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Science
San Jose Airport to Arms Against 'Bird Strikes'
The San Jose City Council is expected to help the city's airport in its battle against birds that put planes in danger. The council is scheduled to vote today Tuesday on regulations that would allow airport personnel to use guns to scare off the birds.
The action is part of a larger Federal Aviation Administration effort to cut down on hazardous bird populations near airports and avoid so-called bird strikes.
“Here at San Jose, seagulls are a particular issue,” says airport spokeswoman Rosemary Barnes. “Those birds can strike departing and arriving aircraft, and cause potentially significant damage to both aircraft and put the safety of passengers at risk.”
Barnes says airport staff and federal biologists will primarily shoot blanks to scare birds away. And will only use shotguns as a last resort.
