The Molting season for Canadian Geese is coming up, and that’s too bad for them. The city of New York plans to Gas the Geese; some 2000 or more. The Geese have been a growing problem for airliners taking off from JFK and other airports all across the country. With greater magnification on the issue of bird strikes.
Bird Strikes Can Be Messy
You probably didn’t hear much about or even know there was a problem with bird strikes until you saw the story of flight 1549 that ditched into the Hudson River in January. A flock of Geese struck 1549 forcing a miraculous landing into the Hudson, all on board survived.
Since then, the issue of bird strikes has been on the front burner for the FAA. Airplane collisions with birds have more than doubled at 13 major airports in the United States since the year 2000. Now, after careful study, the city of New York plans to take action by capturing and gassing over 2000 Canadian Geese.
On dozens of properties within five miles of Kennedy and LaGuardia airports, the hunt will be on. Not sure of what the reaction might be from conservationists and environmentalists, but my guess is they won’t be very supportive of the city’s decision.
Some wildlife experts say that the Geese refuse to migrate away from the airports and cities because they have a ready food source. In other words, it’s our fault.
The FAA released information for the first time, saying that New York’s Kennedy International, and Sacramento International reported the most bird strikes with serious damage. The FAA also released information saying that there have been 89,000 incidents since 1990.
Since 2000, there have been 28 cases of aircraft collisions with wildlife in which the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. If flight 1549 didn’t make you believe in miracles, it should have at least made you aware of the dangers of bird strikes. The city of New York has been awakened to this reality, and that is what prompted their decision to gas the Geese.
Bird Strike Video
June 12th, 2009 at 6:07 am
The correct term is gaggle of geese. When the media reported the event, the correct terminology should have been, a gaggle of Canada Geese.
Just as a somewhat historic note, in the 90s an Air Force AWACS at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska was downed on take off by a large gaggle, killing over 20 crew members.
Here in Wichita, the Mid Continent Airport Authority uses noise to keep the geese at bay. We are in the Central Flyway and we have lots of geese.
June 15th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
I understand the need for culling the geese, but I hope since I read they are gasing them with carbon dioxide they are going to be donating all this meat somehow to people that need it.
June 17th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
Why not bait them, net them, then transport them upstate? They make for good eating and would give more hunting opporunities.