wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

Comments

• [1] Wonky Diva from Queens April 27, 2009 - 10:11AM

  What about hawks, falcons, & other birds of prey to keep the starlings and geese in check?

  
  
• [2] John Lobell from Manhattan April 27, 2009 - 11:38AM

  Hey, maybe it has to do that a bird sanctuary was located next to JFK.

  
  
• [3] Cory from Planet Earth April 27, 2009 - 11:40AM

  Of course JFK has the most strikes. It's in the midst of a massive wetland/national seashore with millions of protected nesting birds. Smart place to put an airport. Ya think?

  
  
• [4] Berge from Long Island April 27, 2009 - 11:41AM

  JFK is listed as a wildlife refuge. I am familar with bird strikes as I was a lead Technician there for 55 yrs. The PONANYNJ has to reimberse the airline for any damage.

  
  
• [5] Mikey Bloomey from City Hall April 27, 2009 - 11:47AM

  If we have to start changing our way of life, haven't the birds won?!

  Just go about your business and go shopping.

  
  
• [6] maggie April 27, 2009 - 11:52AM

  I just came in & don't know the whole radio discussion but generally these "bird strike" discussions make me nuts. THE BIRDS WERE ON THESE MIGRATORY ROUTES FOR MILLIONS OF YEARS! Many of these birds are endangered. Are you aware that the migration can take them from Venezuela to Maine? THey face enormous natural dangers as well as man made dangers on their journey.

  Humans are so often incredibly arrogant. WE SHARE the planet. LIfe would be very unpleasant in a world with no birdsong, only the horrific noise of jets and greedy humans in the sky. JFK should not be where it is. And we need to take a look at our true role in the natural world, which is much more that of an out of control over-populating destructive parasite than that of a caretaker.

  
  
• [7] johnjohn from NYC April 27, 2009 - 11:54AM

  I have come to a conclusion - don't go to college, don't study anything and just listen to WNYC Brian Lehrer, Lopet etc.,

  You will become a genius.

  Amazing discussion about Birdstrikes - wow. Contrast that to the Ditto heads of Rush Limbaugh and all other radio talk shows

  
  
• [8] Amy from Manhattan April 27, 2009 - 11:59AM

  Putting together the last 2 things Mr. Dolbeer said, about how lights might be used to warn off birds & the fact that most of the noise from a plane goes behind it, I wonder if it would be more economical & use less power to direct noise from the front of planes rather than light? (I'm presuming commercial planes don't fly at anywhere close to the speed of sound, so the birds would have enough warning!)

  
  
• [9] David A from Manhattan April 27, 2009 - 12:01PM

  Would broadcasting distressed or warning bird recordings, or sounds noxious to geese from high powered loud speakers divert the birds from the flight path? Also, birds are known to be attracted to radio transmitting towers. Could dedicated towers with frequencies optimized for bird attraction be place to divert them from the flight path?

  
  
• [10] Melissa C. Beckman from Queens April 27, 2009 - 12:18PM

  Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge was created in the 1950’s by Robert Moses. Since the refuge is on a natural bird migratory route, the birds would still be a presence, even if JBWR wasn’t. Though JFK originally was considerably smaller when it first opened in the 1940’s (as Idlewild Airport), the migratory route had been in existence far, far longer.

  A Falconery Unit has been utilized by the Port Authority for the past 10 years. It is much more successful than shooting the birds. BTW, some of the birds are protected species.

  
  
• [11] Nat from New Jersey April 27, 2009 - 02:54PM

  Following up on what Amy from Manhattan said, I was thinking the same exact thing. All the lights and visible warnings won't do any good if the birds aren't facing the airplane! I believe there is some audio-based crowd control technology that may be effective here...