The latest story regarding the adding of the snowy owl to the list of birds needing to be killed around our area airports is nothing short of barbaric.
Yes, it is very important for passengers and flight crews to be safe on airplanes landing and taking off, but it is also imperative for the Port Authority and wildlife officials to sit down and attempt to come up with a viable solution to this continuous problem. At this rate, every single bird that flies near the airports will be targeted for mass shooting.
Keep in mind that it was not the most intelligent thing in the world to do, when the sites for our regional airports, especially JFK, were selected. The Jamaica Wildlife refuge, which is owned and protected by the federal government, was in place long before any plane ever flew over our region. Compromise, not confrontation, is very essential to deal with this serious and continuous problem between birds and airliners. Both have the right to fly in our skies. It is up to the powers that be to reduce the possibility of potential collisions between birds and planes.
John Amato
Fresh Meadows
