the bird “bounce up off the wing.”

He says maintenance crew found no damage to the plane and it took off an hour later.

The injured bird was retrieved by airport staff from the south runway, and taken to the Wildlife Rescue Association, before being released at Gilbert Beach in Richmond, B.C., on Oct. 5.

Great blue herons, which can stand 135 centimetres tall, are listed as a vulnerable species by the B.C. government, which says they number 5,000 to 6,000 in the province.

Toporowski says the wildlife service 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 Nono Shen, The Canadian Press, was first published Month Date, 2026.