Are birds safe on a federal wildlife refuge? Canada geese may not be, if a New York senator has her way. According to Fox News, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has proposed a bill that would permit removing geese from areas of the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge that are within five miles of JFK International Airport in an effort to minimize the risk of bird strikes that can threaten aircraft.
The airport already uses a number of methods to prevent bird strikes, but two aircraft in the New York area have been forced to make emergency landings recently due to bird strikes. No injuries were reported as a result of those strikes.
Wildlife advocates are against Gillibrand's proposal because it opens a door for bird population control in protected areas when the birds in question are not threatening other species (such as invasive birds destroying nests of protected species). If the geese - still protected birds under the Migratory Bird Act even though they are often considered a nuisance - are removed or destroyed on the refuge, what other birds may be at risk?
Share your thoughts on this controversial proposal in the comments!
Canada Goose
Photo © Greg
Comments
Great photos of the aveoct and the other little shorebirds as well. I expect the migratory shorebirds to be arriving down here (Australia) over the next few weeks and months. A very exciting time of year!