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Post Calls Fowl on Canada Geese
By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 17, 2009
Modified Jan 17, 2009
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By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 17, 2009
Modified Jan 17, 2009
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The NY Post has found a villain in the Miracle on the Hudson story, and it's Canada geese!
While authorities don't want to address what brought down US Airways Flight 1549, it's believed that a double bird strike caused the engines to fail. The Post has a graphic giving highlights of Branta canadensis and, in a separate editorial, the Post writes:
It's time to kill the geese
... Canada geese are a serious threat to human life and property - not to mention a major pain to pedestrians, motorists and folks who just like to spread a picnic blanket in a park. Obviously, the official cause of the crash won't be declared for a while. But nobody doubts that it was what pilots call a 'bird strike' - just as nobody doubts that the guilty birds were Canada geese.
That's because Canada geese are everywhere - and they're out of control.
The Daily News wonders if a $500,000 radar system could have helped spot the geese. But even the NY Times offers an article about the risk that geese pose at airports, "For years, airport officials have removed shrubs and trees that attract birds. They have tried to scare them away with music, pyrotechnics and cannons. They have even raided birds’ nests and culled the adults with shotguns." The problem continues, and some suggest that global warming has caused birds' migration paths to change.
Wildlife biologist Steve Garber tells the Post that the Port Authority could try to remove geese populations during the summers, either relocating them or killing them (and donating meat to shelters)—"If you keep on doing that, you will get the whole breeding population. In a short period of time, you will have fewer breeding birds." He also suggests shaking their eggs (to damage embryos) and shooting them, "You can throw rocks at them. You can hit them with sticks. These are things that people don't like. But, we are talking about geese." We expect PETA, which has been upset with Canada geese slaughter, to speak up soon.
Tagged
bird strike
canada geese
flight 1549
Flight 1549 investigation
fowl
miracle on the hudson
us airways flight 1549
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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