John Ostrom on new anti-bird devices for airports

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It's no wonder birds like airports. The wide open fields, fresh grass and lack of people make for a near-perfect habitat, especially for large flocking species. But airports do not like birds. About 25 a year hit airplanes at Minneapolis- St. Paul International Airport. They bounce off wings, crack windsheilds and in the most extreme cases -- are injested into the plane's engine. And when a 10-pound Canada goose hits any part of the plane on takeoff, it strikes with the force of a one-thousand pound weight. This week, the Metropolitian Airports Commission is hosting an international meeting to test out devices designed to keep birds out of the path of airplane traffic. John Ostrom oversees the airport's anti-bird efforts. He says a few species create the bulk of the problem:

Funders

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