FERNDALE, Wash. Airporter Shuttle, a private bus operator serving much of northwestern Washington state, has become an active participant in a program aimed at saving exotic birds of prey and helping aircraft using busy Sea-Tac International Airport avoid potentially dangerous bird strikes.

Participation in the effort not only has saved birds and reduced flying risks but it has resulted in positive publicity for Airporter Shuttle and intrigued its passengers.

The program is a partnership between the Port of Seattle, which operates Sea-Tac Airport, and Falcon Research Group of Skagit Valley, Wash., about 90 miles north of metro Seattle.

As part of the ports Wildlife Management Program, a group of wildlife biologists monitor and carefully trap raptors (hawks, owls, eagles, falcons and other large birds of prey) and transport them 80 miles up Interstate 5 to Burlington, Wash., aboard Airporter Shuttle buses.

In Burlington, Falcon Research Group Biologist Bud Anderson and volunteers meet the birds and take them another nine miles to Bow, Wash., where they are measured, tagged and released into the wilderness of Skagit Valley.

"We are very pleased and excited to be involved in the program," said Larry Wickkiser of Airporter Shuttle. "Its great to be able to help save these majestic birds and also reduce the danger to aircraft."

Airporter Shuttle has handled a dozen raptors so far, including red-tailed hawks, Coopers hawks and great horned owls.

The birds are transported in special cages, which are covered with material to darken the environment to calm the birds, and shipped in the luggage bay, beneath the passenger cabin.

The raptor management program at Sea-Tac was instituted because the large birds are attracted to the airports wide-open space that is home to lots of small critters and other prey the birds can catch.

Before Airporter Shuttle stepped forward to help, the responsibility of bringing the birds to Skagit County fell to Anderson, who founded the nonprofit organization in 1985. During the past 10 years hes released 386 birds through his organization, which is based in Bow.

Last year, the airport began increasing its trapping program, which potentially meant more trips to the Seattle area for Anderson. Working with Steve Osmek, a wildlife biologist at Sea-Tac, they approached Airporter Shuttle with the partnership idea.

"This (shuttle program) is helping so much, and its something they didn't have to do," Anderson told a Bellingham, Wash., newspaper. "It has meant a 15-minute drive for me, rather than two hours each way."

It also has turned into more than just a pickup-and-drop-off project for Airporter Shuttle employees and passengers.

Since starting in September, the Airporter Shuttle has transported 11 birds, most recently two great horned owls,

Said Joel Litwin, marketing coordinator for Airporter Shuttle: "Once I got to hold a Cooper's hawk, I became an instant convert. Many customers think its a wonderful program, and I agree. I see it as people really making a difference on a local level."

Litwin also has appeared on radio to discuss the program.

So far, very few of the released birds have returned to Sea-Tac. Anderson said they've tagged more than 120 birds, with six returning to the airport, four of which stayed only for a brief time. Along with finding a home in Skagit, the tagged birds have moved on to a variety of new territories, including eastern Oregon, Victoria, B.C., and Bellingham.

Of the 386 birds Anderson has released, the majority -- 226 -- were red-tail hawks. When the airport increased its evening trap program, it led to capturing more owls.

Airporter Shuttle and its sister company, Bellair Charters, have been offering Sea-Tac transfers since 1985.

As the Bellingham newspaper observed: "Airporter Shuttle is known for taking on frequent flyers, but now they have some passengers of a completely different feather."

The companies serve many of the counties surrounding Seattle and King County, Wash. Bellair Charters provides charter and bus rental services throughout northwestern Washington.

The company also has three scheduled-service operations serving Walla Walla, Pasco, Kettle Falls, Colville, Spokane, and the Quinault Indian Reservation.